Open Thread 07-01-22 - Worldeaters

Please stop hating on each other. There's enough hate and division in the world already.

Tolerance is the key, short of that we are doomed. Soon our hatred will divide us to the point where we all stand alone at a time when we need to stand together.

Or am I just shouting into the existential void?

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watching humanity consume itself. This site included.

Where are the peacemakers?

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ggersh's picture

@JtC Maybe we find it in the most unexpected of place's

http://www.en.kremlin.ru/supplement/5770

At the invitation of President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir V. Putin visited China on 4 February 2022. The Heads of State held talks in Beijing and took part in the opening ceremony of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games.

The Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, hereinafter referred to as the sides, state as follows.

Today, the world is going through momentous changes, and humanity is entering a new era of rapid development and profound transformation. It sees the development of such processes and phenomena as multipolarity, economic globalization, the advent of information society, cultural diversity, transformation of the global governance architecture and world order; there is increasing interrelation and interdependence between the States; a trend has emerged towards redistribution of power in the world; and the international community is showing a growing demand for the leadership aiming at peaceful and gradual development. At the same time, as the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection continues, the international and regional security situation is complicating and the number of global challenges and threats is growing from day to day. Some actors representing but the minority on the international scale continue to advocate unilateral approaches to addressing international issues and resort to force; they interfere in the internal affairs of other states, infringing their legitimate rights and interests, and incite contradictions, differences and confrontation, thus hampering the development and progress of mankind, against the opposition from the international community.

The sides call on all States to pursue well-being for all and, with these ends, to build dialogue and mutual trust, strengthen mutual understanding, champion such universal human values as peace, development, equality, justice, democracy and freedom, respect the rights of peoples to independently determine the development paths of their countries and the sovereignty and the security and development interests of States, to protect the United Nations-driven international architecture and the international law-based world order, seek genuine multipolarity with the United Nations and its Security Council playing a central and coordinating role, promote more democratic international relations, and ensure peace, stability and sustainable development across the world.

I

The sides share the understanding that democracy is a universal human value, rather than a privilege of a limited number of States, and that its promotion and protection is a common responsibility of the entire world community.

The sides believe that democracy is a means of citizens' participation in the government of their country with the view to improving the well-being of population and implementing the principle of popular government. Democracy is exercised in all spheres of public life as part of a nation-wide process and reflects the interests of all the people, its will, guarantees its rights, meets its needs and protects its interests. There is no one-size-fits-all template to guide countries in establishing democracy. A nation can choose such forms and methods of implementing democracy that would best suit its particular state, based on its social and political system, its historical background, traditions and unique cultural characteristics. It is only up to the people of the country to decide whether their State is a democratic one.

The sides note that Russia and China as world powers with rich cultural and historical heritage have long-standing traditions of democracy, which rely on thousand-years of experience of development, broad popular support and consideration of the needs and interests of citizens. Russia and China guarantee their people the right to take part through various means and in various forms in the administration of the State and public life in accordance with the law. The people of both countries are certain of the way they have chosen and respect the democratic systems and traditions of other States.

The sides note that democratic principles are implemented at the global level, as well as in administration of State. Certain States' attempts to impose their own ”democratic standards“ on other countries, to monopolize the right to assess the level of compliance with democratic criteria, to draw dividing lines based on the grounds of ideology, including by establishing exclusive blocs and alliances of convenience, prove to be nothing but flouting of democracy and go against the spirit and true values of democracy. Such attempts at hegemony pose serious threats to global and regional peace and stability and undermine the stability of the world order.

The sides believe that the advocacy of democracy and human rights must not be used to put pressure on other countries. They oppose the abuse of democratic values and interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states under the pretext of protecting democracy and human rights, and any attempts to incite divisions and confrontation in the world. The sides call on the international community to respect cultural and civilizational diversity and the rights of peoples of different countries to self-determination. They stand ready to work together with all the interested partners to promote genuine democracy.

The sides note that the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights set noble goals in the area of universal human rights, set forth fundamental principles, which all the States must comply with and observe in deeds. At the same time, as every nation has its own unique national features, history, culture, social system and level of social and economic development, universal nature of human rights should be seen through the prism of the real situation in every particular country, and human rights should be protected in accordance with the specific situation in each country and the needs of its population. Promotion and protection of human rights is a shared responsibility of the international community. The states should equally prioritize all categories of human rights and promote them in a systemic manner. The international human rights cooperation should be carried out as a dialogue between the equals involving all countries. All States must have equal access to the right to development. Interaction and cooperation on human rights matters should be based on the principle of equality of all countries and mutual respect for the sake of strengthening the international human rights architecture.

II

The sides believe that peace, development and cooperation lie at the core of the modern international system. Development is a key driver in ensuring the prosperity of the nations. The ongoing pandemic of the new coronavirus infection poses a serious challenge to the fulfilment of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is vital to enhance partnership relations for the sake of global development and make sure that the new stage of global development is defined by balance, harmony and inclusiveness.

