Podcasts about diplomatic ties

Although geographically distant from Chinese shores, Latin America and the Caribbean occupy an important place in Chinese foreign policy. In the past decade, China has significantly expanded its influence in the region. The main vector of Chinese involvement has been economic, including securing access to commodities such as soybeans, copper, oil, and lithium, creating markets for Chinese companies, and deepening financial ties through trade, lending, and infrastructure investment.  On December 10, China released a new white paper on its relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean, the third such document following earlier editions in 2008 and 2016. The White Paper characterizes the region as “an essential force in the process toward a multipolar world and economic globalization.” Its release came on the heels of the Trump Administration's release of its National Security Strategy, which places unprecedented emphasis on the Western Hemisphere and asserts that the US seeks a region “free of hostile foreign incursion or ownership of key assets,” highlighting the growing strategic salience of Latin America and the Caribbean in US-China competition.  To discuss the new White Paper and the implications of China's policies in the LAC for the United States and US-China relations, we are joined by Dr. Evan Ellis. Dr. Ellis is a research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. He previously served on the Secretary of State's policy planning staff with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean as well as international narcotics and law enforcement issues.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[02:07] US and China on a Collision Course? [04:50] Chinese Priorities in Latin America [08:33] U.S. Security Risks from Chinese Port Investments[11:45] How China Uses CELAC to Advance Its Agenda[14:27] How Latin Americans View China's Growing Presence[17:22] Honduras and the Republic of China[21:22] How Beijing Might Address U.S. Concerns [25:09] China's Reaction to US and Venezuela  

