US arrests intelligence officer selling secrets to China, Ukraine presents evidence of North Korea sending weapons to Russia

The US warns of a terrorist plot in Moscow, China mobilizes $27 billion to "fight" the US on semiconductor chips, President Biden delivers the State of the Union address, Russia declares to destroy the mercenary base in Kharkov... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

US President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address on March 8 in Washington DC.

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

Russia-Ukraine

*Russia announced the destruction of a mercenary base in Kharkov: In the early morning of March 8, Russia used Iskander tactical missiles to hit a temporary base deploying foreign mercenaries in Ukraine's Kharkov province.

The Telegram channel “ Military Observer” said that according to preliminary information, the casualties among foreign experts and Ukrainian officers were very large. (TASS)

*US warns of terrorist plot in Moscow: The US Embassy in Moscow warns that in the next two days there may be a terrorist attack in the Russian capital.

This information was posted on the website of the British Foreign Office . Accordingly, the US embassy has information about a plot to attack crowded places in Moscow, possibly concerts. The US diplomatic mission recommends avoiding crowded places within the next 48 hours. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not yet commented on this information. (Reuters)

*Ukraine presents evidence of North Korea sending weapons to Russia: Senior Ukrainian officials, in a meeting with a Chinese regional envoy on March 7, proposed Kiev's plan to end the two-year conflict with Russia and presented evidence of North Korean weapons supplied to Moscow.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian government administration, wrote on Telegram that he and his team presented the situation on the battlefield and Kiev's peace proposal to China's Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs Li Hui.

In a report on the March 7 discussion, Mr. Yermak said the Ukrainian side showed the Chinese delegation fragments of the shot-down missile, as well as weapons produced by North Korea and supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.

Mr. Yermak also said Ukraine had raised Russia's violations of international conventions on prisoners of war and how China could help ensure the repatriation of Ukrainian children sent into exile. (Reuters)

Asia-Pacific

*China raises $27 billion to fight the US on semiconductor chips: Bloomberg News reported on March 8 that China is in the process of raising more than $27 billion for a fund with the aim of accelerating the development of advanced technologies in chip manufacturing to counter the US campaign to prevent Beijing's rise in this field.

The National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, the largest of its kind, is amassing capital from local governments and state-owned enterprises, according to people familiar with the matter. Known as the Grand Fund, the state-backed firm will expand its reach just as the U.S. prepares to step up tech restrictions aimed at curbing China’s advances in chipmaking and artificial intelligence. (Bloomberg)

*South Korean and Philippine Foreign Ministers hold phone talks: The office of South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul announced on March 8 that Mr. Cho Tae-yul had a phone call with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo to discuss measures to strengthen bilateral relations.

The phone call was the first discussion between the two top diplomats after Cho Tae-yul took office last January.

During the phone call, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul mentioned the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year and the recent exchange of congratulatory letters between the two countries' leaders.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Manalo proposed active high-level exchanges to build a new partnership and achieve a deeper, future-oriented relationship. In addition, to promote stronger bilateral ties, the two officials agreed to soon arrange plans for bilateral visits. (Yonhap)

*India sends troops to China border, Beijing reacts: Speaking at a regular press conference on March 8, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing believes India's move to add more troops to the disputed border area with China is "not conducive to easing tensions".

According to some media reports, the Indian government has deployed a contingent of 10,000 soldiers, previously deployed in the country's western border area, to reinforce the disputed border area between the country and China.

Previously, the two countries agreed to maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels. (Times of India)

*Japan-South Korea to strengthen economic cooperation: South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that the country and Japan held a vice-ministerial meeting on March 8 to discuss ways to cooperate on a range of economic and financial issues. This is the second dialogue between the two sides.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of mutual concern, including the global economic and financial market situation, and sought to cooperate more closely on these issues. In addition, the two sides also mentioned the planned meeting between the two countries' finance ministers, following the last such meeting held in Tokyo in June last year, on strengthening bilateral relations in the financial and economic fields.

“The two officials agreed to continue close cooperation and consultation at both senior and working levels, and agreed to hold the next meeting in Seoul,” the ministry said. (Yonhap)

*China provides military aid to Maldives: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said China has pledged military aid and training to Maldives. This information was given by Mr. Muizzu on the evening of March 5, during a rally in Dhaalu Meedhoo atoll.

According to President Muizzu, the Chinese government is willing to train and provide non-lethal weapons to the Maldivian military through a military grant. This will be the first time that the Maldivian military has received training from China. Previously, China was mainly involved in supporting the Maldives' economic and urban development efforts.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Ministry of Defense confirmed that Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the China Office of International Military Cooperation, held discussions with Maldives Defense Minister Ghassan Maumoon to explore ways to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries. (Straits Times)

Europe

*Latvia begins deporting Russians without permanent residency: The first Russian citizens not registered as permanent residents in Latvia have been ordered to leave the Baltic country.

Migration authorities in Riga said they had sent deportation orders to the first six Russians, two of whom had already left Latvia, while the remaining four would have to leave the country within 30 days.

In response to Russia's military campaign against Ukraine, Latvia amended the Immigration Law in 2022, according to which Russian passport holders must have permanent resident status and pass a Latvian language test to be eligible for long-term residence here.

There are currently about 1,000 Russians living in Latvia. About 200 have left Latvia for other European Union (EU) countries. (AFP)

*Germany calls for an end to debate on sending NATO troops to Ukraine: On March 8, speaking during a visit to Finland, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called for an end to the debate on the deployment of infantry by NATO countries in Ukraine.