The sides are seeking to advance their work to link the development plans for the Eurasian Economic Union and the Belt and Road Initiative with a view to intensifying practical cooperation between the EAEU and China in various areas and promoting greater interconnectedness between the Asia Pacific and Eurasian regions. The sides reaffirm their focus on building the Greater Eurasian Partnership in parallel and in coordination with the Belt and Road construction to foster the development of regional associations as well as bilateral and multilateral integration processes for the benefit of the peoples on the Eurasian continent.

The sides agreed to continue consistently intensifying practical cooperation for the sustainable development of the Arctic.

The sides will strengthen cooperation within multilateral mechanisms, including the United Nations, and encourage the international community to prioritize development issues in the global macro-policy coordination. They call on the developed countries to implement in good faith their formal commitments on development assistance, provide more resources to developing countries, address the uneven development of States, work to offset such imbalances within States, and advance global and international development cooperation. The Russian side confirms its readiness to continue working on the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, including participation in the activities of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative under the UN auspices. In order to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the sides call on the international community to take practical steps in key areas of cooperation such as poverty reduction, food security, vaccines and epidemics control, financing for development, climate change, sustainable development, including green development, industrialization, digital economy, and infrastructure connectivity.

The sides call on the international community to create open, equal, fair and non-discriminatory conditions for scientific and technological development, to step up practical implementation of scientific and technological advances in order to identify new drivers of economic growth.

The sides call upon all countries to strengthen cooperation in sustainable transport, actively build contacts and share knowledge in the construction of transport facilities, including smart transport and sustainable transport, development and use of Arctic routes, as well as to develop other areas to support global post-epidemic recovery.

The sides are taking serious action and making an important contribution to the fight against climate change. Jointly celebrating the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, they reaffirm their commitment to this Convention as well as to the goals, principles and provisions of the Paris Agreement, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The sides work together to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, remain committed to fulfilling the obligations they have undertaken and expect that developed countries will actually ensure the annual provision of $100 billion of climate finance to developing states. The sides oppose setting up new barriers in international trade under the pretext of fighting climate change.

The sides strongly support the development of international cooperation and exchanges in the field of biological diversity, actively participating in the relevant global governance process, and intend to jointly promote the harmonious development of humankind and nature as well as green transformation to ensure sustainable global development.

The Heads of State positively assess the effective interaction between Russia and China in the bilateral and multilateral formats focusing on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, protection of life and health of the population of the two countries and the peoples of the world. They will further increase cooperation in the development and manufacture of vaccines against the new coronavirus infection, as well as medical drugs for its treatment, and enhance collaboration in public health and modern medicine. The sides plan to strengthen coordination on epidemiological measures to ensure strong protection of health, safety and order in contacts between citizens of the two countries. The sides have commended the work of the competent authorities and regions of the two countries on implementing quarantine measures in the border areas and ensuring the stable operation of the border crossing points, and intend to consider establishing a joint mechanism for epidemic control and prevention in the border areas to jointly plan anti-epidemic measures to be taken at the border checkpoints, share information, build infrastructure and improve the efficiency of customs clearance of goods.

The sides emphasize that ascertaining the origin of the new coronavirus infection is a matter of science. Research on this topic must be based on global knowledge, and that requires cooperation among scientists from all over the world. The sides oppose politicization of this issue. The Russian side welcomes the work carried out jointly by China and WHO to identify the source of the new coronavirus infection and supports the China – WHO joint report on the matter. The sides call on the global community to jointly promote a serious scientific approach to the study of the coronavirus origin.

The Russian side supports a successful hosting by the Chinese side of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2022.

The sides highly appreciate the level of bilateral cooperation in sports and the Olympic movement and express their readiness to contribute to its further progressive development.

III

The sides are gravely concerned about serious international security challenges and believe that the fates of all nations are interconnected. No State can or should ensure its own security separately from the security of the rest of the world and at the expense of the security of other States. The international community should actively engage in global governance to ensure universal, comprehensive, indivisible and lasting security.

The sides reaffirm their strong mutual support for the protection of their core interests, state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose interference by external forces in their internal affairs.

The Russian side reaffirms its support for the One-China principle, confirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan.

Russia and China stand against attempts by external forces to undermine security and stability in their common adjacent regions, intend to counter interference by outside forces in the internal affairs of sovereign countries under any pretext, oppose colour revolutions, and will increase cooperation in the aforementioned areas.

The sides condemn terrorism in all its manifestations, promote the idea of creating a single global anti-terrorism front, with the United Nations playing a central role, advocate stronger political coordination and constructive engagement in multilateral counterterrorism efforts. The sides oppose politicization of the issues of combating terrorism and their use as instruments of policy of double standards, condemn the practice of interference in the internal affairs of other States for geopolitical purposes through the use of terrorist and extremist groups as well as under the guise of combating international terrorism and extremism.

