U.S. International Affairs An increasingly influential China is already one of the world's most powerful countries and is contending to overtake only two countries with greater global pull, according to a new report. On Friday, the Henry Jackson Society, a think tank based in London, published a report titled "An Audit of Geopolitical Capability," which ranked the leading 20 nations in terms of four primary categories: national "base," "structure," "instruments" and "resolve." The study placed the United States at the top of the list, the United Kingdom then closely followed by China, while Russia lagged way back in tenth. Claiming the report was "the world’s most comprehensive ranking of national capability," its chief analyst, James Rogers, argued that the U.K.'s global status had been little affected by the Brexit crisis that has afflicted its currency and polarized its government. The report argued that the U.K. still managed to "project and extend itself … around … [Read more...] about What Is World’s Most Powerful Country? New Report Finds China Rising to Top
World military power 2017
China’s ‘globalised’ military power
China Jonathan Marcus Diplomatic correspondent @Diplo1 on Twitter 13 February 2018 Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with WhatsApp Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share Share this with These are external links and will open in a new window Email Share this with Email Facebook Share this with Facebook Messenger Share this with Messenger Messenger Share this with Messenger Twitter Share this with Twitter Pinterest Share this with Pinterest WhatsApp Share this with WhatsApp LinkedIn Share this with LinkedIn Copy this link https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-43036302 Read more about sharing. These are external links and will open in a new window Close share panel China's modernisation of its armed forces is proceeding faster than … [Read more...] about China’s ‘globalised’ military power
World Court weighs Britain’s claim to Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean
By Stephanie van den BergTHE HAGUE (Reuters) - Mauritius argued at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday that Britain had unduly pressured it to give up the Chagos Islands in 1965 in exchange independence, as it weighed claims to the archipelago which now houses a major U.S. military base.The case is seen by some as a test of whether colonial-era deals struck by great powers and weaker states are legitimate, given the power imbalance.Britain in 1965 detached the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, a British colony that became independent three years later. It leased Chagos Islands’ biggest island, Diego Garcia, to the United States in 1966, clearing the way for the construction of an air base that required the forced removal of around 1,500 people.In 2017, Mauritius petitioned the United Nations to seek an ICJ advisory opinion on the legality of Britain's appropriation of Chagos. Despite opposition from Britain and the United States, which views the Diego Garcia base as a … [Read more...] about World Court weighs Britain’s claim to Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean
V-J Day: U.S. Military Power in Asia Grew After World War II, But Do We Still Need Bases There?
World International Affairs The U.S. military victory over Japanese Imperial forces on August 14, 1945, signified the end of the bloodiest conflict in modern history. It also ushered in a historic shift in global power, creating a growing and lasting U.S. military presence in Asia that has continued to this day—but not without its opponents. Only days after the world's first atomic bomb attacks killed up to 250,000 people in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan officially surrendered to the U.S. and fellow Allied powers, including the Soviet Union and the U.K, ending World War II. The event was known as V-J Day and is officially commemorated in the U.S. on September 2, the date in which the surrender document was signed. The Empire of Japan was then dismantled and, for the first time in the country's history, Japan was occupied by a foreign power. The U.S. military occupation formally ended only years later in 1951, but the … [Read more...] about V-J Day: U.S. Military Power in Asia Grew After World War II, But Do We Still Need Bases There?
Battle Of The Ports: Emirates Sea Power Spreads From Persian Gulf To Africa
OpinionThe past few weeks have been particularly rich in new developments for the UAE’s foreign policy. In Yemen, the UAE is at the forefront of the current struggle for the seizure of the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah, a critical chokepoint for the arms and humanitarian supplies to the Houthis, and an important access to the Red Sea and strait of Bab el Mandeb, where 4.8 million barrels of oil and 8 percent of global trade transit every day.On the other shore of the Red Sea, the Emiratis have reportedly played a key role at facilitating the rapprochement between 20-year rivals Eritrea and Ethiopia. On July 24, a few weeks after the two countries signed a peace agreement, Abu Dhabi hosted a tripartite summit with the two leaders, where it reaffirmed its support to their peace efforts. For the UAE, the stabilisation of these important partners could have strategic advantages, including for reinforcing its already solid influence on Horn of Africa’s ports. Indeed, … [Read more...] about Battle Of The Ports: Emirates Sea Power Spreads From Persian Gulf To Africa