In Geopolitics Today: Monday, February 20th
Israel and the UAE Unveil Joint Unmanned Naval Vessel, US-China Tensions Escalate at Munich Security Conference, and other stories.
Israel and the UAE Unveil Joint Unmanned Naval Vessel
The United Arab Emirates and Israel have revealed their first jointly created unmanned vessel off the coast of Abu Dhabi. The move illustrates the growing military ties between the two countries in the Gulf region.
The unmanned surface vessel, created by Israel Aerospace Industries and Emirati defence consortium EDGE, is equipped with advanced sensors and imaging systems and can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance and detecting mines. The vessel will be used to counter maritime threats from Iran, which is blamed for years of missile and drone attacks on Gulf shipping lanes. The UAE and Israel have deepened their military partnership since normalising relations in 2020, including defence procurement and developing an autonomous counter-drone system.
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Colombia and Venezuela Revive Trade Deal
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro signed a trade deal last week, renewing a suspended agreement from four years ago. The deal aims to establish a joint “economic zone” with specific trade conditions.
The original agreement was signed in 2011, but diplomatic ties were severed after Petro's predecessor recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader. Petro, who was elected as Colombia's president last year, has sought to re-establish relations with Maduro's government in Caracas. The resumption of normalized trade is estimated to bring trade between the two countries up to $1.2 billion in 2022.
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US-China Tensions at the Munich Security Conference
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Director of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi failed to resolve their recent tensions during their meeting at the Munich Security Conference.
Blinken cautioned China against military aid to Russia and demanded that China not repeat the balloon fly-over, while Wang expressed anger and called for Washington to acknowledge the damage done to the relationship by the US shoot-down of the balloon. The handling of the balloon incident shows that both countries lack the trust and willpower needed to engage meaningfully on even relatively small incidents, let alone major issues of vital national interest.
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South Korea Maintains Restraint Toward China
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's tough pre-election comments on China led many observers to think that he would become a China hawk and side with Washington. However, nine months into his term, Yoon appears far from being a China hawk.
Despite his commitment to deepening security ties with the United States, South Korea's position on controversial issues concerning China has remained relatively neutral. Seoul has refrained from taking any explicitly pro-Taiwan stance and has only been willing to cooperate with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) on selective areas like climate change and vaccines. South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy diverges from the U.S. approach, which centres on containment. Seoul defines China as a "key regional partner" and emphasizes inclusive regional cooperation and engagement.
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US Backs UN Security Council Statement Denouncing Israeli Settlements
The UN Security Council issued a statement condemning Israel's plan to expand settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, with the US supporting the motion. The statement expressed concern about Israel's plans to legalize settlements and warned that they impede peace.
The US backed the statement as part of diplomatic talks to prevent the Palestinian Authority from advocating for a stronger resolution. The statement is the first issued against Israel by the Security Council in six years. Israeli forces have killed 42 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem this year, while at least 220 people died in Israeli attacks across the occupied territories in 2022.