According to Minister Pistorius, "no one really wants to deploy ground troops in Ukraine". Therefore, the discussion on this issue must end. Ukraine's allies will have to help Kiev in other ways.

Regarding the supply of Taurus long-range attack missiles, the German Defense Minister said that this type of missile will not decide the war. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly stated that there is an important limit that Germany will never cross: entering the war. That is why the Taurus missiles have not yet been delivered to Kiev. (DW)

*Czech raises enough money to buy 300,000 artillery shells for Ukraine: On March 8, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced that the country has raised enough money to buy 300,000 artillery shells to aid Ukraine. Mr. Fiala affirmed that the goal of the Czech initiative is to send more artillery shells and that the support for Kiev does not stop at this issue.

Previously, on March 7, Czech President Petr Pavel said that enough money could be raised to buy 800,000 artillery shells from countries outside the European Union (EU). According to Mr. Pavel, 18 other countries participated in supporting the initiative initiated by the Czech Republic. However, Prime Minister Fiala confirmed that the amount raised was only enough to buy the first batch of 300,000 artillery shells sent to Ukraine.

At the Munich Security Conference in February, Czech President Pavel announced that he had found a source for 500,000 NATO standard-caliber artillery shells and 300,000 Soviet-caliber artillery shells. According to the Financial Times, the cost of purchasing these shells could be as high as $1.5 billion. (AFP)

*France to manufacture military equipment on Ukrainian territory: On March 8, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that Paris is planning to allow some of its arms manufacturers to directly manufacture much-needed military equipment on Ukrainian territory to support Kiev in its fight against Russia.

“The three French companies will establish partnerships with Ukrainian companies, especially in the field of ground equipment and drones, to produce spare parts on Ukrainian territory and possibly ammunition in the future... The idea is to put the first production units into operation this summer,” Mr. Lecornu said.

He hinted that the companies involved would include tank maker KNDS, a joint venture set up by French defense industry firm Nexter and German arms industry firm Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann. (AFP)

Middle East-Africa

*UK, US open sea aid corridor for Gaza: British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on March 8 that the country will cooperate with the US to open a sea corridor to deliver aid directly to the Gaza Strip.

In a social media post, Mr. Cameron stated: "Together with the US, the UK and our partners, we announce we will open a maritime corridor to deliver aid directly to Gaza."

According to Mr. Cameron, Britain continues to call on Israel to allow more trucks into Gaza, the fastest way for people there to receive aid. (Reuter)

*Israel announced the results of the attack that killed more than 100 Palestinians: AFP news agency on March 8 quoted an Israeli military source as saying that the investigation results of the stampede when Palestinians waited for food aid in northern Gaza on February 29 showed that Israeli soldiers "fired accurately" at suspects who approached soldiers nearby.

The Israeli military report stated: “The investigation showed that the Israel Defense Forces did not fire on the humanitarian aid convoy but on several suspects who approached them nearby and posed a threat.”

According to Palestinian medical sources and witnesses, the incident occurred as a crowd of Palestinians gathered to receive humanitarian aid on a coastal road in western Gaza City on February 29. Witnesses said the Israeli army shelling hit the crowd. Gaza health authorities described the incident as a "massacre", leaving at least 104 people and more than 760 injured. (Al Jazeera)

*The US supports a two-state solution in the Middle East: On the evening of March 7, local time, President Joe Biden declared that the two-state solution is the only real solution to the conflict in the Middle East, and at the same time issued sharp instructions to Israeli leaders, asking them not to delay humanitarian aid to Palestinians for political purposes.

In his State of the Union address to both houses of the US Congress, broadcast live in prime time on television and multiple online platforms, President Biden stated: “As we look to the future, the only real solution is a two-state solution. I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel and the only US president to visit Israel in a time of war. (Reuters)

America-Latin America

*US President delivers State of the Union Address, emphasizing achievements: On March 8 (Hanoi time), US President Joe Biden delivered the final State of the Union Address of his term before a joint session of the House of Representatives and Senate as well as prime-time television audiences.

This will be President Joe Biden's third State of the Union address since taking office in early 2021. The event takes place in the context of Mr. Biden's overwhelming victories in the "Super Tuesday" primaries on March 5 and is getting closer to the Democratic nomination for the race to the White House.

According to information from some White House officials, in his State of the Union address, President Biden will emphasize the achievements of his administration over the past 3 years, especially in terms of the economy, as well as outline his vision for the future of America. (CNN)

*US lifts ban on Osprey military aircraft to Japan: US forces on March 8 lifted a global flight ban on the country's Osprey military aircraft, which crashed to the ground after a catastrophic accident off a southwestern Japanese island in November 2023.

According to Japan's Ministry of Defense, the country and the US are coordinating to carry out a plan to resume flights by Osprey aircraft deployed in Japan.

Earlier, US officials said on March 1 that the Pentagon would lift the flight ban on Osprey military aircraft. The move came after a high-level military meeting in which US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the US military's plans to return the Osprey military aircraft, which had been grounded after an accident in Japan, to service. (Yonhap)

*US arrests intelligence analyst for selling military secrets to China: A US Army intelligence analyst was arrested on March 7 on charges of conspiring to sell sensitive defense information to China.

In a press release, the US Justice Department said federal prosecutors charged analyst Korbein Schultz with conspiracy to disclose national defense information, exporting defense articles and technical data without a license, and bribing an official.

Schultz, who was arrested at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, was paid about $42,000 to provide an individual living in Hong Kong with information about U.S. plans in the event of a military attack on Taiwan, the statement said. (Reuters)

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