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Blinken scraps China trip, US says spy balloon ‘unacceptable’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has decided to postpone his trip to China after a Chinese spy balloon was discovered over the continental United States this week, officials said Friday.
The top US diplomat was scheduled to visit Beijing and meet with his Chinese counterpart as well as Xi Jinping next week. He would have been the first secretary of state to visit China since 2018.
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After the Pentagon, on Thursday, revealed the Chinese spy balloon had been detected, Beijing claimed it was an “airship” being used for meteorological and other scientific research.”
Blinken had a call senior Chinese official Wang Yi, the State Department said. “The Secretary noted the [China’s] statement of regret but conveyed that this is an irresponsible act and a clear violation of US sovereignty and international law that undermined the purpose of the trip,” according to a readout of the call.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has decided to postpone his trip to China after a Chinese spy balloon was discovered over the continental United States this week, officials said Friday.

The top US diplomat was scheduled to visit Beijing and meet with his Chinese counterpart as well as Xi Jinping next week. He would have been the first secretary of state to visit China since 2018.

For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

After the Pentagon, on Thursday, revealed the Chinese spy balloon had been detected, Beijing claimed it was an “airship” being used for meteorological and other scientific research.”

Blinken had a call senior Chinese official Wang Yi, the State Department said. “The Secretary noted the [China’s] statement of regret but conveyed that this is an irresponsible act and a clear violation of US sovereignty and international law that undermined the purpose of the trip,” according to a readout of the call.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers quickly called on Blinken to cancel his trip.

Watch: An eyewitness captures a video of a suspected Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over the US for several days. #China #UShttps://t.co/uxZoFEeDS2 pic.twitter.com/Cjce2xxVfP

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 3, 2023

A senior State Department official briefing reporters on the decision said Blinken was supposed to leave tonight. The official said that after consultations with interagency partners and Congress, it was concluded that the conditions were not right for Blinken to travel to China. “We believe in diplomacy to responsibly manage the most complex bilateral relationship we have,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official slammed the balloon incident as a “clear violation of our sovereignty” and “unacceptable.”

Nevertheless, the secretary still plans to travel to China at the earliest opportunity “when conditions allow,” the official said.

ABC News first reported that Blinken would cancel his trip. The unnamed official told ABC News that Blinken did not want the spy balloon to dominate his meetings with Chinese officials and did not want to blow the situation out of proportion by canceling the trip.

The Pentagon said the balloon is moving eastward and still over the center of the continental United States.

Asked for China’s claims that the balloon was for civilian purposes, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder Ryder said Friday: “The fact is, we know that it’s a surveillance balloon.”

According to Ryder, the balloon is currently assessed to be at about 60,000 feet, which is above the range of civilian air traffic.

The Pentagon revealed Thursday that the balloon was spotted flying over the continental United States, but military commanders recommended against shooting it down.

#China’s use of this surveillance balloon is a clear violation of U.S. sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Biden Administration needs to remove it from U.S. airspace as soon as possible, and Secretary Blinken should not go to #Beijing next week.

— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) February 3, 2023

“The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground,” Ryder said at the time.

This is not the first time such balloon activity has been observed in the US, Ryder noted. But the US government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information, he said.

Speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, a senior US defense official Thursday revealed that military commanders and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said shooting down the balloon should be ruled out “due to the risk to safety and security of people on the ground from the possible debris field.”

The same official added: “We assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective.”

The balloon was monitored while over Montana, home to one of the Air Force bases operating the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The official said US fighter jets were deployed to examine the balloon earlier this week.

The official said this had happened several times over the last few years, including during the Trump administration. But the difference with this balloon is the altitude and the period of time it has lingered in the US.

Read more: China: Balloon in US airspace for research, expresses regret for straying into US

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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