• ขณะที่บลิงเคนเน้นย้ำถึง มาตรา 5 ภายใต้สนธิสัญญาแอตแลนติกเหนือของ NATO อีกครั้ง โดยกล่าวกับผู้นำลิทัวเนียซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในสมาชิก NATO ว่า “สหรัฐมีความมุ่งมั่นในการรับประกันมาตรา 5 ของ NATO ซึ่งว่าด้วยการป้องกันร่วมกันระหว่างประเทศสมาชิก” โดยหลังจากเสร็จสิ้นภารกิจเยือนลิทัวเนียแล้วบลิงเคนยังมีกำหนดการเยือนลัตเวียและเอสโตเนีย สมาชิก NATO ที่อยู่ใกล้เคียงด้วย
• นับตั้งแต่ที่รัสเซียประกาศเปิดปฏิบัติการทางทหารในยูเครน ประเทศสมาชิก NATO ได้พูดถึงมาตรา 5 หลายครั้ง เนื่องจากเพื่อนบ้านรอบๆ ยูเครนหลายประเทศเป็นสมาชิก NATO รวมถึงบลิงเคนเองก็ได้กล่าวเมื่อเดือนก.พ. หลังรัสเซียรุกรานยูเครนว่า “มีความเป็นไปได้ที่รัสเซียจะไม่หยุดอยู่แค่ยูเครน แต่มีบางสิ่งที่ทรงพลังมากที่ขวางทางสิ่งนั้น และมันคือสิ่งเราเรียกว่ามาตรา 5”
• บลิงเคนกล่าวต่อว่า “หมายความว่า การโจมตีประเทศใดประเทศหนึ่งที่เป็นสมาชิก NATO คือการโจมตีทุกประเทศที่เป็นสมาชิก NATO ประธานาธิบดี (โจ ไบเดน) มีความชัดเจนมากว่าเราจะปกป้องทุกตารางนิ้วของดินแดน NATO”
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said Beijing is adopting an objective and impartial attitude in the Russia-Ukraine war and believes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be protected.
Wang was answering questions from the media at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Responding to a question on whether China would do more to help resolve the conflict as “Russia’s military action in Ukraine has expanded to non-military targets”, Wang said: “On the Ukraine issue, China has adopted an objective and impartial attitude. We independently assess the situation and make our position clear on the basis of the merits of the issue.”
He said China believes that to resolve the current crisis, China must uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
“We must adhere to the principle of indivisible security and accommodate the legitimate security concerns of the parties involved. We must settle disputes by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiation. And we must keep in mind the long-term peace and stability of the region and put in place a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture,” he said.
He added that the international community must make continuous efforts on two priorities: facilitate dialogue for peace, and prevent a massive humanitarian crisis.
He said China is proposing a six-point initiative:
First, make sure that humanitarian operations abide by the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and avoid politicising humanitarian issues.
Second, give full attention to displaced persons in and from Ukraine, and provide them with proper shelter.
Third, ensure the protection of civilians, and prevent secondary humanitarian disasters in Ukraine.
Fourth, provide for safe and smooth humanitarian aid activities, including providing rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.
Fifth, provide for the safety of foreign nationals in Ukraine, allow them safe departure and help them return to their home countries.
Sixth, support the UN’s coordinating role in channelling humanitarian aid and the work of the UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine.
When asked about the international community being concerned about the growing risk of division and confrontation and the potential for a new Cold War, Wang said that China firmly believes that the right way forward lies in “greater solidarity and cooperation under the banner of multilateralism and joint efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind”.
He said first and foremost, peace must be preserved. “Countries need to follow the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, reject the notion of exclusive or absolute security, and stay committed to ceasing conflicts.”
He said to enhance solidarity, “Countries should champion true multilateralism, advocate the common values of humanity, oppose hegemony and power politics, and oppose bloc politics.”
“We must safeguard the UN-centred international system and uphold the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes of the UN Charter, as we work to make the global governance system more fair and equitable.”
He also advocated openness, arguing that “Economic globalisation is the trend of the times and it is here to stay and not to be stopped by geopolitical competition”.
Wang called for closer cooperation, stating, “No country can stay aloof or unaffected.”
He said, “We must pull together in these trying times, enhance communication and coordination on Covid-19, terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and other global issues, build maximum consensus, and pursue convergence of interests wherever possible.”