The last time Yamato was heavily involved on the continent, they were defeated militarily, and they returned to fortify their islands.  So how are things looking, now? This episode we will talk about some of what has been going on with Tang and Silla, but also touch on the Mishihase, the Hayato, the people of Tamna and Tanegashima, and more! For more information and references, check out:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-140   Rough Transcript   Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 140: Improving Diplomatic Ties Garyang Jyeongsan and Gim Hongsye looked out from the deck of their ship, tossing and turning in the sea.  The waves were high, and the winds lashed at the ship, which rocked uncomfortably beneath their feet.  Ocean spray struck them from below while rain pelted from above. Through the torrential and unstable conditions, they looked out for their sister ship.  It was their job to escort them, but in these rough seas, bobbing up and down, they were at the mercy of the elements.  One minute they could see them, and then next it was nothing but a wall of water.  Each time they caught a glimpse the other ship seemed further and further away.  They tried calling out, but it was no use—even if they could normally have raised them, the fierce winds simply carried their voices out into the watery void.  Eventually, they lost sight of them altogether. When the winds died down and the seas settled, they looked for their companions, but they saw nothing, not even hints of wreckage on the ocean.  They could only hope that their fellow pilots knew where they were going.  As long as they could still sail, they should be able to make it to land—either to the islands  to which they were headed, or back to the safety of the peninsula. And so the escort ship continued on, even without a formal envoy to escort.  They would hope for the best, or else they would explain what would happen,  and hope that the Yamato court would understand. The seas were anything but predictable, and diplomacy was certainly not for the faint of heart.   We are going through the period of the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou.  It started in 672, with the death of his brother, Naka no Oe, remembered as the sovereign Tenji Tenno, when Temmu took the throne from his nephew, Ohotomo, aka Kobun Tenno, in what would become known as the Jinshin no Ran.  From that point, Ohoama continued the work of his brother in creating a government based on a continental model of laws and punishments—the Ritsuryo system.  He accomplished this with assistance from his wife, Uno, and other members of the royal family—his own sons, but also nephews and other princes of the time.  And so far most of our focus has been on the local goings on within the archipelago. However, there was still plenty going on in the rest of the world, and though Yamato's focus may have been on more local affairs, it was still engaged with the rest of the world—or at least with the polities of the Korean Peninsula and the Tang Dynasty.  This episode we are going to look at Yamato's foreign relations, and how they were changing, especially as things changed on the continent. Up to this point, much of what had been happening in Yamato had been heavily influenced by the mainland in one way or another.  And to begin our discussion, we really should backtrack a bit—all the way to the Battle of Baekgang in 663, which we discussed in Episode 124.  That defeat would lead to the fall of Baekje, at the hands of the Silla-Tang alliance.  The loss of their ally on the peninsula sent Yamato into a flurry of defensive activity.  They erected fortresses on Tsushima, Kyushu, and along the Seto Inland Sea.  They also moved the capital up to Ohotsu, a more easily defended point on the shores of Lake Biwa, and likewise reinforced various strategic points in the Home Provinces as well.  These fortresses were built in the style and under the direction of many of the Baekje refugees now resettled in Yamato. For years, the archipelago braced for an invasion by the Silla-Tang alliance.  After all, with all that Yamato had done to support Baekje, it only made sense, from their perspective, for Silla and Tang to next come after them.  Sure, there was still Goguryeo, but with the death of Yeon Gaesomun, Goguryeo would not last that long.  With a unified peninsula, then why wouldn't they next look to the archipelago? And yet, the attack never came.  While Yamato was building up its defenses, it seems that the alliance between Silla and Tang was not quite as strong as their victories on the battlefield may have made it seem.  This is hardly surprising—the Tang and Silla were hardly operating on the same scale.  That said, the Tang's immense size, while bringing it great resources, also meant that it had an extremely large border to defend.  They often utilized alliances with other states to achieve their ends.  In fact, it seems fairly common for the Tang to seek alliances with states just beyond their borders against those states that were directly on their borders.  In other words, they would effectively create a pincer maneuver by befriending the enemy of their enemy.  Of course.  Once they had defeated said enemy well, wouldn't you know it, their former ally was now their newest bordering state. In the case of the Silla-Tang alliance, it appears that at the start of the alliance, back in the days of Tang Taizong, the agreement, at least from Silla's perspective, was that they would help each other against Goguryeo and Baekje, and then the Tang dynasty would leave the Korean peninsula to Silla.  However, things didn't go quite that smoothly.  The fighting against Goguryeo and Baekje can be traced back to the 640s, but Tang Taizong passed away in 649, leaving the throne to his heir, Tang Gaozong.  The Tang forces eventually helped Silla to take Baekje after the battle of Baekgang River in 663, and then Goguryeo fell in 668, but the Tang forces didn't leave the peninsula.  They remained in the former territories of Baekje and in Goguryeo, despite any former agreements.  Ostensibly they were no doubt pointing to the continuing revolts and rebellions in both regions.  While neither kingdom would fully reassert itself, it didn't mean that there weren't those who were trying.  In fact, the first revolt in Goguryeo was in 669.  There was also a revolt each year until 673.  The last one had some staying power, as the Goguryeo rebels continued to hold out for about four years. It is probably worth reminding ourselves that the Tang dynasty, during this time, had reached out on several occasions to Yamato, sending diplomatic missions, as had Silla.  While the Yamato court may have been preparing for a Tang invasion, the Tang perspective seems different.  They were preoccupied with the various revolts going on, and they had other problems.  On their western border, they were having to contend with the kingdom of Tibet, for example.  The Tibetan kingdom had a powerful influence on the southern route around the Taklamakan desert, which abuts the Tibetan plateau.   The Tang court would have had to divert resources to defend their holdings in the western regions, and it is unlikely that they had any immediate designs on the archipelago, which I suspect was considered something of a backwater to them, at the time.  In fact, Yamato would have been much more useful to the Tang as an ally to help maintain some pressure against Silla, with whom their relationship, no longer directed at a common enemy, was becoming somewhat tense. In fact, just before Ohoama came to the throne, several events had occurred that would affect the Silla-Tang alliance. The first event is more indirect—in 670, the Tibetan kingdom attacked the Tang empire.  The fighting was intense, and required serious resources from both sides.  Eventually the Tibetan forces were victorious, but not without a heavy toll on the Tibetan kingdom, which some attribute to the latter's eventual demise.  Their pyrrhic victory, however, was a defeat for the Tang, who also lost troops and resources in the fighting.  Then, in 671, the Tang empire would suffer another loss as Silla would drive the Tang forces out of the territory of the former kingdom of Baekje. With the Baekje territory under their control, it appears that Silla was also working to encourage some of rebellions in Goguryeo.  This more than irked the Tang court, currently under the formal control of Tang Gaozong and the informal—but quite considerable—control of his wife, Wu Zetian, who some claim was the one actually calling most of the shots in the court at this point in time.  Silla encouragement of restoration efforts in Goguryeo reached the Tang court in 674, in and in 675 we see that the Tang forces were sent to take back their foothold in the former Baekje territory.  Tang defeated Silla at Gyeonggi, and Silla's king, Munmu, sent a tribute mission to the Tang court, apologizing for their past behavior. However, the Tang control could not be maintained, as they had to once again withdraw most of their troops from the peninsula to send them against the Tibetan kingdom once more.  As soon as they did so, Silla once again renewed their attacks on Tang forces on the peninsula.  And so, a year later, in 676, the Tang forces were back.  They crossed the Yellow Sea to try and take back the Tang territories on the lower peninsula, but they were unsuccessful.  Tang forces were defeated by Silla at Maeso Fortress in modern day Yeoncheon.  After a bit more fighting, Silla ended up in control of all territory south of the Taedong River, which runs through Pyongyang, one of the ancient capitals of Goguryeo and the capital of modern North Korea.  This meant that the Tang dynasty still held much of the territory of Goguryeo under their control. With everything that was going on, perhaps that explains some of the apparently defensive measures that Yamato continued to take.  For example, the second lunar month of 675, we know that Ohoama proceeded to Takayasu castle, likely as a kind of formal inspection.  Then, in the 10th lunar month of 675 Ohoama commanded that everyone from the Princes down to the lowest rank were to provide the government with weapons.  A year later, in the 9th month of 676, the Princes and Ministers sent agents to the capital and the Home Provinces and gave out weapons to each man.  Similar edicts would be issued throughout the reign.  So in 679 the court announced that in two years time, which is to say the year 681, there would be a review of the weapons and horses belonging to the Princes of the Blood, Ministers, and any public functionaries.  And in that same year, barrier were erected for the first time on Mt. Tatsta and Mt. Afusaka, along with an outer line of fortifications at Naniwa. While some of that no doubt also helped to control internal movements, it also would have been useful to prepare for the possibility of future invasions.  And the work continued.  In 683  we see a royal command to all of the various provinces to engage in military training.  And in 684 it was decreed at that there would be an inspection in the 9th month of the following year—685—and they laid out the ceremonial rules, such as who would stand where, what the official clothing was to look like, etc.  Furthermore, there was also an edict that all civil and military officials should practice the use of arms and riding horses.  They were expected to supply their own horses, weapons, and anything they would wear into battle. If they owned horses, they would be considered cavalry soldiers, while those who did not have their own horse would be trained as infantry.  Either way, they would each receive training, and the court was determined to remove any obstacles and excuses that might arise.   Anyone who didn't comply would be punished.  Non compliance could mean refusing to train, but it could also just mean that they did not provide the proper horses or equipment, or they let their equipment fall into a state of disrepair.  Punishments could range from fines to outright flogging, should they be found guilty.  On the other hand, those who practiced well would have any punishments against them for other crimes reduced by two degrees, even if it was for a capital crime.  This only applied to previous crimes, however—if it seemed like you were trying to take advantage of this as a loophole to be able to get away with doing your own thing than the pardon itself would be considered null and void. A year later, the aforementioned inspection was carried out by Princes Miyatokoro, Hirose, Naniwa, Takeda, and Mino.  Two months later, the court issued another edict demanding that military equipment—specifically objects such as large or small horns, drums, flutes, flags, large bows, or catapults—should be stored at the government district house and not kept in private arsenals.  The "large bow" in this case may be something like a ballista, though Aston translates it to crossbow—unfortunately, it isn't exactly clear, and we don't necessarily have a plethora of extant examples to point to regarding what they meant.  Still, these seem to be focused on things that would be used by armies—especially the banners, large bows, and catapults.  The musical instruments may seem odd, though music was often an important part of Tang dynasty military maneuvers.  It was used to coordinate troops, raise morale, provide a marching rhythm, and more.  Granted, much of this feels like something more continental, and it is unclear if music was regularly used in the archipelago.  