Good morning, and welcome to the Global Situation Report for Monday, 01 April 2024.
- Americas Rollup
- China’s embassy in Mexico is helping identify eight Chinese nationals who drowned off the Pacific coast of Mexico while migrating to the United States by boat. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing is providing assistance to surviving Chinese citizens. (Wang Wenbin’s comment on Chinese aid to Chinese citizens is effectively a declaration that China is knowingly moving its citizens into the United States through Mexico illegally. The boat left from Tapachula, suggesting they came through a country more southerly than Mexico. – J.V.)
- Argentina and Colombia are resuming diplomatic ties after Colombia severed them last week.
- Indo-Pacific Rollup
- Taiwan’s Commander of the Navy will visit the U.S. from 08 to 11 April to discuss greater integration between the U.S. and Taiwan’s navies with the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations. China called for an immediate cessation of military contact between Taiwan and the U.S. through its Foreign Ministry. (This summit butts up against the trilateral summit between the U.S., Philippines, and Japan. There is likely to be behind-the-scenes coordination between all four nations for greater military integration. – J.V.)
- The Philippines set up the National Maritime Council, a council of national secretaries and department heads, to “[Strengthen] the country’s maritime security and domain awareness.” The council has 60 days to issue guidelines to that end and will give orders directly to the task force overseeing the disputed South China Sea.
- U.S. Defense Department officials say joint patrols comprising the U.S., Philippines, and Japan will be announced at the 11 April summit. The U.S. may also invite Japan to be a technological partner in the AUKUS agreement.
THAT’S A WRAP: This does it for today’s edition. Thank you for reading. If you know folks who would also like to receive this email, would you please forward it to them? We appreciate you spreading the word. – M.S.