The sides believe that certain States, military and political alliances and coalitions seek to obtain, directly or indirectly, unilateral military advantages to the detriment of the security of others, including by employing unfair competition practices, intensify geopolitical rivalry, fuel antagonism and confrontation, and seriously undermine the international security order and global strategic stability. The sides oppose further enlargement of NATO and call on the North Atlantic Alliance to abandon its ideologized cold war approaches, to respect the sovereignty, security and interests of other countries, the diversity of their civilizational, cultural and historical backgrounds, and to exercise a fair and objective attitude towards the peaceful development of other States. The sides stand against the formation of closed bloc structures and opposing camps in the Asia-Pacific region and remain highly vigilant about the negative impact of the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy on peace and stability in the region. Russia and China have made consistent efforts to build an equitable, open and inclusive security system in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR) that is not directed against third countries and that promotes peace, stability and prosperity.

The sides welcome the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapons States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races and believe that all nuclear-weapons States should abandon the cold war mentality and zero-sum games, reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their national security policies, withdraw nuclear weapons deployed abroad, eliminate the unrestricted development of global anti-ballistic missile defense (ABM) system, and take effective steps to reduce the risks of nuclear wars and any armed conflicts between countries with military nuclear capabilities.

The sides reaffirm that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is the cornerstone of the international disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation system, an important part of the post-war international security system, and plays an indispensable role in world peace and development. The international community should promote the balanced implementation of the three pillars of the Treaty and work together to protect the credibility, effectiveness and the universal nature of the instrument.

The sides are seriously concerned about the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom (AUKUS), which provides for deeper cooperation between its members in areas involving strategic stability, in particular their decision to initiate cooperation in the field of nuclear-powered submarines. Russia and China believe that such actions are contrary to the objectives of security and sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region, increase the danger of an arms race in the region, and pose serious risks of nuclear proliferation. The sides strongly condemn such moves and call on AUKUS participants to fulfil their nuclear and missile non-proliferation commitments in good faith and to work together to safeguard peace, stability, and development in the region.

Japan's plans to release nuclear contaminated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean and the potential environmental impact of such actions are of deep concern to the sides. The sides emphasize that the disposal of nuclear contaminated water should be handled with responsibility and carried out in a proper manner based on arrangements between the Japanese side and neighbouring States, other interested parties, and relevant international agencies while ensuring transparency, scientific reasoning, and in accordance with international law.

The sides believe that the U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, the acceleration of research and the development of intermediate-range and shorter-range ground-based missiles and the desire to deploy them in the Asia-Pacific and European regions, as well as their transfer to the allies, entail an increase in tension and distrust, increase risks to international and regional security, lead to the weakening of international non-proliferation and arms control system, undermining global strategic stability. The sided call on the United States to respond positively to the Russian initiative and abandon its plans to deploy intermediate-range and shorter-range ground-based missiles in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. The sides will continue to maintain contacts and strengthen coordination on this issue.

The Chinese side is sympathetic to and supports the proposals put forward by the Russian Federation to create long-term legally binding security guarantees in Europe.

The sides note that the denunciation by the United States of a number of important international arms control agreements has an extremely negative impact on international and regional security and stability. The sides express concern over the advancement of U.S. plans to develop global missile defence and deploy its elements in various regions of the world, combined with capacity building of high-precision non-nuclear weapons for disarming strikes and other strategic objectives. The sides stress the importance of the peaceful uses of outer space, strongly support the central role of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in promoting international cooperation, maintaining and developing international space law and regulation in the field of space activities. Russia and China will continue to increase cooperation on such matters of mutual interest as the long-term sustainability of space activities and the development and use of space resources. The sides oppose attempts by some States to turn outer space into an arena of armed confrontation and reiterate their intention to make all necessary efforts to prevent the weaponization of space and an arms race in outer space. They will counteract activities aimed at achieving military superiority in space and using it for combat operations. The sides affirm the need for the early launch of negotiations to conclude a legally binding multilateral instrument based on the Russian-Chinese draft treaty on the prevention of placement of weapons in outer space and the use or threat of force against space objects that would provide fundamental and reliable guarantees against an arms race and the weaponization of outer space.

Russia and China emphasize that appropriate transparency and confidence-building measures, including an international initiative/political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in space, can also contribute to the goal of preventing an arms race in outer space, but such measures should complement and not substitute the effective legally binding regime governing space activities.

The sides reaffirm their belief that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BWC) is an essential pillar of international peace and security. Russia and China underscore their determination to preserve the credibility and effectiveness of the Convention.

The sides affirm the need to fully respect and further strengthen the BWC, including by institutionalizing it, strengthening its mechanisms, and adopting a legally binding Protocol to the Convention with an effective verification mechanism, as well as through regular consultation and cooperation in addressing any issues related to the implementation of the Convention.

The sides emphasize that domestic and foreign bioweapons activities by the United States and its allies raise serious concerns and questions for the international community regarding their compliance with the BWC. The sides share the view that such activities pose a serious threat to the national security of the Russian Federation and China and are detrimental to the security of the respective regions. The sides call on the U.S. and its allies to act in an open, transparent, and responsible manner by properly reporting on their military biological activities conducted overseas and on their national territory, and by supporting the resumption of negotiations on a legally binding BWC Protocol with an effective verification mechanism.