This could be more of Yamato trying to emulate the Tang dynasty rather than something that was commonplace on the archipelago.  That might also explain the reference to the Ohoyumi and the catapults, or rock throwers. All of this language having to do with military preparations could just be more of the same as far as the Sinicization of the Yamato government is concerned; attempts to further emulate what they understood of the civilized governments on the mainland—or at least their conception of those governments based on the various written works that they had imported.  Still, I think it is relevant that there was a lot of uncertainty regarding the position of various polities and the potential for conflict.  Each year could bring new changes to the political dynamic that could see military intervention make its way across the straits.  And of course, there was always the possibility that Yamato itself might decide to raise a force of its own. Throughout all of this, there was continued contact with the peninsula and other lands.  Of course, Silla and Goguryeo were both represented when Ohoama came to the throne—though only the Silla ambassador made it to the ceremony, apparently.  In the 7th lunar month of 675, Ohotomo no Muraji no Kunimaro was sent to Silla as the Chief envoy, along with Miyake no Kishi no Irishi.  They likely got a chance to witness first-hand the tensions between Silla and the Tang court.  The mission would return in the second lunar month of the following year, 676.  Eight months later, Mononobe no Muarji no Maro and Yamashiro no Atahe no Momotari were both sent.  That embassy also returned in the 2nd lunar month of the following year. Meanwhile, it wasn't just Yamato traveling to Silla—there were also envoys coming the other way.  For example, in the 2nd lunar month of 675 we are told that Silla sent Prince Chyungweon as an ambassador.  His retinue was apparently detained on Tsukushi while the actual envoy team went on to the Yamato capital.  It took them about two months to get there, and then they stayed until the 8th lunar month, so about four months in total. At the same time, in the third month, Goguryeo and Silla both sent "tribute" to Yamato.  And in the 8th month, Prince Kumaki, from Tamna, arrived at Tsukushi as well.  Tamna, as you may recall, refers to nation on the island known today as Jeju.  The late Alexander Vovin suggested that the name originated from a proto-Japonic cognate with "Tanimura", and many of the names seem to also bear out a possible Japonic influence on the island nation. Although they only somewhat recently show up in the Chronicles from our perspective, archaeological evidence suggests that they had trade with Yayoi Japan and Baekje since at least the first century.  With the fall of Baekje, and the expansion of Yamato authority to more of the archipelago, we've seen a notable uptick in the communication between Tamna and Yamato noted in the record.  A month after the arrival of Prince Kumaki in Tsukushi, aka Kyushu, it is noted that a Prince Koyo of Tamna arrived at Naniwa.  The Tamna guests would stick around for almost a year, during which time they were presented with a ship and eventually returned in the 7th lunar month of the following year, 676.   Tamna envoys, who had also shown up in 673, continued to be an annual presence at the Yamato court through the year 679, after which there is an apparent break in contact, picking back up in 684 and 685. 676 also saw a continuation of Silla representatives coming to the Yamato court, arriving in the 11th lunar month.  That means they probably passed by the Yamato envoys heading the other way.  Silla, under King Mumnu, now had complete control of the Korean peninsula south of the Taedong river.  In the same month we also see another mission from Goguryeo, but the Chronicle also points out that the Goguryeo envoys had a Silla escort, indicating the alliance between Silla and those attempting to restore Goguryeo—or at least the area of Goguryeo under Tang control.  The Tang, for their part, had pulled back their commandary to Liaodong, just west of the modern border between China and North Korea, today.  Goguryeo would not go quietly, and the people of that ancient kingdom—one of the oldest on the peninsula—would continue to rise up and assert their independence for years to come. The chronicles also record envoys from the somewhat mysterious northern Mishihase, or Sushen, thought to be people of the Okhotsk Sea culture from the Sakhalin islands.  There were 11 of them, and they came with the Silla envoys, possibly indicating their influence on the continent and through the Amur river region.  Previously, most of the contact had been through the regions of Koshi and the Emishi in modern Tohoku and Hokkaido.  This seems to be their only major envoy to the Yamato court recorded in this reign. Speaking of outside groups, in the 2nd lunar month of 677 we are told that there was an entertainment given to men of Tanegashima under the famous Tsuki tree west of Asukadera.  Many people may know Tanegashima from the role it played in the Sengoku Period, when Europeans made contact and Tanegashima became a major hub of Sengoku era firearm manufacturing.  At this point, however, it seems that it was still a largely independent island in the archipelago off the southern coast of Kyushu.  Even southern Kyushu appears to have retained some significant cultural differences at this time, with the "Hayato" people being referenced in regards to southern Kyushu—we'll talk about them in a bit as they showed up at the capital in 682.  Tanegashima is actually closer to Yakushima, another island considered to be separate, culturally, from Yamato, and could be considered the start of the chain of islands leading south to Amami Ohoshima and the other Ryukyuan islands.  That said, Tanegashima and Yakushima are much closer to the main islands of the archipelago and show considerable influence, including Yayoi and Kofun cultural artifacts, connecting them more closely to those cultures, even if Yamato initially saw them as distinct in some way. A formal Yamato envoy would head down to Tanegashima two years later, in the 11th lunar month of 679.  It was headed up by Yamato no Umakahibe no Miyatsuko no Tsura and Kami no Sukuri no Koukan.  The next reference to the mission comes in 681, when the envoys returned and presented a map of the island.  They claimed that it was in the middle of the ocean, and that rice was always abundant. With a single sowing of rice it was said that they could get two harvests.  Other products specifically mentioned were cape jasmine and bulrushes, though they then note that there were also many other products that they didn't bother to list.  This must have been considered quite the success, as the Yamato envoys were each awarded a grade of rank for their efforts.   They also appear to have returned with some of the locals, as they were entertained again in Asuka—this time on the riverbank west of Asukadera, where various kinds of music were performed for them. Tanegashima and Yakushima would be brought formally under Yamato hegemony in 702 with the creation of Tane province, but for now it was still considered separate.  This was probably just the first part of the efforts to bring them into Yamato, proper. Getting back to the Silla envoys who had arrived in 676, they appear to have remained for several months.  In the third lunar month of 677 we are told that they, along with guests of lower rank—thirteen persons all told—were invited to the capital.  Meanwhile, the escort envoys and others who had not been invited to the capital were entertained in Tsukushi and returned from there. While this was going on, weather out in the straits drove a Silla boat to the island of Chikashima.  Aboard was a Silla man accompanined by three attendants and three Buddhist priests.  We aren't told where they were going, but they were given shelter and when the Silla envoy, Kim Chyeonpyeong, returned home he left with those who had been driven ashore, as well. The following year, 678, was not a great one for the Silla envoys.  Garyang Jyeongsan and Gim Hongsye arrived at Tsukushi, but they were just the escorts.  The actual envoys had been separated by a storm at sea and never arrived.  In their place, the escort envoys were sent to the capital, probably to at least carry through with the rituals of diplomacy.  This was in the first month of the following year, 679, and given when envoys had previously arrived, it suggests to me that they waited a few months, probably to see if the envoys' ship eventually appeared and to give the court time to figure out what to do.  A month later, the Goguryeo envoys arrived, still being accompanied by Silla escorts, also arrived. Fortunately the Yamato envoys to Silla and elsewhere fared better.  That year, 679, the envoys returned successfully from Silla, Goguryeo, and Tamna.  Overall, though, I think it demonstrates that this wasn't just a pleasure cruise.  There was a very real possibility that one could get lost at sea.  At the same time, one needed people of sufficient status to be able to carry diplomatic messages and appropriately represent the court in foreign lands.  We often seen envoys later taking on greater positions of responsibility in the court, and so you didn't have to go far to find those willing to take the risk for later rewards. That same year, another tribute mission from Silla did manage to make the crossing successfully.  And in this mission we are given more details, for they brought gold, silver, iron, sacrificial cauldrons with three feet, brocade, cloth, hides, horses, dogs, mules, and camels.  And those were just the official gifts to the court.  Silla also sent distinct presents for the sovereign, the queen, and the crown prince, namely gold, silver, swords, flags, and things of that nature. This appears to demonstrate increasingly close ties between Silla and Yamato. All of that arrived in the 10th lunar month of 679, and they stayed through the 6th lunar month of 680—about 7 to 9 months all told, depending on if there were any intercalary months that year.  In addition to entertaining the Silla envoys in Tsukushi—it is not mentioned if they made it to the capital—we are also told that in the 2nd lunar month, halfway through the envoys' visit, eight labourers from Silla were sent back to their own country with gifts appropriate to their station. Here I have to pause and wonder what exactly is meant by this.  "Labourer" seems somewhat innocuous.  I suspect that their presence in Yamato may have been less than voluntary, and I wonder if these were captured prisoners of war who could have been in Yamato now for over a decade.  If so, this could have been a gesture indicating that the two sides were putting all of that nastiness with Baekje behind them, and Yamato was accepting Silla's new role on the peninsula.  Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it does seem to imply that Silla and Yamato were growing closer, something that Yamato would need if it wanted to have easy access, again, to the wider world. Speaking of returning people, that seems to have been something of a common thread for this year, 680, as another mission from Goguryeo saw 19 Goguryeo men also returned to their country.  These were condolence envoys who had come to mourn the death of Takara Hime—aka Saimei Tennou.  They must have arrived in the midst of all that was happening peninsula, and as such they were detained.  Their detention is somewhat interesting, when you think about it, since technically Baekje and Goguryeo—and thus Yamato—would have been on the same side against the Silla-Tang alliance.  But perhaps it was just considered too dangerous to send them home, initially, and then the Tang had taken control of their home.  It is unclear to me how much they were being held by Yamato and how much they were just men without a country for a time.  This may reflect how things on the mainland were stabilizing again, at least from Yamato's perspective.  However, as we'll discuss a bit later, it may have also been another attempt at restoring the Goguryeo kingdom by bringing back refugees, especially if they had connections with the old court.  The Goguryeo envoys—both the recent mission and those who had been detained—would remain until the 5th lunar month of 681, when they finally took their leave.  That year, there were numerous mission both from and to Silla and Goguryeo, and in the latter part of the year, Gim Chyungpyeong came once again, once more bearing gives of gold, silver, copper, iron, brocade, thin silk, deerskins, and fine cloth.  They also brought gold, silver, flags of a rosy-colored brocade and skins for the sovereign, his queen, and the crown prince. That said, the 681 envoys also brought grave news:  King Munmu of Silla was dead.  Munmu had reigned since 661, so he had overseen the conquest of Silla and Goguryeo.  His regnal name in Japanese might be read as Monmu, or even "Bunbu", referencing the blending of literary and cultural achievements seen as the pinnacle of noble attainment.  He is known as Munmu the Great for unifying the peninsula under a single ruler—though much of the Goguryeo territory was still out of reach.  Indeed he saw warfare and the betterment of his people, and it is no doubt significant that his death is recorded in the official records of the archipelago.   He was succeeded by his son, who would reign as King Sinmun, though the succession wasn't exactly smooth. We are told that Munmu, knowing his time was short, requested that his son, the Crown Prince, be named king before they attended to Munmu's own funerary arrangements, claiming that the throne should not sit vacant.  