In reply to a question on how the West’s increasing sanctions on Russia will affect ties between Moscow and Beijing, he answered that their relationship is one of the most crucial bilateral relations in the world. Their cooperation not only advances the interests of both peoples but also contributes to peace, stability and development in the world.
He said that the China-Russia relationship is valued for its independence. “It is based on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. It is free from interference or discord sown by third parties,” he said.
He added that the “China-Russia relationship is grounded in a clear logic of history and driven by strong internal dynamics, and the friendship between the Chinese and Russian peoples is rock-solid.”
When asked if China’s ever-closer relations with Russia and the conflict in Ukraine may affect its relations with Europe and the European Union (EU), Wang said that the China-Europe relationship is not targeted at any third party, nor is it subjugated to or controlled by any third party. Dialogue and cooperation between the two sides on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit will add more stabilising factors to an unstable world.
He said, “Some forces are unhappy to see the steady growth of China-Europe relations. They fabricate the narrative of ‘China threat’, play up competition with China, clamour to see China as a systemic rival, and even impose sanctions and provoke confrontation with China. Both China and Europe must be on high alert against these developments. China-Europe cooperation, going through decades of ups and downs, is deeply rooted in solid public support, extensive common interests and similar strategic needs. Such cooperation enjoys great resilience and potential. It cannot be reversed by any force.”
He said China views its relations with Europe from a strategic, long-term perspective. “China’s policy towards Europe is firm and consistent. It will not be affected by any turn of events. China will continue to support the independence of Europe and a united and prosperous EU.”
He said China hopes “Europe will develop a more independent and objective perception of China, adopt a more pragmatic and rational China policy, and work with China to oppose a new Cold War and uphold and act on true multilateralism”.
He added that the two sides need to work together for the success of the China-EU Summit and other important events on the political agenda.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday urged Americans to avoid travel to Hong Kong, New Zealand and Thailand over COVID-19 cases.
The CDC elevated its travel recommendation to “Level Four: Very High” for the three destinations. In total, the CDC urges Americans to avoid travel to about 135 countries and territories.
The CDC lists another 33 destinations as “Level 3: High” and recommends unvaccinated Americans avoid travel. It lowered six destinations on Monday to Level 3: Anguilla, Cape Verde, Fiji, Mexico, Philippines and United Arab Emirates. A total of just 29 destinations are listed as “Level 2: Moderate” or “Level 1: Low.”
Hong Kong reported 25,150 new coronavirus infections and 280 deaths on Monday, as authorities struggle to contain a worsening COVID-19 outbreak that has torn through hundreds of nursing homes and hit many of the city’s unvaccinated elderly.
While Hong Kong was successful in controlling the virus in 2021, COVID-19 infections there have recently soared to a total of around 500,000. Most of the Chinese-ruled city’s more than 2,200 deaths have been in the past two weeks.
Hong Kong reported the most deaths globally per million people in the week to March 6, according to data publication Our World in Data. CDC raised Hong Kong to “Level 3” last week.
Exactly eight years ago, Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight carrying 239 passengers and crew mysteriously disappeared on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Since the flight’s disappearance on March 8, 2014, the Malaysian government has been cooperating with China and Australia to scour an area of more than 710,000 square kilometres for survivors.
So far, Malaysia has spent more than US$151 million (about 5 billion baht) on the operation – the highest ever spent on similar operations.
Between 2015 and 2017, some key pieces of debris were found on the African coast and islands in the Indian Ocean, which is nowhere close to MH370’s flight path.
Even though the operation was extended at the request of marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity, the Malaysian government decided to give up the search mission in 2018.
Ocean Infinity has committed to a new search in 2023 or 2024.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on March 7 said United States President Joe Biden could “do more” to help Ukraine and urged Americans to reflect on what freedom means.
“What to say to Americans? I just want you to feel and to understand what does it mean for our freedom… “If you see and if you understand how we feel like, how we fight against all the enemies for our freedom, support us, support us and not only with words, with concrete, direct steps. Do it, and I think – I think we will win. Of course, together with all the world,” he said speaking directly to Americans during an interview excerpt to be aired on ABC World News Tonight with David Muir.
Zelenskiy pleaded with President Vladimir Putin to end hostilities and appealed again for the set up of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which Russia invaded by land, sea and air on Feb. 24.
