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We hope you’ve been keeping well.
The closely-watched meeting on Wednesday between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden on the outskirts of San Francisco has raised hopes that tensions between the two superpowers will be kept at bay.
On top of the key outcomes of the summit – such as resumption of military-to-military communications and China agreeing to help stem fentanyl production – the meeting itself reflected both countries’ efforts to break the vicious cycle of mistrust, reports Bhagyashree Garekar from California.
The four-hour talks, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum, are also positive for the region, which has been carefully navigating its path through the minefield of US-China rivalry.
Indonesia, for example, has long adhered to its “bebas aktif” or neutral foreign policy, a stance presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has pledged to continue if he is elected in February next year. Yet its relations with the US, newly-elevated this week to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, could help ease Jakarta’s concerns over maritime security in the South China Sea, report Nirmal Ghosh and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja.
In other news, the Israel-Hamas war continues to reverberate in Asia, with rising anti-US sentiment and boycotts being seen in Muslim-majority countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
Also read Debarshi Dasgupta’s story about the world’s largest family living under one roof, in the latest instalment of our Extreme Asia series, as well as his report on frontier tourism in conflict-ridden Kashmir.
Xi-Biden talks raise hopes tensions will be kept at bay
Israel-Hamas war stirs anti-US sentiment in Muslim South-east Asia
Chinese negotiate the next step in their American dream
India’s restrictions on rice exports fuel food security concerns
Falling rice yields in the South Asian nation is everyone’s problem.
Read more:
In other news from India:
‘We cannot recycle our way out of this mess’: Global plastics treaty holds hope for solution
From bunkers to homestays: Border regions in conflict-ridden Kashmir look to tourism for revival