This may have been prescient, as the same year Munmu died and Sinmun ascended to the throne there was a revolt, led by none other than Sinmun's own father-in-law, Kim Heumdol.  Heumdol may, himselve, have been more of a figurehead for other political factions in the court and military.  Nonetheless, the attempted coup of 681 was quickly put down—the envoys in Yamato would likely only learn about everything after the dust had settled upon their return. The following year, 682, we see another interesting note about kings, this time in regards to the Goguryeo envoys, whom we are told were sent by the King of Goguryeo.  Ever since moving the commandery to Liaodong, the Tang empire had claimed dominion over the lands of Goguryeo north of the Taedong river.  Originally they had administered it militarily, but in 677 they crowned a local, Bojang as the "King of Joseon", using the old name for the region, and put him in charge of the Liaodong commandery.  However, he was removed in 681, and sent into exile in Sichuan, because rather than suppressing revolt, he had actually encouraged restoration attempts, inviting back Goguryeo refugees, like those who had been detained in Yamato.  Although Bojang himself was sent into exile, his descendants continued to claim sovereignty, so it may have been one of them that was making the claim to the "King of Goguryeo", possibly with Silla's blessing. Later that year, 682, we see Hayato from Ohosumi and Ata—possibly meaning Satsuma—the southernmost point of Kyushu coming to the court in 682.  They brought tribute and representatives of Ohosumi and Ata wrestled, with the Ohosumi wrestler emerging victorious.  They were entertained west of Asukadera, and various kinds of music was performed and gifts were given. They were apparently quite the sight, as Buddhist priests and laiety all came out to watch. Little is known for certain about the Hayato.  We have shields that are attributed to them, but their association may have more to do with the fact that they were employed as ceremonial guards for a time at the palace.  We do know that Southern Kyushu had various groups that were seen as culturally distinct from Yamato, although there is a lot of overlap in material culture.  We also see early reports of the Kumaso, possibly two different groups, the Kuma and So, in earlier records, and the relationship between the Kumaso and the Hayato is not clearly defined. What we do know is that southern Kyushu, for all that it shared with Yamato certain aspects of culture through the kofun period, for example, they also had their own traditions. For example, there is a particular burial tradition of underground kofun that is distinct to southern Kyushu.  A great example of this can be found at the Saitobaru Kofun cluster in Miyazaki, which contains these unique southern Kyushu style burials along with more Yamato style keyhole shaped and circular type kofun.  Miyazaki sits just north of the Ohosumi peninsula, in what was formerly the land of Hyuga, aka  Himuka.  This is also where a lot of the founding stories of the Heavenly grandchild were placed, and even today there is a shrine there to the Heavenly Rock Cave.  In other words there are a lot of connections with Southern Kyushu, and given that the Chronicles were being written in the later 7th and early 8th centuries, it is an area of intense interest when trying to understand the origins of Yamato and Japanese history. Unfortunately, nothing clearly tells us exactly how the Hayato were separate, but in the coming century they would both come under Yamato hegemony and rebel against it, time and again.  This isn't the first time they are mentioned, but it may be the first time that we see them as an actual people, in a factual entry as earlier references in the Chronicles are suspect. Continuing on with our look at diplomacy during this period, the year 683 we see a continuation of the same patterns, with nothing too out of the ordinary.  Same with most of 684 until the 12th lunar month.  It is then that we see a Silla ship arrive with Hashi no Sukune no Wohi and Shirawi no Fubito no Hozen.  They had both, previously been to the Tang empire to study, though we don't have a record of them leaving for that or any other purpose.  They are accompanied by Witsukahi no Muraji no Kobito and Tsukushi no Miyake no Muraji no Tokuko, both of whom had apparently been captured and taken by the Tang dynasty during the Baekje campaign.  Apparently they had all traveled back from the Tang empire together to Silla, who then provided them passage to Yamato. The timing of this suggests it may have had something to do with the changes going on in the Tang empire—changes that I desperately want to get into, but given that we are already a good ways into this current episode, I think I will leave it for later.  But I will note this:  Emperor Gaozong had passed away and his wife, Empress Wu Zetian, was now ruling as regent for her sons.  Wu Zetian is probably the most famous empress in all of Chinese history, and while she held de facto power as a co-regent during her husband's reign and as a regent during her sons' reigns, she would actually ascend the throne herself in 690.  Her reign as a woman during a time of heightened patriarchal tradition is particularly of note, and it leads us to wonder about the vilification that she received by the men who followed her rule.  And I really want to get into all of that but, thematically, I think it better to wait.  Those of you reading ahead in the syllabus—which is to say the Chronicles—probably know why.  So let us just leave it there and say that the Tang was going through a few things, and that may explain why students were returning back in the company of former war captives. A few months later, the Silla escort, Gim Mulyu, was sent home along with 7 people from Silla who had been washed ashore—presumably during a storm or other such event, again illustrating the dangers of taking to the ocean at this time.  Perhaps related to that theme is the entry only a month later, which merely stated that Gim Jusan of Silla returned home.  Gim Jusan was an envoy sent to Yamato in the 11th lunar month of 683.  He was entertained in Tsukushi, and we are told that he returned to his own country on the 3rd month of 684.  Now we are seeing an entry in the 4th month of 685 that this same person apparently returned home. It is possible that something got mixed up, and that the Chroniclers were dealing with a typo in the records that made it seem like this took place a year later than it did.  This was certainly an issue at this time, given all the math one had to do just to figure out what day it was.  There is also the possibility that he returned on another embassy, but just wasn't mentioned for some reason.  The last possible explanation is that he somehow got lost and it took him a year to find his way back.  Not entirely impossible back then, though I am a bit skeptical.  Among other things, why would that note have found its way into the Chronicles in Yamato?  While they were certainly using some continental sources, this seems like something they were talking about as far as him leaving the archipelago, rather than discussion of something happening elsewhere. Speaking of happening elsewhere, I'm wondering about another event that happened around this time as well.  In fact, it was while Gim Mulyu was still in the archipelago.  For some reason the Yamato court granted rank to 147 individuals from Tang, Baekje, and Goguryeo.  Interestingly, they don't mention Silla.  Furthermore, there is no real mention of any Tang envoys during this reign.  In fact, there is hardly mention of the Tang dynasty at all.  There is a mention of some 30 Tang men—captives, presumably—being sent to the Yamato court from Tsukushi.  Those men were settled in Toutoumi, so there were men of Tang in the archipelago.  But beyond that, there are only three other mentions of the Tang dynasty.  One was when the students and war captives came back.  Another was this note about giving rank to 147 individuals.  Finally there is a similar record in 686, at the very end of the reign, where it is 34 persons who were given rank.  This time it was to carpenters, diviners, physicians, students from Tang—possibly those who had just come back a year or so earlier.  So if there weren't envoys from Tang, Goguryeo, and Baekje, who were these people and why were they being granted Yamato court rank?  My assumption is that it was foreigners living in the archipelago, and being incorporated into the Yamato court system.  Still, it is interesting that after the overtures by the Tang in the previous reign we have heard virtually nothing since then.  Again, that is likely largely due to the conflicts between Tang and Silla, though now, things seem to be changing.  The conflicts have settled down, and new rulers are in place, so we'll see how things go. Speaking of which, let's finish up with the diplomatic exchanges in this reign.  I'm only hitting some of the highlights here.  First is the return from Silla, in the 5th month of 685, of Takamuku no Asomi no Maro and Tsuno no Asomi no Ushikahi.  They had traveled to Silla in 684, and they did not come back emptyhanded.  The new King of Silla presented them with gifts, including 2 horses, 3 dogs, 2 parrots, and 2 magpies.  They also brought back the novice monks Kanjou and Ryoukan.  Not bad, overall. Then, 6 months later, another tribute mission came, but this one has an interesting—if somewhat questionable—note attached to it.  It is said that the envoys Gim Jisyang and Gim Geonhun were sent to request "governance" and to bring tribute.  This certainly go the court's attention.  They didn't bring the envoys all the way to the capital, but they did send to them, in Tsukushi, Prince Kawachi, Ohotomo no Sukune no Yasumaro, Fujiwara no Asomi no Ohoshima, and Hodzumi no Asomi no Mushimaro. About three months later they send the musical performers from Kawaradera to provide entertainment during a banquet for the Silla envoy, and in payment some 5,000 bundles of rice rom the private lands attached to the queen's palace were granted to the temple in gratitude. The Silla tribute was then brought to the capital from Tsukushi.  This time it was more than 100 items, including one fine horse, one mule, two dogs, a gold container inlaid with some kind of design, gold, silver, faint brocade, silk gauze, tiger and leopard skins, and a variety of medicines.  In addition, as was now common, the envoys, Gim Jisyang and Gim Geonhun, apparently had personal gifts to give in the form of gold, silver, faint brocade, silk gauze, gold containers, screens, saddle hides, silk cloth, and more medicine.  There were also gifts specifically for the sovereign, the queen, the Crown Prince, and for the various princes of the blood. The court returned this favor with gifts to the envoys, presented at a banquet just for them, before sending them on their way. A couple of notes.  First off, it is interesting that they are entertained at Tsukushi rather than being invited to the capital, and I wonder if this was because the sovereign, Ohoama, wasn't doing so well.  This was all happening in 685 and 686, and the sovereign would pass away shortly afterwards.  So it is possible that Ohoama just was not up to entertaining visitors at this time.  Of course, the Chronicles often don't tell us exactly why a given decision was made, only that it was.  And sometimes not even that. The other thing that seems curious is the mention of a request for governance.  That almost sounds like Silla was asking to come under Yamato hegemony, which I seriously doubt.  It may be that they were asking something along the lines of an alliance, but it is also possible that the scribes recording things for Yamato heard what they wanted to hear and so wrote it down in the light most favorable to Yamato laying claim to the peninsula. Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding exactly what they were asking for.  Maybe "governance" here means something else—perhaps just some kind of better relationship. And with that, we'll leave it for now.  There is more developing in the next reign, but I think we want to wait until we get there.  There are still a lot more things to cover in this reign before we move on—we haven't even touched on the establishment of the new capital, on the various court events, not to mention some of the laws and punishments that this period is named for.  And there is the minor issue of a rebellion.  All of that will be dealt with.  And then, after that, we get to the final reign of the Chronicles: the reign of Jitou Tennou.  From there?  Who knows. It is the winter holiday season, so I hope everyone is enjoying themselves.  Next episode will be the New Year's recap, and then we should finish with this reign probably in January or early February. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Listen to the latest weekly update from Nepal, including an event in Kathmandu to mark 65 years of Nepal-Australia relations, claims of record-breaking tourists entering Nepal in October, Nepal being awarded for reducing carbon emissions, and the second season of Nepal Premier League (NPL) to begin from Monday, 17 November. - अस्ट्रेलियासँग नेपालको दौत्य सम्बन्ध विस्तार भएको ६५ वर्ष भएको अवसरमा काठमाण्डूमा एक कार्यक्रम आयोजना, अक्टोबर महिनामा हालसम्मै सबैभन्दा धेरै पर्यटक नेपाल आएको एक मन्त्रीको भनाई, कार्बन उत्सर्जन घटाए बापत नेपाल पुरस्कृत र नेपाल प्रिमियर लीग क्रिकेट प्रतियोगिताको दोस्रो सिजनको तयारी पुरा लगायत गत सात दिनका नेपालका प्रमुख समाचारहरू सुन्नुहोस्।

