Newswire

BRICS’ Push for Alternative Currency Sparks Trump’s Backlash

Newswire / /

During his visit to Washington last October, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, eagerly shared photos of his discussions with Biden administration officials Gina Raimondo and Katherine Tai. He also spoke publicly about the strong, long-standing ties between India and the United States.

However, Goyal’s recent visit to Washington earlier this month painted a starkly different picture. This time, he left without providing any details about his meetings with the newly appointed US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer. A week after his return, he shared a single photo with Greer on social media, stating only that their discussion was “forward-looking” and guided by an “India First” perspective.

Goyal’s sudden trip to the US, which had originally been planned for April, was prompted by US President Donald Trump’s announcement that starting April 2, reciprocal tariffs would be imposed on all US trading partners.

An even bigger concern for India—and other members of the BRICS—was Trump’s strong stance against their attempts to lessen dependence on the US dollar in international trade. The former president dismissed BRICS as “dead” and warned of a 100 percent tariff hike on imports from the bloc’s nations, accusing them of “playing games with the dollar.”

Despite Trump’s claims, BRICS has struggled to move forward with the idea of establishing an alternative currency due to its lack of a cohesive structure, making it difficult for member states to reach a consensus on such an ambitious initiative. In February 2025, it was announced that Brazil had decided not to join the common currency plan. With this decision, the country safeguarded its close economic ties with the United States.

BRICS’ Push for Alternative Currency Sparks Trump’s Backlash Read More »

China’s Global Times praises Trump for defunding USAGM

Newswire / /

China’s state-owned newspaper, the Global Times, expressed approval on Monday regarding budget cuts to the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). This agency oversees broadcasters such as Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), who have a history of critical reporting on Beijing.

In an editorial published Monday, the Global Times accused VOA of biased reporting on China-related issues. The editorial claimed that “almost every malicious falsehood about China has VOA’s fingerprints all over it.” It listed alleged examples, including coverage of human rights concerns in Xinjiang, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and the so-called “China virus” narrative.

Other nationalist commentators also took aim at VOA and RFA. This included a columnist from the Communist Party-affiliated Beijing Daily and Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the Global Times. Additionally, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen joined the criticism, writing on social media that the funding cuts were a significant step in “eliminating fake news, disinformation, lies, distortions, incitement, and chaos around the world.”

Funding cuts stem from an executive order signed by Trump on Friday, which mandated reductions in operations for seven federal entities, including USAGM and the Wilson Center think tank. The move aligns with broader efforts to scale back foreign aid and cut the civilian workforce. 

The impact of the funding reduction has been swift. As of Monday, VOA’s broadcasts have ceased, and its website has not published any new content beyond March 15. RFA continues to release content for the time being, though it is bracing for upcoming staff furloughs.

The cuts have sparked debate in Washington. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly supported Uygur’s rights, the State Department has remained vague on the situation. 

Democrats have strongly opposed the decision to defund USAGM’s media outlets. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen condemned the move as “unfathomable.” She vowed to protect legally mandated USAGM functions and argued that Trump’s actions threaten press freedom.  “If President Trump gets his way, those who depend on US-supported independent media as alternatives to Chinese- and Kremlin-run media outlets and those living under authoritarian regimes will lose a critical lifeline,” she said.

China’s Global Times praises Trump for defunding USAGM Read More »

China’s Growing Interests in Africa: Strategic Ports and Energy Resources

Newswire / /

China’s interests in the African continent are growing stronger every day. Chinese state-owned companies have built, financed, and now control a quarter of African ports.

Of the 231 ports in 31 African countries, China has invested in 78. The majority of them are in western Africa. As Paul Nantulia, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies at the National Defense University in Washington, points out, the main reason for this is China’s global trade ambitions, in the achievement of which the region’s strategic location plays a major role.

China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) was the contractor and engineering company for the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria. The company acquired a 54% stake in the port, which it operates under a 16-year lease, and receives financing from the China Development Bank.

According to China’s current five-year plan, Africa is a key part of its trade strategy. Currently, investment flows to the continent are driven by two projects: the Belt and Road Initiative and Beijing’s “exit policy” – the government’s drive to help local firms enter international markets, including Africa.

According to the five-year strategic plan document, three of the six trade corridors pass through the African continent, namely East Africa, the Egypt-Suez region, and Tunisia.

In addition, China has been interested in African liquefied natural gas in recent years and has been investing heavily in it. Until now, China has been more interested in African oil, but now the main target of Chinese businesses is African liquefied natural gas, to, on the one hand, meet increased demand and, on the other hand, reduce dependence on Australian gas.

Mozambique is one of the target countries. After the discovery of 5 trillion cubic meters of natural gas in the Rovuma Basin off the country’s northern coast, it has become an important point for global natural gas supply. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) owns 20% of the $ 30 billion Rovuma liquefied natural gas project.