The sides, reaffirming their commitment to the goal of a world free of chemical weapons, call upon all parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention to work together to uphold its credibility and effectiveness. Russia and China are deeply concerned about the politicization of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and call on all of its members to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and protect the tradition of consensual decision-making. Russia and China insist that the United States, as the sole State Party to the Convention that has not yet completed the process of eliminating chemical weapons, accelerate the elimination of its stockpiles of chemical weapons. The sides emphasize the importance of balancing the non-proliferation obligations of states with the interests of legitimate international cooperation in the use of advanced technology and related materials and equipment for peaceful purposes. The sides note the resolution entitled ”Promoting international Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security“ adopted at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly on the initiative of China and co‑sponsored by Russia, and look forward to its consistent implementation in accordance with the goals set forth therein.

The sides attach great importance to the issues of governance in the field of artificial intelligence. The sides are ready to strengthen dialogue and contacts on artificial intelligence.

The sides reiterate their readiness to deepen cooperation in the field of international information security and to contribute to building an open, secure, sustainable and accessible ICT environment. The sides emphasize that the principles of the non-use of force, respect for national sovereignty and fundamental human rights and freedoms, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other States, as enshrined in the UN Charter, are applicable to the information space. Russia and China reaffirm the key role of the UN in responding to threats to international information security and express their support for the Organization in developing new norms of conduct of states in this area.

The sides welcome the implementation of the global negotiation process on international information security within a single mechanism and support in this context the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) 2021–2025 (OEWG) and express their willingness to speak with one voice within it. The sides consider it necessary to consolidate the efforts of the international community to develop new norms of responsible behaviour of States, including legal ones, as well as a universal international legal instrument regulating the activities of States in the field of ICT. The sides believe that the Global Initiative on Data Security, proposed by the Chinese side and supported, in principle, by the Russian side, provides a basis for the Working Group to discuss and elaborate responses to data security threats and other threats to international information security.

The sides reiterate their support of United Nations General Assembly resolutions 74/247 and 75/282, support the work of the relevant Ad Hoc Committee of Governmental Experts, facilitate the negotiations within the United Nations for the elaboration of an international convention on countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes. The sides encourage constructive participation of all sides in the negotiations in order to agree as soon as possible on a credible, universal, and comprehensive convention and provide it to the United Nations General Assembly at its 78th session in strict compliance with resolution 75/282. For these purposes, Russia and China have presented a joint draft convention as a basis for negotiations.

The sides support the internationalization of Internet governance, advocate equal rights to its governance, believe that any attempts to limit their sovereign right to regulate national segments of the Internet and ensure their security are unacceptable, are interested in greater participation of the International Telecommunication Union in addressing these issues.

The sides intend to deepen bilateral cooperation in international information security on the basis of the relevant 2015 intergovernmental agreement. To this end, the sides have agreed to adopt in the near future a plan for cooperation between Russia and China in this area.

IV

The sides underline that Russia and China, as world powers and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, intend to firmly adhere to moral principles and accept their responsibility, strongly advocate the international system with the central coordinating role of the United Nations in international affairs, defend the world order based on international law, including the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, advance multipolarity and promote the democratization of international relations, together create an even more prospering, stable, and just world, jointly build international relations of a new type.

The Russian side notes the significance of the concept of constructing a ”community of common destiny for mankind“ proposed by the Chinese side to ensure greater solidarity of the international community and consolidation of efforts in responding to common challenges. The Chinese side notes the significance of the efforts taken by the Russian side to establish a just multipolar system of international relations.

The sides intend to strongly uphold the outcomes of the Second World War and the existing post-war world order, defend the authority of the United Nations and justice in international relations, resist attempts to deny, distort, and falsify the history of the Second World War.

In order to prevent the recurrence of the tragedy of the world war, the sides will strongly condemn actions aimed at denying the responsibility for atrocities of Nazi aggressors, militarist invaders, and their accomplices, besmirch and tarnish the honour of the victorious countries.

The sides call for the establishment of a new kind of relationships between world powers on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation. They reaffirm that the new inter-State relations between Russia and China are superior to political and military alliances of the Cold War era. Friendship between the two States has no limits, there are no ”forbidden“ areas of cooperation, strengthening of bilateral strategic cooperation is neither aimed against third countries nor affected by the changing international environment and circumstantial changes in third countries.

The sides reiterate the need for consolidation, not division of the international community, the need for cooperation, not confrontation. The sides oppose the return of international relations to the state of confrontation between major powers, when the weak fall prey to the strong. The sides intend to resist attempts to substitute universally recognized formats and mechanisms that are consistent with international law for rules elaborated in private by certain nations or blocs of nations, and are against addressing international problems indirectly and without consensus, oppose power politics, bullying, unilateral sanctions, and extraterritorial application of jurisdiction, as well as the abuse of export control policies, and support trade facilitation in line with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen foreign policy coordination, pursue true multilateralism, strengthen cooperation on multilateral platforms, defend common interests, support the international and regional balance of power, and improve global governance.