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Pippa speaks to author Mpho Boshego about her novel, Diplomatic Ties. She is herself a former diplomat who served in South Africa’s Belgian embassy from 2007 to 2011. She has also worked in corporate communications, so her diplomatic and writing skills have combined to inspire her debut novel. Lunch with Pippa Hudson is CapeTalk’s mid-afternoon show. This 2-hour respite from hard news encourages the audience to take the time to explore, taste, read and reflect. The show - presented by former journalist, baker and water sports enthusiast Pippa Hudson - is unashamedly lifestyle driven. Popular features include a daily profile interview #OnTheCouch at 1:10pm. Consumer issues are in the spotlight every Wednesday while the team also unpacks all things related to health, wealth & the environment. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Lunch with Pippa Hudson Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00 (SA Time) to Lunch with Pippa Hudson broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/MdSlWEs or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/fDJWe69 Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lora Karch, Young Voices Middle East History and Peace Fellow, joins Josh to explore how stronger diplomatic relations with Russia could promote global stability, particularly in the Middle East. They also discuss recent developments in Syria and the Israeli-Gaza peace plan.   Lora's article in Real Clear World: Stronger Ties with Russia Could Help Stabilize the Middle East | RealClearWorld Follow Lora on X and at Young Voices: https://x.com/lorakarch?s=21&t=S8JoQpY3m4n6bFrTo8tLrg Lora Karch  

