COUNTRY REVIEWS

East Asia

China

• Queen of Denmark visits China; ASEAN officials: China is a natural and important partner for the ASEAN countries on the bilateral, regional and international levels; Thailand notes that drafting of the South China Sea code of conduct (COC) is a working process without a time frame; Chinese Vice Premier meets with the Governor of Tokyo upon his visit in China; China-Brazil agree to strengthen relationship; China expresses concern with regards to new joint statement issued by United States Japan; Deputy commander of the Chinese navy: The recently approved guidelines for unplanned encounters at sea, as a set of multilateral technical procedures, should not be deliberately used to prevent China from safeguarding its maritime rights; Chinese Navy celebrates its 65th anniversary; China and Venezuela have agreed to reinforce collaboration in energy, finance and infrastructure within multiple frameworks; Nearly 100 students and officers from the Indonesian Naval Academy visited the PLA Navy Submarine Academy in Qingdao

CENTRAL ASIA & RUSSIA

Russia

• Foreign Minister Lavrov: Geneva agreement is not being fulfilled as Ukraine is not taking appropriate steps to defuse the prevailing crisis; five people were killed and eight injured in a shoot-out in eastern Ukraine's Sloviansk region; Putin and Merkel discuss the situation in Ukraine; Russia insisting on investigation of reports of American proxy intelligence company Greystone’s involvement in Ukraine; Germany and France ready to contribute to de-escalation in Ukraine; Foreign Minister Lavrov: Efforts to isolate Russia is futile; Gazprom and Turkey plan to increase the Blue Stream’s annual capacity; Gazprom revives plans to build South Stream to Austria; Russian and Iranian foreign ministers discuss Iran’s nuclear program; CSTO Security Council secretaries discuss situation on Tajik-Afghan border; Belarus upholds status of Russian language; Armenia implements roadmap for joining Customs Union; Russia and Mozambique discuss prospects for cooperation; Putin suggests creating unified system of naval bases in Russia’s Arctic; Inflation in Russia touches 7 per cent; Russia’s population showing signs of growth

United States of America

• US President Obama departs for a weeklong tour of Asia; President Obama arrives in Japan; President Obama: A group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing "fall within the scope" of a U.S.-Japanese security treaty; Obama reassures Japan that U.S. will stand by treaty obligations to Japan; Obama urges Japan and South Korea to move forward putting behind past tensions because their interests clearly converge; President Obama warns North Korea that US will not shy away from defending its allies; North Korea Korea denounces US's Pivot-to-Asia Strategy; The United States and Malaysia broadens their bilateral ties; Outgoing US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell: A logical next step in making significant advances in bilateral trade is for the United States and India to sign a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• PLA Deputy Chief of General Staff (Operations), visits India with an eight member delegation; India successfully test-fires a new interceptor missile capable of neutralising any incoming long-range missile at higher altitude.

International

• USA and Philippines to sign defense agreement to allow a bigger US military presence on the Filipino territory; Australia to purchase 58 additional Lockheed Martin F-35A joint strike fighters.