The sides support and defend the multilateral trade system based on the central role of the World Trade Organization (WTO), take an active part in the WTO reform, opposing unilateral approaches and protectionism. The sides are ready to strengthen dialogue between partners and coordinate positions on trade and economic issues of common concern, contribute to ensuring the sustainable and stable operation of global and regional value chains, promote a more open, inclusive, transparent, non-discriminatory system of international trade and economic rules.

The sides support the G20 format as an important forum for discussing international economic cooperation issues and anti-crisis response measures, jointly promote the invigorated spirit of solidarity and cooperation within the G20, support the leading role of the association in such areas as the international fight against epidemics, world economic recovery, inclusive sustainable development, improving the global economic governance system in a fair and rational manner to collectively address global challenges.

The sides support the deepened strategic partnership within BRICS, promote the expanded cooperation in three main areas: politics and security, economy and finance, and humanitarian exchanges. In particular, Russia and China intend to encourage interaction in the fields of public health, digital economy, science, innovation and technology, including artificial intelligence technologies, as well as the increased coordination between BRICS countries on international platforms. The sides strive to further strengthen the BRICS Plus/Outreach format as an effective mechanism of dialogue with regional integration associations and organizations of developing countries and States with emerging markets.

The Russian side will fully support the Chinese side chairing the association in 2022, and assist in the fruitful holding of the XIV BRICS summit.

Russia and China aim to comprehensively strengthen the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and further enhance its role in shaping a polycentric world order based on the universally recognized principles of international law, multilateralism, equal, joint, indivisible, comprehensive and sustainable security.

They consider it important to consistently implement the agreements on improved mechanisms to counter challenges and threats to the security of SCO member states and, in the context of addressing this task, advocate expanded functionality of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.

The sides will contribute to imparting a new quality and dynamics to the economic interaction between the SCO member States in the fields of trade, manufacturing, transport, energy, finance, investment, agriculture, customs, telecommunications, innovation and other areas of mutual interest, including through the use of advanced, resource-saving, energy efficient and ”green“ technologies.

The sides note the fruitful interaction within the SCO under the 2009 Agreement between the Governments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member States on cooperation in the field of international information security, as well as within the specialized Group of Experts. In this context, they welcome the adoption of the SCO Joint Action Plan on Ensuring International Information Security for 2022–2023 by the Council of Heads of State of SCO Member States on September 17, 2021 in Dushanbe.

Russia and China proceed from the ever-increasing importance of cultural and humanitarian cooperation for the progressive development of the SCO. In order to strengthen mutual understanding between the people of the SCO member States, they will continue to effectively foster interaction in such areas as cultural ties, education, science and technology, healthcare, environmental protection, tourism, people-to-people contacts, sports.

Russia and China will continue to work to strengthen the role of APEC as the leading platform for multilateral dialogue on economic issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The sides intend to step up coordinated action to successfully implement the ”Putrajaya guidelines for the development of APEC until 2040“ with a focus on creating a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable trade and investment environment in the region. Particular emphasis will be placed on the fight against the novel coronavirus infection pandemic and economic recovery, digitalization of a wide range of different spheres of life, economic growth in remote territories and the establishment of interaction between APEC and other regional multilateral associations with a similar agenda.

The sides intend to develop cooperation within the ”Russia-India-China“ format, as well as to strengthen interaction on such venues as the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum on Security, Meeting of Defense Ministers of the ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners. Russia and China support ASEAN's central role in developing cooperation in East Asia, continue to increase coordination on deepened cooperation with ASEAN, and jointly promote cooperation in the areas of public health, sustainable development, combating terrorism and countering transnational crime. The sides intend to continue to work in the interest of a strengthened role of ASEAN as a key element of the regional architecture.

Have a great weekend down in Texas!

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11 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

@ggersh

"The sides call on all States to pursue well-being for all and, with these ends, to build dialogue and mutual trust, strengthen mutual understanding, champion such universal human values as peace, development, equality, justice, democracy and freedom,"

Do you think the people of Russia and China feel those warm human values in their lives?

Here's another one... "Russia and China have made consistent efforts to build an equitable, open and inclusive security system in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR) that is not directed against third countries and that promotes peace, stability and prosperity."

Statements about peace are not worth the paper they are written on when hypocrisy oozes between each word.

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"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

ggersh's picture

@Fishtroller 02 As the headline states, it's the US along w/Ukraine who is at war w/Russia.

Tell me again exactly why we should be at war w/Russia? Why is the an amerikan
lead "international rules based order" rather than an "international law based order"
Why do we allow Israel to genocide Palestinians? Why do we the let Saudi's starve Yemen?
Why do we sanction Venezuela/Iran/China? Why does amerika have the largest prison population
in the world with mostly drug offenders in them? The list is extensive but open your eyes
and you might see the reality of today's world

Via REMINISCENCE OF THE FUTURE comment by LarchMonster445
http://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2022/06/some-off-cuff-remarks.html?m=1

Yankee experts: 5 reasons why not only Ukraine, but also the United States will lose the war to Russia

School of Advanced International StudiesJohn Hopkins University (SAIS) and the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies (Philip Merrill CSS), the leading overseas institutions for the analysis of military conflicts, also came to this conclusion. According to these think tanks, the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia can radically change the American understanding of conflicts and thereby radically change the future of the Pentagon.