China is also involved in one of the projects in Mozambique, “Coral Floating Liquefied Natural Gas”, the first liquefied natural gas which was sold in 2022.

China’s Growing Interests in Africa: Strategic Ports and Energy Resources Read More »

Georgian Dream Pushes Legislative Crackdown Amidst Political Crisis

Newswire / /

At a recent briefing, Mamuka Mdinaradze, Secretary of the Parliamentary Majority, reaffirmed the ruling party’s intent to tighten legislative controls in response to what he called external interference and manufactured instability. Citing the global USAID scandal and alleged foreign influence, Mdinaradze argued that Georgia must “completely reclaim our country” and prevent outside forces from “keeping our homeland in a permanent state of chaos with non-existent problems and fabricated accusations.”

As part of this agenda, the ruling party has outlined a series of legislative measures to be implemented over the next two months, including:

  1. Tougher Anti-Drug and Juvenile Justice Policies – Stricter penalties for drug use and tighter regulations on juvenile offenders.
  2. Migration Restrictions – Reinforcing control over immigration policies.
  3. NGO Oversight and Foreign Influence Restrictions – (citing) “Norms that provide for the mandatory participation of non-governmental organizations in the process of public decision-making will be removed from absolutely all laws and by-laws.”
  4. Media Regulation – The introduction of a British-style media law to enforce journalistic standards and curb foreign-funded media operations.
  5. Foreign Agent Law Expansion – A new bill mirroring the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), replacing Georgia’s previous, milder version, which, according to Mdinaradze, NGOs have failed to comply with.

Additionally, the government plans to establish a state-managed grant fund for public organizations, aiming to replace foreign funding sources with domestic alternatives.

Mdinaradze also issued a warning against external pressure on Georgia’s political landscape, vowing retaliation against any attempts to interfere in the country’s sovereignty: (citing) “We promise the public that the more pressure, coercion, blackmail, and attempts to encroach on Georgia’s independence, unrest, and chaos in our country, the more severe the response… no one will ever dare to interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs, encroach on its independence, and disrespect the decisions of the Georgian people.”

These measures, framed as efforts to safeguard Georgia’s sovereignty, signal a significant shift towards a more restrictive governance model, further escalating tensions between the ruling party and opposition forces.

Georgian Dream Pushes Legislative Crackdown Amidst Political Crisis Read More »

Chinese Economic Plans After the US Tariffs

Newswire / /

After the blow to the economy after the American sanctions, China announced a „special action plan“ to boost consumption.

Notably, other factors, including COVID-19 and the property sector economic downturn, also contribute to the decreased demand for production. Deflation—the constant reduction in prices—plays an additional role. This creates a problem because it pushes consumers to spend less and wait for prices to drop lower.

According to the General Office of the Central Committee, the plan includes a rise in consumption and domestic demand, as well as enhancing consumption abilities by boosting income and pension, bettering health insurance, and reducing burdens. Apart from this, the project includes expanding the tourism sector and aims to turn cold regions into winter tourism destinations. This will be aided by unilateral visa-free programs for certain countries and facilitating entry into the country. According to Chinese officials, despite the plan not having „anything too new“, it has written up specific actions that the local governments should follow.

Fulfilling the announced plan is important in another way, too: it will reduce Chinese dependency on exports and investments and turn the economy into a consumption-driven one.

It is also interesting that the consumption of Russian goods has increased in China – some shops sell sweets or toys made in Russia and present themselves as spreading not only the consumption of Russian goods but also Russian culture. Said shops have turned up in the country after 2022, which could be caused by the warming relations between the two countries after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Chinese Economic Plans After the US Tariffs Read More »

Chinese nationals could be blocked from US student visas

Newswire / /

The Republicans in the House of Representatives are set to introduce a bill that will restrict Chinese nationals from obtaining American student or research visas.

The initiative is preceded by warnings from a Republican representative, Riley Moore, about the Chinese Communist Party exploiting the visa program. However, Moore is not the only Republican who believes that China uses universities and other academic institutions for espionage. According to Riley Moore, the FBI charged five Chinese nationals with student visas last year after they were caught photographing joint US-Taiwan live-fire military exercises.

Moreover, several American universities have stopped their partnerships with Chinese universities over National Security Concerns.

According to the procedure, the bill should first be adopted by the House of Representatives and later by the Senate, although it has no known co-sponsors at the time. It is expected that this role will be fulfilled by the Texas, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania representatives – Brandon Gill, Andy Ogles, and Scott Perry.

It is also important that the initiative comes after the reports of US President Donald Trump’s administration considering travel bans for the nationals of certain countries, but there are no indications of China being on the list at this time.

