>>20114146 past bread
>>20114857 past bread
Today, France adheres to the One China policy, where France recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of "China", as opposed to the Republic of China, where it maintains unofficial relations.
The Chinese-French relationship was raised to the level of “global strategic partnership” in 2004. Strategic dialogue (last session from 23 to 24 January 2019), which began in 2001, deals with all areas of cooperation and aims to strengthen dialogue global issues, such as reform of global economic governance, climate change and regional crises.
At a time when China–U.S. economic relations were deeply troubled, with a trade war underway, French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese leader Xi Jinping signed a series of large-scale trade agreements in late March 2019 which covered many sectors over a period of years.
During an April 2023 visit to China, French President Emmanuel Macron called for Europe to reduce its dependence on the US and avoid being drawn into a confrontation between the US and China over Taiwan. Macron emphasised his view of strategic autonomy, suggesting that Europe could become a "third superpower.” According to Macron, Europe should focus on boosting its own defence industries and reducing dependence on the US dollar.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93France_relations
In February 2008, Australia reportedly "chastised Taiwan for its renewed push for independence" and "reiterated its support for a one-China policy".
In September 2023, the two countries held a High-Level Dialogue in Beijing, the first in three years, with former trade minister Craig Emerson leading the Australian delegation, while China was represented by former foreign minister Li Zhaoxing. Later that month, Albanese met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit held in Jakarta. On 11 October, Australian journalist Cheng Lei, a former news anchor of the China Global Television who was detained in September 2020, was released and returned to Australia. Since her detention, the Australian government had campaigned for her release. Between 4 and 7 November, Albanese visited Shanghai and Beijing, becoming the first Australian prime minister to visit China in seven years. The trip, described as an effort to get relations between Australia and China on track, coincided with the 50th anniversary of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's visit to China, the first by an Australian prime minister. During the trip, he gave a speech at the China International Import Expo, and met with Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%E2%80%93China_relations
Relations between Spain and the People's Republic of China were established in 1973. Spain has adhered to the One-China policy that it recognizes the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China and does not recognize the legitimacy of the Republic of China on Taiwan.
Trade
While most cargoes are shipped between China and Europe (including Spain) by sea, there aredirect container trains running from Yiwu (Zhejiang Province) to Madridas well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Spain_relations
The 31 NATO members are Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Article 5
The key section of the treaty is Article 5. Its commitment clause defines the casus foederis. It commits each member state to consider an armed attack against one member state, in the areas defined by Article 6, to be an armed attack against them all. Upon such attack, each member state is to assist by taking "such action as [the member state] deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area." The article has only been invoked once, but considered in a number of other cases.
Article 5 has been invoked only once in NATO history, after the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Treaty#Article_5>>20115466
>>20115472 yep
>>20115484 yep
Anon was thinking to self, even before other anon posted link to original on RRN, wow this sure looks like Mikey Backrub's writing. kek
>Can I get a comfy check?
Sorry. Tranimae baker ruined the word comfy for this anon. Acronym for Communist Foreign Affirmative. Current physical sitrep is cozy however. TY for asking.
Iranian Spy Ship Helps Houthis Direct Attacks on Red Sea Vessels
Assistance raises pressure on Israel and the U.S. to take action against the Yemen-based rebels
Dec. 22, 2023 9:41 am ET
Assistance raises pressure on Israel and the U.S. to take action against the Yemen-based rebels
Iran’s paramilitary forces are providing real-time intelligence to Yemen’s Houthis that the rebels are using to direct drones and missiles to target ships passing through the Red Sea, Western and regional security officials said.
Tracking information gathered by a surveillance vessel controlled by Iran’s paramilitary forces in the Red Sea is passed to the Houthis, who have used it to attack commercial vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in recent days, according to the officials.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon unveiled plans for a multinational naval force to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, many of the world’s biggest shipping lines, oil producers and other cargo owners have started diverting vessels from the region, prompting a rise in oil prices and insurance rates.
