Good morning, and welcome to the Global Situation Report for Tuesday 18 June 2024.
- Global Rollup
- China boarded the Philippine vessels in yesterday’s row. Several sailors were briefly detained while their weapons were confiscated, and boats were rendered inoperable before being released. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell called to remind the Philippines that the mutual defense treaty “extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft.”
- A Chinese ballistic missile submarine surfaced in the Taiwan Strait yesterday and was escorted to the mainland by another People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel.
- South Korean forces fired warning shots again at 20 North Korean troops who crossed into the Demilitarized Zone to lay mines and anti-tank barriers. (This is the second time in two weeks that over a score of North Korean troops crossed the border. This appears to be a probing exercise alongside shoring up the North’s defenses. – J.V.)
- Russian President Vladimir Putin is in North Korea today and tomorrow to sign a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement. Russian experts anticipate this to “be another step toward establishing a new world order.”
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.