"The fighting in Ukraine has revealed at least five lessons that the US Army needs to learn in order to adequately prepare for new wars," the SAIS and Philip Merrill CSS professorship notes. Today, it means that the United States is not even ready for a non-nuclear war with Russia.

First, "there's nowhere to hide." But how cool it was, for example, in Iraq, and in Afghanistan, too. On the" front", US soldiers remotely destroyed the enemy of the model of the XX century, and in the rear, even in the near, they calmly prepared in complete safety another operation to eliminate, again remotely, the enemy's manpower.

And now the goals in Ukraine have turned into bright butterflies pinned to the world bulletin board. "Iskander", "Caliber", "Onyx", X-22-all this deprives the APU and its curators of any attempts to adapt to the new conditions. In addition, it turned out that the Russians also have night vision devices, which for decades gave an undeniable advantage to the Yankees. More recently, any night operation was a meat grinder of a helpless enemy. Now, " a transparent battlefield creates huge problems for the US Army."

Secondly, overseas experts actually recognized that the United States faces the most difficult difficulties in delivering weapons to the front line in Nezalezhnaya. Stars and Stripes Lieutenant General David Barno and Professor SAISNora Bensael writes, " U.S. army units rely critically on complex logistics that pass through foreign bases and are delivered via long transport corridors, often using unsecured commercial supply chains."

In their opinion, the Russian Armed Forces see this vast support network as nothing more than a terrifying reality for American military planners. Today, all the forces of the NATO logistics vehicle are aimed at delivering small amounts of weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but the result is close to zero.

Third, the Americans will have to part with helicopters. Now, by the way, in the US Army there are about 3.5 thousand rotorcraft, which proved to be excellent in the war with the enemy, who does not have effective air defense. Now" there is no such possibility " — General David Barno admitted that Russian MANPADS and mobile air defense systems put an end to the star-spangled turntables.

On the one hand, the conflict in Ukraine has virtually nullified the effectiveness of helicopters, and on the other hand, they still have no alternative in the rapid delivery or evacuation of manpower. But this is still half the trouble, the Yankees will not be able to provide an advantage in the sky, despite the "best fighters in the world".

No, Barno does not directly admit that our air defense systems see the F-35,but believes "the same capabilities that threaten helicopters are deadly to American aircraft ,which" fly slower than the old Cold War Air Force attack aircraft." For example, the Yankees wrote off the "flying gun" A-10 for one simple reason: because of its slow speed, it has become defenseless against modern Russian man-portable anti-aircraft missiles. And the new "polunevidimka" also can not boast of speed.

The picture is drawn quite bleak. Manpower and ammunition will have to be delivered by armored vehicles, although earlier it was believed that cargo drones and robot loaders would cope with this work. But they will be shot down in the first sortie, if the front line changes cautiously, as it happens on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Fourth, SAIS and Philip Merrill CSS write in black and white: "What has largely gone unnoticed by the media and most military observers is the fact that a wide range of American troops were quietly deployed in Ukraine after 2014 to create the current Ukrainian Armed Forces. These efforts included both standard American training and training in unconventional special operations tactics."

And the Yankees, according to Barno, taught the Ukrainians the use of modern American weapons and the professionalization of officers and sergeants. And in general, the SBU and GUR are the brainchild of Major General David Baldwin, whose phone is still red-hot from calls from Ukrainian high-ranking state security officers.

At the first stage of the special operation, the Americans thought that they had achieved success in training the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which gave hope for help not only near Kiev, but also in the Donbass, and even in the Crimea. The United States even called the Ukrainian armed forces the best army in Europe, after which Zelensky refused the Istanbul peace treaty.

This unforgivable and gross mistake of American analysts led to the fact that three months later Kiev is suffering the heaviest military and territorial losses, whereas in March concessions to Moscow would have been formal in nature.

From today's perspective, the withdrawal of Russian troops from the capital Nezalezhnaya is seen from a different perspective and looks more like a trap. Moscow not only managed to lure the Ukrainian cadre army to the Donbass and bleed it dry there, but also imposed a new agenda for negotiations.

This means that the Yankees need to raise to a higher level not only the training of US soldiers and officers, but also improve the star-spangled intelligence, which completely framed Zelensky.

Fifth, " the conflict in Ukraine is the first large-scale non-nuclear battle of the XXI century, when two advanced armies face each other," experts from SAIS and Philip Merrill CSS state. They agree with David Johnson, a leading RAND analyst, who said: "The US military cannot claim that it would do a better job than the Russian military if their roles were reversed."

But now, given the new reality that has emerged on the Ukrainian battlefield, the issue of discipline and morale, which began to fall in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is being raised. The American army is already the leader in peacetime suicides, so it's scary to imagine what kind of morale the stars and stripes would be in, fighting the Russians without air support and with a meager supply of ammunition and equipment.

https://svpressa.ru/war21/a...

Posted by: MD | Jul 1 2022 11:49 utc | 150

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12 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

@ggersh

say... the US and the UK, I would have poked at the hypocrisies there too. Russia and China are two of the worst offenders of human rights on this planet. We come in a close second only because our offenses are based upon different goals.