NATO has so far rejected Ukrainian calls to help it protect its skies from Russian missiles and warplanes, wary of being dragged into Moscow’s war on its neighbour.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President rejected Russian proposals to evacuate Ukrainian citizens into what he has described as “occupied territory” in Russia and Belarus.
“They open a tiny corridor leading to the occupied territory, for a couple of dozen of people. Not so much to Russia as to their propaganda, their TV cameras saying ‘look who is saving people.’ Plain cynicism, plain propaganda,” he said.
Russia has proposed the establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave five Ukrainian cities including the capital Kyiv from 9 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Tuesday (March 8) pending Ukrainian agreement, Russian news agencies reported.
But most of the corridors would travel through Russia or Belarus, something Ukrainian authorities have rejected in the past.
Ukraine has been given until 3 a.m. Moscow time (0000 GMT) to agree to the terms, Interfax said.
U.S. gasoline prices at the pump jumped 11% over the past week to the highest since late July 2008 as global sanctions cripple Russia’s ability to export crude oil after its invasion of Ukraine, automobile club AAA said on Sunday.
AAA said average U.S. regular-grade gasoline prices hit $4.009 per gallon on Sunday (March 6), up 11% from $3.604 a week ago and up 45% from $2.760 a year ago.
The automobile club, which has data going back to 2000, said U.S. retail gasoline prices hit a record $4.114 a gallon on July 17, 2008, which was around the same time U.S. crude CLc1 futures soared to a record $147.27 a barrel.
The most expensive gas in the country is in California at $5.288 a gallon, followed by Hawaii ($4.695), Nevada ($4.526) and Oregon ($4.466), according to AAA.
At one gas station in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, DC, regular gas was priced at $4.19 a gallon.
“It’s inflation and what’s going on in Ukraine with the Russians. And as far as I’m concerned, we should …stop importing oil from Russia and put the hurt on them. It’s going to make inflation go up even higher, but we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,” said Tim Joyce from Arlington, who was filling up his eight-cylinder truck.
“Every day it’s going up. And jobs are on the descent, going down, every day it’s going down. So it’s affecting my budget. It’s affecting everybody,” said Mauricio Barahona.
Gasoline price provider GasBuddy said the average price of U.S. gasoline spiked nearly 41 cents per gallon, topping $4 for the first time in almost 14 years, and stands just 10 cents below the all-time record of $4.103 per gallon.
GasBuddy said that the weekly increase was the second-largest ever, following a jump of 49 cents per gallon during the week of Sept. 3, 2005, after Hurricane Katrina tore through the U.S. Gulf Coast.
A new Oligocene-aged species of cyprinid fish has been confirmed living some 30 million years ago in northwest China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region, providing insights into the evolution of biodiversity and the ancient environment of the plateau.
Ateam of Chinese researchers from Lanzhou University conducted the study and the results have been published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
The Qaidam Basin is one of the three major inland basins in China. Its current climate features drought and strong winds. The basin is key to understanding biological changes that have occurred on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, information from a palaeontological perspective on this basin is scant.
Yan Defei, a lead researcher of the study, noted that the genus (Paleoschizothorax) of the fossil fish were firstly reported in the Qaidam Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in 2018.
The new fossil fish records and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the primitive schizothoracines likely originated in the Qaidam Basin.
The preserved length of the fish is about 15 centimeters.
A preliminary correlation analysis showed that the degree of reduction of body scale size is negatively correlated with habitat mean temperatures among most Chinese cyprinids, according to the research article.
The Dow tumbled 797.42 points, or 2.37 percent. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq fell 2.95 percent and 3.62 percent respectively.
U.S. stocks sank on Monday as investors feared that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict would complicate inflation outlook and cloud the economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 797.42 points, or 2.37 percent, to 32,817.38. The S&P 500 fell 127.78 points, or 2.95 percent, to 4,201.09. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 482.48 points, or 3.62 percent, to 12,830.96.
Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in red, with consumer discretionary and communication services down 4.8 percent and 3.74 percent, respectively, leading the laggards. Energy and utilities rose 1.57 percent and 1.31 percent, respectively, the only two gaining groups.
U. S.-listed Chinese companies traded mostly lower with nine of the top 10 stocks by weight in the S&P U.S. Listed China 50 index ending the day on a downbeat note.
The weakness came as the geopolitical risks over Ukraine continued to grip investors.
For the week ending Friday, the Dow and the S&P 500 both slid 1.3 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 2.8 percent.
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