Relebogile Mabotja and Mandy Wiener speaks to Mpho Boshego the Author of Diplomatic Ties, a debut novel about the high-pressure world of international diplomacy through the eyes of Mbali Langa, a 24-year-old South African on her first posting to Brussels.702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja is broadcast live on Johannesburg based talk radio station 702 every weekday afternoon. Relebogile brings a lighter touch to some of the issues of the day as well as a mix of lifestyle topics and a peak into the worlds of entertainment and leisure. Thank you for listening to a 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja podcast. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 13:00 to 15:00 (SA Time) to Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/2qKsEfu or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/DTykncj Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has exchanged congratulations with Singaporean president Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The 00s was a unique moment in Hip-Hop history and American culture at large. A lot of the hallmarks of 00s Hip-Hop could be seen through Harlem's own DIPSET, led by Cam'Ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana & Freekey Zekey.TIMESTAMPS:Weekly Music Roundup - (1:02)Ben:Cardi B - Am I The DramaDestroy Lonely -

The pool of candidates running for Georgia Governor has grown by three this week alone. Former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, now a Democrat, jumped in the race, along with Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Then came the lesser known businessman and board chair of the YMCA of metro Atlanta, Clark Dean. That's who strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson wanted to talk about with host Lisa Rayam. Plus, the team discusses the hundreds detained in an immigration raid at the multi-billion dollar Hyundai electric vehicle plant. More than 300 workers are now back in South Korea. The raid at the factory just outside Savannah was described as the largest immigration enforcement operation carried out at a single location by the United States Department of Homeland Security in its history. It now puts Georgia Republicans like Governor Brian Kemp in an awkward position. He spent years building relationships with South Korean companies to grow Georgia's economy. The raid alarmed South Korean leaders and also raised concerns about foreign companies investing in the United States in the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio! On today’s show, Shaun Haney is joined by Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange for a Beef Market Update! Plus, Haney is joined for the RealAg Issues Panel by Lyndsey Smith and Kelvin Heppner of RealAgriculture and Tyler McCann of CAPI! They discuss... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio! On today’s show, Shaun Haney is joined by Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange for a Beef Market Update! Plus, Haney is joined for the RealAg Issues Panel by Lyndsey Smith and Kelvin Heppner of RealAgriculture and Tyler McCann of CAPI! They discuss... Read More