Both of your posts have way too much to chew on in them. I don't usually find those kinds of posts of interest.

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2 users have voted.

"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

@ggersh

Tell me again exactly why we should be at war w/Russia? Why is the an amerikan
lead "international rules based order" rather than an "international law based order"
Why do we allow Israel to genocide Palestinians? Why do we the let Saudi's starve Yemen?
Why do we sanction Venezuela/Iran/China? Why does amerika have the largest prison population
in the world with mostly drug offenders in them?

But they don't at all address Fishtroller 2's points about China's (in particular) professed commitment to peace and freedom, to discovering the origins of Covid 19 & etc. to be grossly hypocritical.

Imprisoning tens of millions of people in their homes and workplaces for months on end? Real prison for comparing the great leader to a cartoon character? Highest number of executions in the world? (per capita they are behind Iran, Egypt and the Saudis, though) Largest, if not yet the post powerful, navy in the world (69 amphibious warfare ships and three carriers needed to bring 'peace'?)

Real bastion of freedom, that.

The list is extensive but open your eyes
and you might see the reality of today's world

Indeed, you might.

"The totalitarian states can do great things, but there is one thing they cannot do: they cannot give the factory-worker a rifle and tell him to take it home and keep it in his bedroom. That rifle, hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or laborer's cottage, is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." ~ George Orwell

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3 users have voted.
ggersh's picture

@Blue Republic the bolded , my emphasis says it all, there is no interest on her
part to know the facts, she just spews idealogue BS, cuz there's to much to
chew on....WTF

If you had posted a similar statement put out by

@ggersh

say... the US and the UK, I would have poked at the hypocrisies there too. Russia and China are two of the worst offenders of human rights on this planet. We come in a close second only because our offenses are based upon different goals.

Both of your posts have way too much to chew on in them. I don't usually find those kinds of posts of interest.

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3 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

out there @JtC , we’ll just rarely(if ever) hear from them over the ‘Mighty Wurlitzer’ because a Lot of people listen to the Bullshit spewed by said machine and, thinking themselves informed, look No Further.
Sad

Notice I don’t claim to be a said ‘Peacemaker’, more of a ‘shit stirrer’ meself at times. Although I’m Trying to be better about it since my timeout, not because I’m worried about another ‘sit in the corner’ moment, more because the storm outside keeps raging in an ever increasing intensity and the folks who are pushing back need to know They Are NOT Alone in pushing back.

This Site helps in that endeavor to ‘pushback’ against the prevailing winds providing a space to bring alternative viewpoints that you Will Never Hear on the ‘Legacy Media’.

So when ‘Legacy Media’ talking points are brought up here, it’s an instant furball, whether RussiaRussiaRussia2016, dRumph did it Jan06, Covid anything 2020-2022, or this fucked up war We Are In RIGHT NOW,

People get triggered
by Design

Does that mean I’m immune? Fuck No
It’s just that once you are Able to step out of the first Box(whatever that box may be),the Other boxes become visible as to what They Really Are,
Constructs meant to confuse

Once seen and all that. . .

Enjoy your 4th celebrations and don’t burn the joint down(unless it’s a homerolled)

Me? I’ll be chillin w/the Dawgs away from the noise

Many Thanks to All and Sundry
Some Fart Smucking Folks here, I tells ya!

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14 users have voted.

Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

I just got back from a family vacation. It was great, until the last day when we had a meltdown over the issue of discipline of children. Now this is a family who has never had this kind of conflict before. It was shocking, and I truly felt like my world was disintegrating.

Slowly now, there are signs of healing, but there will still be issues to work through, and I'm pretty sure things will never really FEEL totally the same again.

Hate and frustration are two different things, but often appear to be the same. I don't think hate is an issue here. Of course I COULD BE WRONG! Ha!

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5 users have voted.

"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

enhydra lutris's picture

Where are the peacemakers?

Hopefully they are all in museums, though I doubt it, or have you forgotten that the "Peacemaker" was the colloquial name for the Colt Single-Action Army Revolver. Wink

With that out of the way, may I suggest that reflection upon the unimportance of unanimity is potentially a key here. We all need a helpful bartender to periodically (or perhaps sporadically) remind us that the world will not end if "the other" looks or speaks differently or even, gasp, has different beliefs and ideas, not even if they believe in compulsion, so long as no actual compulsion is or is about to be perpetrated.

Saint Oscar told us that "Life is too important to be taken seriously" and that encompasses opinions and rhetoric as well and even moreso. In this nation, especially, why should I give a shit if my neighbor has different opinions about things socio-political so long as he doesn't take up arms to enforce his ideas. So he might vote for the wrong people, but, as we know, voting is meaningless here unless you have a 5 ton wallet to back it up.

Welcome back and remember, it is always too early for this shit.

be well and have a good one

This message does not necessarily express the beliefs of anybody who matters in the greater scheme of things.

Edit - closed my hanging paren and fixed typo on "ton"

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11 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

usefewersyllables's picture

@enhydra lutris

Preach it from the rooftops!