Many vessels sailing in the strait have been switching off their radios to avoid being tracked online, but an Iranian vessel stationed in the Red Sea is enabling the Houthi drones and missiles to accurately target the ships, the officials said.
The Iranian mission to the United Nations didn’t respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for the Houthis said the group didn’t need to rely on Iran to help in its attacks. “It’s strange to attribute everything to Iran as if it were the world’s strongest power,” the spokesperson said. “We have intelligence facilities that have proven themselves over the years of aggression against us.”
The direct involvement by Iranian actors in the attacks raises the stakes for Israel and the U.S., which are eager to contain Tehran’s role in the region, and risks creating a new front in the conflict between Israel and its foes in the region, just as the U.S. is trying to stop it from escalating.
“The Houthis don’t have the radar technology to target the ships,” said a Western security official. “They need Iranian assistance. Without it, the missiles would just drop in the water.”
continued in reply 1/2
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iranian-spy-ship-helps-houthis-direct-attacks-on-red-sea-vessels-d6f7fd40
continued
The White House National Security Council didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, the Houthis hit a Norwegian cargo vessel with an antiship cruise missile. The ship caught fire and was forced to sail to port after being damaged. None of the crew was injured.
The U.S. has previously said Iran was enabling the Houthi attacks on ships but didn’t say how. Iran for years has supplied weapons to the rebels in their battle against Saudi-backed foes in Yemen.
While the Houthis have said the attacks are in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza, the ships they have attacked have little or in some cases no links to Israel.
Washington has told Israel to let the U.S. military respond to the Houthis instead of taking action that could expand its conflict with Hamas and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, U.S. and other government officials said.
But a senior Israeli official said the Iranian ship’s intelligence support for the Houthis shows that the West needs to pressure Tehran to halt its assistance, which is disrupting the global shipping trade. “Iran is giving them weapons, and Iran could stop it,” the Israeli official said. “We need to work to put pressure on Iran, so they will stop.”
In 2021, Israeli mines damaged an Iranian spy ship that had also been stationed in the Red Sea, and it was replaced by the vessel currently helping the Houthis, Western officials said.
Israel has also been angered by Houthi missile attacks targeting the southern port of Eilat, though they were intercepted by U.S. defenses.
On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned his country could retaliate against the threats coming out of Yemen. “If they continue to provoke us, try to attack Eilat with missiles or by other means, we will know what to do,” he said, speaking onboard a warship sailing near the Israeli port. “We are preparing. The troops here are ready for any mission and any command.”
Western security officials have previously said Iranian assistance to the Houthis is overseen by the Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Republic Guard Corps that operates autonomously from the civilian cabinet in Tehran. The U.S. has placed a $15 million bounty on the Quds Force commander in Yemen, Abdolreza Shahlaei, for his role in supplying weapons and explosives to Iraqi Shia groups and planning a 2007 attack in Iraq that killed five American soldiers and wounded three others.
In messages passed to the U.S. through Switzerland and in public, Iran has said it had no control over the actions of the Houthi and other forces in the Middle East that have attacked U.S. and Israeli targets in response to the war in Gaza.
A spokesman for the Iran mission at the United Nations said last week that Iran opposed a U.N. Security Council resolution that imposes an arms embargo only on the Houthis. He said Tehran has abided by its implementation and that the Yemenis were capable of military self-reliance. 2/2
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iranian-spy-ship-helps-houthis-direct-attacks-on-red-sea-vessels-d6f7fd40
Call sign AGNEW34. USN E-6B Mercury 164407. That's uh, interesting.
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae0419
Second day in a row that this E-4B Nightwatch (73-1676) has been up with no call sign.
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=adfeb3
>Ford became POTUS
Which raises the question, who was the Speaker of the House at that time? Bet they felt a little let down. kek
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Albert
In September 1972, Albert was witnessed driving drunk and crashing into two cars in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington.
As the Watergate scandal developed in 1973, Albert, as speaker, referred some two dozen impeachment resolutions to the House Judiciary Committee for debate and study.[23] Also in 1973, he appointed Felda Looper as the first female House page.
some things never change