The most important foreign affairs events of the week

March 6, 2023

“As Xi Jinping heads into a third term as president, China’s top leader is signaling that he will take a harder stance against what he perceives as an effort by the United States to block China’s rise. Mr. Xi has urged China to strive to develop advanced technologies to reduce its reliance on Western know-how. He also stated that ‘Western countries led by the United States have implemented all-around containment, encirclement, and suppression of China, which has brought unprecedented severe challenges to our country’s development.’ This forthright approach signaled a broader shift in Beijing’s rhetoric, especially regarding American support of Taiwan.”

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The intransitive verb strive means “to exert much effort or energy; endeavor; to struggle or fight forcefully; contend.”

The adjective forthright means “direct and without evasion; straightforward.” Close synonyms are “outspoken”, “frank”, and “downright”.

March 7, 2023

“The Pentagon is blocking the Biden administration from sharing evidence with the International Criminal Court (ICC), in The Hague, gathered by American intelligence agencies about Russian war crimes in Ukraine. American military leaders oppose helping the court investigate Russians because they fear setting a precedent that might help pave the way for it to prosecute Americans. The ICC was created two decades ago as a standing venue to investigate war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity under a 1998 treaty called the Rome Statute. But the United States has never ratified the treaty, nor have Russia or China.”

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The expression pave the way (for someone or something) means “to create a situation in which it is easier for someone to do something or something to happen; make progress or development easier.”

The noun venue means “the court where a lawsuit may or should be tried, usually because the cause of action arose in that locality.”

March 8, 2023

“A new submarine deal adds complexities to the 2021 security pact between Australia, Britain and the United States, known as AUKUS. After a trilateral meeting this Thursday, Australia agreed to buy up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the United States to be delivered in the 2030s. This move accelerates and deepens an ambitious defense agreement aimed at reinforcing American-led military dominance of the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s military growth. Joe Biden will host the leaders of Australia and Britain in San Diego on Monday, when they will announce the next phase of the AUKUS partnership.”

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In this context, the idiomatic expression up to means “to the point of; as far as; as many as; or until.”

The transitive verb deepen means “to make or become deep, deeper, or more intense.” Close synonyms are “intensify”, “strengthen”, and “reinforce”.

March 9, 2023

“Seven years after cutting formal ties, open hostility, and proxy conflicts across the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties, in a significant pivot for the two regional rivals that was facilitated by China. China hosted the talks that led to the breakthrough, highlighting Beijing’s growing role as a global economic and political power, and counterbalance to Washington — particularly in the Middle East, a region that was long shaped by the military and diplomatic involvement of the United States. Iran and Saudi Arabia will reopen embassies in each other’s countries within two months and reactivate a lapsed security cooperation pact, as well as older trade, investment and cultural accords.”

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The noun proxy means “one appointed or authorized to act for another, especially a person appointed to vote as one wishes at a meeting.” This term is commonly used in contexts regarding international security: “proxy war” or “proxy conflict”.

The noun counterbalance means “to act as a counteracting force, influence, or weight to; counterpoise; to oppose with an equal force; offset.”

March 10, 2023

“Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest rose in February to the highest level on record for the month, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the administration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as it tries to undo the environmental destruction wreaked under the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro. Government satellites show that a record 322 sq km of Amazon rainforest were destroyed in February, a 62% increase on last year and the highest number for the month since records began. The current government has reactivated the Amazon Fund and brushed off and updated a deforestation prevention and control plan that formed the backbone of her successful policies nearly two decades ago.”

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The transitive verb wreak means “to inflict or execute punishment; to bring about (damage or destruction, for example).”

The phrasal verb brushed off means “to dismiss and ignore; refuse to accept or acknowledge.”