Chinese nationals could be blocked from US student visas Read More »

China, Russia, and Iran will hold nuclear talks

Newswire / /

On March 14th, China, Iran, and Russia will hold a meeting about Iran’s nuclear program in Beijing, which will be attended by the deputy Foreign ministers.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry press speaker, the representatives will exchange views on Iran’s nuclear activities and regional security.

The meeting will take place after the UN Security Council gathers in New York to discuss the same matter. Notably, the trilateral talks are preceded by US President Donald Trump’s letter to Tehran, in which he called on Iran to return to the negotiation about its nuclear activity. Apart from this, there were reports about Russia agreeing to aid the United States in communications with Iran, which was followed by a meeting between the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and the Iranian ambassador.

It is noteworthy that Iran’s nuclear program became the center of attention after the IAEA warned of a “dramatic acceleration” of Uranium enrichment by the country.

China, Russia, and Iran will hold nuclear talks Read More »

China Imposes Retaliatory Tariffs on Canada

Newswire / /

In response to the tariffs on Chinese electric cars and steel implemented in October, Beijing has announced new tariffs on Canada. These tariffs will affect over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products starting on March 20.

Beijing’s decision to impose retaliatory measures followed an anti-dumping investigation, which found that Canada’s restrictive measures against certain Chinese products had disrupted normal trade and harmed the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses.

On the other hand, Canada stated that the tariffs on Chinese goods were implemented after the United States and the European Union took similar actions against Chinese electric cars and other products. Western governments argue that China’s subsidies provide its industry with an unfair advantage, which is why these measures are deemed necessary.

Analysts indicate that China delayed response to Ottawa’s October tariffs likely reflects both capacity constraints and a strategic approach. The Ministry of Commerce is currently under pressure while managing ongoing trade disputes with the United States and the European Union, which has pushed Canada lower on its priority list. Consequently, it has taken months for China to address Canada’s tariffs.

China remains Canada’s second-largest trading partner, following the United States. According to Chinese customs data, Canada exported $47 billion worth of goods to China in 2024, underscoring the importance of this bilateral trade relationship.

Author: Liza Barbakadze

China Imposes Retaliatory Tariffs on Canada Read More »

China’s declining arms imports reflect growth in military self-reliance

Newswire / /

According to a Swedish think tank, China’s arms imports have dropped by almost two-thirds in the last five years, as the country increasingly shifted from purchasing foreign weapons to relying on domestically developed technology. A report released today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed a 64 percent decrease in arms deliveries to China between 2020 and 2024, compared to the previous five-year period.

This reduction in imports was primarily attributed to the expansion of China’s domestic weapons production, with homegrown systems now replacing the equipment that was previously sourced largely from Russia. The report suggests that this shift is expected to continue in the coming years.

Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI, explained that it took China three decades to progressively replace imported high-tech weapons with domestically developed technologies. “In the last five years, the biggest things that they still imported from Russia were basically two things, helicopters and engines – they are actually extremely difficult to produce if you don’t have a background in it – and that is where China has broken through,” he said.

“China [now] makes its own engines for combat aircraft, transport aircraft and ships. The same [goes] with helicopters, where China has developed its own helicopters, completely Chinese, and is phasing out imports of those from Russia and also from European designs.”

Notably, China has announced a 7.2% increase in its defense budget for this year, continuing its efforts to expand and modernize its military to strengthen territorial claims and challenge U.S. military dominance in Asia.

With the second-largest military budget globally, behind only the U.S., China already possesses the world’s largest navy. The newly announced budget, totaling approximately $245 billion, was revealed at the National People’s Congress, the country’s annual legislative gathering. However, the Pentagon and analysts suggest that China’s actual defense spending could be at least 40% higher, as certain expenditures are categorized under other budgets.

China’s declining arms imports reflect growth in military self-reliance Read More »

China, Russia, and Iran are conducting joint naval exercises

Newswire / /

China, along with Russia and Iran, is conducting joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean. “Security Belt 2025” is taking place near the Iranian port of Chabahar and aims to deepen “military trust and pragmatic cooperation”.

Representatives from Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Sri Lanka are attending the exercises as observers.

The program includes simulated attacks on maritime targets, search, and rescue, as well as arrest missions. According to the Chinese Defense Ministry, the country will send a destroyer and a supply ship, which is a demonstration of increased military capabilities from Beijing. Apart from this, all three countries will present their own warships for the exercises.

Notably, the Iranian army conducted similar operations in February as well, with the goal of “increasing defense capabilities to counter any kind of threat”. As for China, the country organized exercises in the Tasman Sea, near Australia last month.

The exercises in the “Security Belt” for China are of special interest since said country is trying to demonstrate its maritime capabilities, especially the aquatic fighting force.

The inclusion of these three countries, from the side of China, is a sign that it is trying to counter the U.S. influence globally, especially at a time when the United States is voicing warnings about the possible attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities by Israel.

China, Russia, and Iran are conducting joint naval exercises Read More »

Scroll to Top