Good morning, and welcome to the Global Situation Report for Thursday, 10 October 2024.
- U.S. AMB TO JAPAN: ASIA NEEDS AN ECONOMIC NATO: U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, is recommending the U.S.’ Asian allies to have an “economic equivalent of the [NATO]’s Article 5 — an attack on one is an attack on all” framework to combat China, citing debt-trap diplomacy, economic coercion, and dumping subsidized goods.
- Emanuel also recommends more aggressive U.S. economic statecraft to mimic the “successful containment of the Soviet Union.”
Why It Matters: Emanuel is likely making a softer sell of the Asian NATO idea after recent pushback from Asian allies and think tanks. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework provides an avenue for rapidly implementing an “Article 5” as it already consists of the U.S.’ Asian allies and carries positions, duties, and responsibilities for its member-states. – J.V.
- Global Rollup
- Taiwan’s government is warning that China will launch new drills near Taiwan in response to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s National Day speech on Thursday. Lai claimed in his speech that he would “uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty.” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs classified the speech as “deliberately sever[ing] the historical ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits.”
- Taiwan’s Foreign Affairs Minister made an appeal to India to economically counterbalance China by opening up Taiwanese investment opportunities in India, in an interview with Indian media. The deputy Foreign Affairs Minister made a similar appeal stating that India will eventually lose territory to China if China conquered Taiwan.
- Iran’s state media is running a pro-nuclear weapons narrative campaign. State media Mehr cites a growing acceptance of Iranian nuclear weapons as Iran had “already paid the price for it anyway” and in light of “an unprecedented surge of Israeli violence and aggression in the region.” The state estimates more than 70% of Iranians are in favor of developing nuclear weapons.
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.