Politics

Bloomberg Australian PM Scott Morrison said France was aware of Australia’s concerns on the capability of submarines being built by the European nation, defending his government’s decision to sign a new deal for nuclear-powered ones. Australia understands France’s disappointment but the decision was made on “sovereign, national defense interests,” Morrison said. “Ultimately, this was a decision about whether the submarines ...

Bloomberg President Joe Biden came to office promising to restore competency to US foreign policy after four years of Donald Trump’s diplomatic bomb-throwing. But eight months later, a series of missteps have angered allies, drawn criticism even from supporters and raised concern that Biden isn’t as sure-footed in international affairs as advertised. France even recalled its ambassador, a dramatic escalation ...

Bloomberg China announced naval and aerial military exercises were conducted in areas southwest of Taiwan, the second time in a month. Combat ships, early-warning aircraft and bombers were among the forces that joined the exercises “to improve integrated operational capability” in territory southwest of Taiwan, Shi Yi, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement, ...

Bloomberg Malaysia joined Indonesia in expressing concern that a new security pact involving Australia, the US and the UK may spark a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison called his Malaysian counterpart Ismail Sabri Yaakob to explain that the formation of the tripartite group — known as AUKUS — was to help it acquire ...

Bloomberg US President Joe Biden suggested the possibility of an in-person meeting with Xi Jinping during a phone call last week, but the Chinese president declined to commit to one as he continues to avoid leaving his country even for major gatherings amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden suggested the two leaders meet at some point in the next few months, ...

Bloomberg UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to make big changes to his cabinet as his Conservative government suffered a drop in support after announcing tax hikes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The overhaul to Johnson’s top team comes ahead of a potentially tricky few months, as he continues to grapple with high levels of Covid-19 cases ...

Bloomberg North Korea fired off two ballistic missiles — its second major test in less than a week of weapons designed to bolster its capability to conduct nuclear strikes against Japan and South Korea. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said two ballistic missiles were fired from central North Korea into waters off the eastern coast of the peninsula on ...

Bloomberg President Vladimir Putin has sidelined the last of his independent political opponents, jailing some and driving others into exile, as his ruling party seeks to extend its control in parliamentary elections despite simmering discontent. While Putin personally retains broad support, according to polls, his United Russia ruling party recorded some of the lowest ratings in nearly a decade earlier ...

Bloomberg President Joe Biden’s envoy for North Korea said the door remains open for talks, after Pyongyang claimed it tested new long-range cruise missiles that bolster its nuclear strike capabilities against Japan and South Korea. “We hope the DPRK will respond positively to our multiple offers to meet without preconditions,” Sung Kim, the State Department’s special representative for North Korea, ...

Bloomberg President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Australia, India and Japan at the White House next week, the White House said, for discussions that will include countering China’s expanding influence in the Asia-Pacific region. The meetings will be the first in-person summit for a group known as the “Quad,” as Biden seeks to make the region a top ...