Australians in Iran urged to leave as diplomatic ties are cut over antisemitism allegations; Serious injuries feared after a school bus crash in Victoria; Australians in New York begin their US Open campaigns.

Today we'll be talking about the British embassy warning their citizens of the risks involved traveling to China, Thailand downgrading diplomatic ties with Cambodia following a recent landmine blast at the border, and a little later two farangs caught on a robbery spree in Krabi.

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:  First—an errant missile strike by Israel killed 10 people, most of them children, filling water containers at a central Gaza refugee camp on Sunday. We'll discuss the implications for the ongoing war, as Israeli officials admit to the tragic error. Later in the show—Russia and China's top diplomats met Sunday to discuss relations with the U.S. and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The pair vowed to deepen their already close ties, at a time when the relationship between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has significantly deteriorated. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. 866-885-1881 or visit ⁠http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB⁠ . NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org TriTails Premium Beef: Visit ⁠https://trybeef.com/pdb⁠ & get $10 off 20 Lbs Ground Beef Special Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For review:1. Israel Sending Team to Qatar for Hostage Talks. However, the Prime Minister's Office cautioned in a statement that Hamas had suggested several amendments to the proposal, which Israel found to be unacceptable.According to a source involved in the mediation efforts, Hamas proposed three amendments to the proposed framework.The source said that Hamas wants the agreement to say that talks on a permanent ceasefire will continue until an agreement is reached; that aid will fully resume through mechanisms backed by the United Nations and other international aid organizations; and that the IDF withdraw to positions it maintained before the collapse of the previous ceasefire in March.2. UK Reestablishes Diplomatic Ties with Syria.3. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began last month. There was no immediate report on any public statement made.  4. President Volodymyr Zelensky described his recent phone call (occurred on 04 July) with US President Donald Trump as "the best conversation in all this time" in an evening address on 05 July.5. Breaking Defense Opinion Article - Titled: S-400s or not, don't give Turkey the F-35.Authored by: Bradley Bowman is senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at FDD and director of its Turkey Program.6. Japan's Ministry of Defense all-in on Australian Frigate competition. Japan's shipbuilder (Mitsubishi Heavy Industry) is competing against Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to sell Australia 11 x Frigates.. A final decision on the winner is expected by the end of this year. Delivery of the first ship is expected by the end of 2029.7. The US Military is preparing for the difficult challenge of sustaining a possible protracted operation in the Pacific theater, by developing Joint Theater Sustainment Distribution Centers.Universal characteristics:a. Port capability to move surface vessels with large amounts of materiel.b. Storage capacity for classes of supply. c. Airfield/air capability to move materiel and supplies rapidly. 

Israel and Germany celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations this week. President Isaac Herzog visits Germany on Monday for a one-day state visit at the invitation of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Following the conclusion of the visit , the German President will return to Israel together with President Herzog for his own state visit, which will include, among other events, a visit to Kibbutz Be’eri – the Presidents’ second joint visit to the kibbutz since the outbreak of the war. The Presidents will also visit the National Library of Israel, and President Herzog will present the German President with the “Presidential Medal of Honor” at a state ceremony to be held in his honor at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. KAN's Mark Weiss spoke with Jeremy Issacharoff, a former vice Director-General at the foreign ministry and Israel’s ambassador to Germany between 2017-22. (Photo: Reuters)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textOn May the 6th, China and the European Union mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. But just where do relations between two of the world's largest economies stand in 2025? And are they moving closer together, or further apart – especially as Donald Trump's tariff plans start to bite?In this special edition of The Agenda, CGTN's Li Jianhua talks to Ambassador Cai Run, Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, Slovakia's Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár and Portugal's Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, to find out.

April 14th 2025 In this poignant episode, Yuriy recounts the tragic death of a young pianist during a missile strike in Sumy. Through this devastating personal loss, Yuriy highlights the relentless terror inflicted by Russian forces and the global indifference that allows it to continue. You can email Yuriy, ask him questions or simply send him a message of support: fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com    You can help Yuriy and his family by donating to his GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-yuriys-family   Yuriy's Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy   Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat  Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/  ----more---- TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)   It is April 14.  A few weeks ago I was in Sumy. There a festival for veterans was held during which they read their works and watched theatrical performances based  on their texts. Both days of a festival were completely packed. I helped organize the fest and brought several veterans there, including my friend who was injured by two mines, about whom I recently told you. At one of the performances was live musical accompaniment. A young woman played the piano wonderfully; she was completely passionate about the music. Literally, unveiling new meanings in the text with her playing.  And yesterday, she was killed in the center of her hometown. She became one of the 34 people who lost their lives during a missile strike on the center of Sumy. This is just one day and one city, one Russian terrorist attack. It's an immense pain, a terrible, endless horror. I have already lost count of a number of friends, acquaintances, and colleagues who have perished. Every day, someone from among them dies on the front line or in the read due to this insidious Russian terrorist attacks. And why is this unending? Because Putin and the rest of the Russians see that we will face no repercussions. No one will supply Ukraine with thousands of missiles and hundreds of tanks, nor will anyone provide the weaponry needed to avenge this detestable country properly. No one will completely cut off the channels through which the Russians still obtain the funds to continue the war. Moreover, they will negotiate cooperation and the restoration of diplomatic relations with the Russians.  Hey, Western enthusiasts of negotiating with thugs and murders, your diplomatic ties reek of the blood of innocent people. They reek of the blood of the pianist from Sumy, of a teacher from Dnipro of the children from Kryvyi Rih- blood paid with your money received through cooperation with Russia, and it's not your blood, but the blood of thousands of people killed all across Ukraine. And the fact that you continue to cooperate with the Russians, that you negotiate while they kill children, only inspires them to commit even more murders.  This cannot be forgiven. It cannot be forgotten. Living with this unbearable pain is difficult, but it must be done. We live in a very bad world, a world ruled by maniacs and self-obsessed fools. Yet, within our power, we can make it a little better even amidst this hell into which this cursed planet has now the descended. The main thing is not to give up.

