Submit your Article

The United States and South Korea jointly conducted a bombing drill on a Yellow Sea island, the South Korean military said on Tuesday, hours after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).  North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile over Japan earlier today. This is the first such missile launch in years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover in northern Japan.  South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that the F-15K dropped the Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs at a target on the island of Jikdo after joint air drills with US warplanes, Yonhap news agency reported.  "Through the combined flight of the air strike package and precision strike drills, South Korea and the United States demonstrated their will to respond sternly to any Northern threats as well as their capabilities to conduct a precision strike at the origin of provocations based on the alliance's overwhelming forces," the JCS said in a press release. In an earlier statement, US Indo-Pacific Command said they are aware of the DPRK's ballistic missile launch today, including that it overflew Japan. "We are consulting closely with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), as well as other regional allies and partners, to address the threats posed by the DPRK."  The United States condemned these actions and called on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts. "While we have assessed that this event does not pose a threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defense of Japan and the ROK remain ironclad," the statement said.  Last week, North Korea fired missiles in an apparent protest against joint naval drills involving the United States and South Korea. Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea this year has tested a record number of missiles as it expands its weapons arsenal. (ANI)

The longstanding issues of Quad nations with China and the growing concerns of an emerging strategic shift in the Indo-Pacific region have made the bloc send out veiled messages to China while also upholding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, something the grouping has mentioned in its joint statement, media reports said.  Be it India, US, Australia and Japan, all Quad members hold historic issues with an ambitious China which is trying to pursue its expansionist goals. First up is India. India and China have several points of contention along the 2,167-mile Sino-Indian border, reported The Diplomat.  Relations between China with the other Quad members are also at a tight spot. When it comes to Japan, there is an ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of the Japanese-administered Senkaku and Diaoyu islands. China makes claims that these islands are part of its territory, reported The Diplomat. Next is Australia.  Solomon Island's security deal with China has irked Australia. Australia is wary of a close alignment of Solomon Island with China. And the last Quad member is the US, the world's oldest democracy. The US and China are at daggers drawn over the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The US has been sending out clear messages that if there is any change in the status quo in Taiwan, the country will use its military might. China, on the other hand, claims that Taiwan is, was and will always remain its part. All of these long-standing issues of China with the Quad members firmly direct the individual attention of each Quad nation's military toward China.  All of these historic disputes and emerging strategic concerns have posed a threat to the maintenance of the status quo and must be considered potential catalysts for future conflict, reported The Diplomat. One other thing is the observation that there is a significant disparity in the military capabilities of China and Taiwan and that is why one is left wondering just how much the small island could resist the People's Liberation Army (PLA).  Ladakh, on the other hand, is part of a Quad nation, demarcated only by a Line of Actual Control drawn in the wake of the sole conflict fought between India and China. Quad, just like NATO, is using this forum and has long been voicing its intent on encouraging greater cooperation between the four democratic member countries of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.  There have been multiple areas where the Quad countries have been engaging themselves with the most recent heads of government summit in May 2022. The joint statement which was released after the Quad meeting made clear their engagements not only militarily but also in mutual steps taken in the supply of Covid-19 vaccines and addressing climate concerns.  The bloc hopes to collaborate in diversified areas to form a close alliance and restrain China to dominate the world stage. (ANI)

Japan on Tuesday urged residents to evacuate to shelters after North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile that flew over Tokyo.  According to Kyodo News, early Tuesday, the government issued an alert urging residents in Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido and the country's northeastern prefecture of Aomori to stay inside buildings. During a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno as quoted by Kyodo News said that after crossing northeast Japan the missile is believed to have fallen in the Pacific Ocean outside Japan's exclusive economic zone around 7:44 am (local time). Meanwhile, the South Korean military said that North Korea fired a mid-range ballistic missile eastward from Mupyong-ri in the northern province of Jagang.  Citing Japanese government sources, Kyodo News reported that there were no immediate reports of damage to aircraft or ships.  Earlier, North Korea fired missiles on Saturday in an apparent protest against joint naval drills held last week involving the United States and South Korea, as per the media outlet. (ANI)

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to visit China in the last week of November, local media reported. "Last minute details are being worked upon, but the visit is very much on," sources told on Saturday.  Meanwhile, the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing hosted an event on floods in Pakistan to lay stress on the need for proactive climate action and international solidarity to mitigate the effects of climate change. "Delighted to host representatives of multilateral organizations, Chinese think tank and academia at the embassy. Briefed them on recent floods in Pakistan and Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change. Touched by their desire to contribute," Pakistan's Ambassador Moinul Haque said.  According to the News International citing a statement, international organizations, Chinese think tanks, NGOs, Global Young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) members and Pakistani community members attended the Beijing event. Speaking at the event, the Pakistani Ambassador briefed the audience about the extent and nature of the recent unprecedented floods in Pakistan. During the occasion, the Ambassador also expressed gratitude for the support extended by the international community, particularly China and the UN. He reiterated the need for proactive climate action and international solidarity to mitigate the effects of climate change.  Haque stressed that it was unfortunate that despite being a low carbon emitter, Pakistan was among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. He called on rich countries to help the developing states affected by climate change. The Ambassador hoped that the international community would remain engaged with Pakistan in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.  Earlier, on Friday, newly appointed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar sought the support of the Chinese ambassador for securing the rollover of State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) deposits of $2bn due in March 2023 to materialize financing requirements under the International Monetary Fund's programme. Pakistan has to secure a rollover of $2bn in SAFE deposits for the current fiscal year, as per the IMF's condition.  The development came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Pakistan to seek debt relief from its close partner China in view of the countrywide cataclysmic floods.  The remarks had drawn a censorious response from China, whose foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin had called out the US for "passing unwarranted criticism against Pakistan-China cooperation" and urged it to do something "real and beneficial" for the people of Pakistan, reported Dawn. (ANI)