Good morning. Here’s your Situational Awareness for Monday, 19 September 2022.
XI WARNS AGAINST COLOR REVOLUTIONS: Citing the world’s entry into a “new period of turbulent change,” Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Russia, China, and Central Asian countries needed to work together to “prevent external forces from staging color revolutions.” Xi denounced such revolutions as the result of western “zero-sum games and bloc politics” that sought to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. In order to prepare for potential western interference, Xi called on the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to “strengthen solidarity and cooperation” to build a “closer community of destiny.” The leader announced China would lead measures to strengthen law enforcement capabilities, offering training to 2,000 law enforcement officers from SCO nations and establishing a regional counter-terrorism training center. – R.P.
PUTIN ALLY MEETS WITH CHINA TOP DIPLOMAT TO DEEPEN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE: Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, a close Putin ally, met with China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Nanping, China, this weekend to discuss the implementation of agreements reached by Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting last week in Uzbekistan. Patrushev and Yang also discussed the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and Ukraine as well as details on further military cooperation and joint exercises and patrols. They also set up communications channels between General Staffs and their national security councils. – M.M.
RUSSIA CONDUCTS ARCTIC WAR GAMES: Russian Defense Ministry officials announced the start of a series of naval drills in the eastern Arctic Sea. The Umka-22 Exercises seek to test the Russian force’s readiness for a conflict in the strategic region. The exercises, which began with the launch of cruise missiles from Russian nuclear submarines in the Chukchi Sea, and coastal batteries on the Chukchi Peninsula opposite Alaska, are the latest in a series of high-profile exercises designed to showcase Russian resolve and military capabilities. – R.P.
MEXICO READIES MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE: Mexican Finance Minister Rogelio Ramirez de la O announced that Mexico is undertaking a multi-billion dollar infrastructure package to develop energy and manufacturing projects and lure U.S. companies trying to nearshore their supply chains. Ramirez de la O added that Mexico would do more to court U.S. companies trying to move manufacturing out of China. – R.P.
INDIA DENOUNCES RUSSIA OVER UKRAINE: Speaking at the SCO conference in Uzbekistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Vladimir Putin over his country’s actions in Ukraine. Citing global concerns over food, fertilizer, and energy shortages, Modi denounced the ongoing conflict saying the present was “not an era of war.” These comments follow Putin’s admission of China’s “questions and concerns” over Ukraine, indicating potential political disharmony inside the BRICS bloc. – R.P.
In today’s Early Warning, Mike takes a deeper look at the threats made by President Joe Biden over the weekend, plus the team provides a roll up of domestic intelligence summaries. Get access to the rest of this report, including analyst comments on DailySA items: https://forwardobserver.com/susbcribe