But hey, while I have you here, I decided to do the pasotto thing the other night: thin spaghetti risotto-style, cooked in chicken stock, and then I added in a batch of kalamata-lemon-tomato-rosemary chicken we had left over. That was a little wet, sauce-wise, so after the pasta was about 3/4 al dente I put that in to heat up, marry the sauce and pasta water, reduce, and get happy. And get happy it did! That compound sauce was definitely the better for the pasta.

We usually serve that leftover kalamata chicken over rice, but that may have just changed, wholesale. *Great* tip, and one that I wouldn't have had the balls to try at altitude without the recommendation... Thanks again.

Thankfully, I'm a pasta eater, not a worldeater.

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9 users have voted.

Twice bitten, permanently shy.

enhydra lutris's picture

@usefewersyllables

these days and lends itself really well to various one-pot pasta dishes, especially using shrimp or a pre-cooked sausage or one that cooks quickly as the protein; just get the pasta and herbs, etc. fairly well done then add in the protein, pushing it to the bottom, and decant when done.

be well and have a good one

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5 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

usefewersyllables's picture

@enhydra lutris

and it'll be a cold day in hell before I ever dump pasta water down the drain again. I worried about it scorching here at altitude where water boils at 201egF, but I shouldn't have. It screws up baking all to hellandgone, but pasta- lovely pasta- just takes a little longer...

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5 users have voted.

Twice bitten, permanently shy.

@enhydra lutris

Where are the peacemakers?

Hopefully they are all in museums, though I doubt it, or have you forgotten that the "Peacemaker" was the colloquial name for the Colt Single-Action Army Revolver.

God, or someone, or something created people, but Colonel Colt and Comrade Kalashnikov made them equal...

Colt SAA Peacemaker.jpg

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4 users have voted.
dystopian's picture

That would be John Calhoun. There are no John Calhouns now. Pretty sure you don't mean the six turnin' and four burnin' B-36. Wink When I was a kid I was given John Calhoun for a nickname for a while, several years. For my ability to stop fights and get opposing viewers to see other sides of coins. I would lead with humor, and follow with facts, then quick with more humor, being ready to duck of course. Seemed to work most of the time. All we have now is war mongers and their minions running ops in America. Divide and conquer, internally and externally.

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12 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

enhydra lutris's picture

@dystopian @dystopian

jet upgrade that damned thing still needed JATO assist most of the time. As a wee lad I had something of a ringside seat at Lindbergh Field, where most things Convair and/or Ryan got lots of flight time, touch and go runs and suchwhat.

Went up to UC Botanical for a butterfly walk Sunday, saw 15 species, assorted damselflies and dragon flies and a whole pond full of newts plus lotsa foliage. Drug out my long dormant camera for the event, but having forgotten how to use it, somehow got it acting up in a strange fashion I couldn't resolve and bagged it for the day.

be well and have a good one
edit- fixed typo

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7 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

dystopian's picture

@enhydra lutris That B-58 was the sexiest plane ever in America, even called the Hustler. I used watch them take off Hughes field just north of LAX in Culver City maybe. The -36 was a rare bird to see in the air by the 60's. How lucky you got to see that on the regular! Cool birds man. And interesting they called the gun a Peacemaker too, I forgot.

Yer walk sounds GREAT! Too bad on the camera. I have had a number fail at rare bird moments. OMG! Dragons are awesome, saved many a slow bird outing for me. They are solar powered like butterflies so the heat doesn't slow them down like birds mid-day.

Have a great one!

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7 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

doesn't seem to bother the clouds much

Yelling until you are hoarse has a certain purging quality
as long as it is not directed at the blameless

making peace with thy self on issues beyond our control
needs not be written out in a blog - make peace

would like to see a bit more civility and less
accusatory language within this site

anyway, thanks for the OT and enjoy your weekend!

watch out for the suburban bombs

sparklers emanating from the heart whee!

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6 users have voted.

just all other life forms and resources on the planet. The ‘savages’ that we stole this land from had a much better understanding of the interconnected and reciprocal nature of nature, and the necessity of finding a balance and respect for that which sustained their lives.

Today, humanity stands alone, taking what they like with little regard for the obvious and unavoidable consequences. Our technical ‘evolution’ masks our spiritual and conscious devolution. We don’t know our true selves, because we aren’t looking for it.

We believe we already know what’s important; we Humans. Period.

Great Nature will not tolerate this travesty much longer and will eventually restore the proper order, even if it has to start from scratch without us.

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9 users have voted.

Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

I thought we were behaving ourselves pretty good (misbehavers always say that). If you mean outside of here, I go with the existential void.

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4 users have voted.
Lookout's picture

...but we are victims of our country's global aggression to maintain hegemony.

On our site I think there are a few so propagandized that they draw a rise from our thoughtful community.

My approach is to sit on my hands and avoid knee jerk comments and responses.
Need some peace? My advice is to take a walk in the woods and let the trees absorb the stress.

Thanks for all the effort to maintain this mostly peaceful community.

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10 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

lotlizard's picture

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8 users have voted.