Rwanda has accused Belgium of undermining it constantly and cut diplomatic ties. Brussels is leading calls for the European Union to sanction Kigali over its support for the rebel group at the centre of crisis in DR Congo — the M23. Josey Mahachi talks to Fredrick Golooba Mutebi, a researcher on the Great Lakes region and DW's correspondent Nasra Bishumba in Rwanda.

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Simon's live update for South Africa's news channel "Newzroom Afrika", with anchor Vuyo Mvoko.  Courtesty: DSTV405

Bilaterally, Singapore and Finland enjoy good cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, research and development, education, urban planning and social policies. However, the five-decade long diplomatic ties between Finland and Singapore have evolved into a robust partnership, not just on the political and cultural front, but in business as well. What are the challenges do business leaders face when it comes to ensuring successful collaborations across borders? On this episode of Mind Your Business, Irma Ylikangas, Counsellor for Innovation & Trade Affairs at the Embassy of Finland Singapore shares her insights. Presented by: Audrey SiekProduced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)Assistant Producer: Muhammad Nazirul AsrarPhoto credits: ScandAsiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bongani Bingwa speaks to Crystal Orderson, 702 Correspondent about the inauguration of Mozambique’s president-elect, Daniel Chapo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bongani Bingwa speaks to Crystal Orderson, 702 Correspondent about the inauguration of Mozambique’s president-elect, Daniel Chapo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mali and now Niger say they've cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine. How much involvement does Kyiv have in the Sahel?   Why are multinational companies leaving Nigeria?   And we hear more about the world's greatest running rivalry: Kenya vs Ethiopia   Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers : Victor Sylver, Charles Gitonga, Sunita Nahar and Nyasha Michelle Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Prime Minister Modi strengthens ties with President Macron at G7 Summit, Actor Darshan Thoogudeepa case: Driver, who transported Renuka Swamy, surrenders, US mass shooting sees two killed, two injured at Ohio nightclub; no arrest so far, 'Sehwag who?': Shakib Al Hasan brutally owns India great after being told he should retire from Bangladesh cricket, Shakira on breakup with Gerard Piqué: 'Felt like someone had stabbed a hole in my chest'.

China-France interactions are considered by many scholars as a prototype, a model relation among China's interactions with the West. As early as in 1964, France became one of the very few Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of all of China. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. What is the overall importance of the summit between President Xi and President Macron? What can we expect in terms of further improvements in bilateral relations?

Cuba has established diplomatic ties with South Korea for the first time since 1959 The announcement was made in New York after the UN representatives from the two exchanged letters formalizing bilateral ties. Devina Gupta will look at the significance of this. We often hear the phrase too big to fail for those companies that can't be allowed to collapse and it is true for Mexico's state oil and gas giant Pemex. With mounting debt and thousands of jobs at risk we find out what is keeping it going. And as many turn to dating apps this valentine's day, we head to India for a tale of caution about the business of romance scams on these apps.

① How China and France navigate global challenges together? A look into the 60-year diplomatic ties and future prospects. (00:57) ② What joint initiatives have China and the U.S. agreed upon? Insights from Wang Yi and Sullivan talks. (12:01) ③ What's fueling the Texas vs. U.S. federal government standoff on immigration? (25:52) ④ Arab nations strongly criticize the Western decision to suspend funding for the UNRWA for Palestine refugees. (36:34) ⑤ Record-breaking spring festival travel rush kicks off in China as the economy continues to boom in 2024. (44:58)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron have exchanged congratulatory messages to mark the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties.]]>

The small Pacific nation of Nauru has severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan following its recent presidential elections. The Nauru government will seek resumption of diplomatic relations with China, stating it was in the country's 'best interest' to do so. It leaves Taiwan with only twelve diplomatic allies, including Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. Anna Powles is an Associate Professor at Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security Studies. She spoke to Charlotte Cook.

The leaders of China and the United States have exchanged congratulatory messages, expressing their hope at advancing ties (05:56). Japan has issued a tsunami warning after a strong earthquake (14:34). And the BRICS officially admits five new members (24:18).

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kenya. Professors Peter Kagwanja, CEO of the Africa Policy Institute and Zhao Mingwei, Director of International Cooperation Office, Donghua University, join us to discuss the enormous benefits accrued on both sides over the past six decades.

Colombia's first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on his maiden state visit to the world's second-largest economy. The two countries have elevated diplomatic relations to the next level - a so-called "strategic-partnership" - which is likely to raise eyebrows in Washington, given Colombia is the oldest US ally in Latin America.

Australia and the Philippines have agreed to conduct joint patrols in the contested South China Sea as part of a strategic partnership constituting a major upgrade of diplomatic ties. Australia's Prime Minister has used the trip to Manila to give strong backing to the Philippines' President, who maintains Beijing's attempts to redraw the territorial boundaries are unlawful. The two countries have also struck a deal to improve visa access for Filipino travelling holiday makers during the Prime Minister's one-day visit to the country.

Honduras established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday, right after breaking off the so-called "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan authorities. According to the joint communique, "the government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes that there is only one China in the world, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory." What is the significance of this newly-established relations? And what implications does this move have on China-U.S. ties?

AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports on Honduras China.

They broke ties in 2016 and have taken different sides in wars in Yemen and Syria. Also: The US sees its first major bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, and Donald Trump has been invited to testify to a grand jury over the Stormy Daniels case.

HUGE China brokered deal, Iran & Saudi Arabia restore diplomatic ties

On the Wednesday edition we will discuss the 30 years of Slovak-British diplomatic connection. That is also the topic of a new book released this month by foreign policy analyst Pavol Demeš. Later on the show we hear a heart-warming story about a Slovak-Canadian philanthropist, who has dedicated part of his last will to Slovak education system. Louis John Gazdarica, left part of his estate to young people in the region his parents immigrated to Canada from.

President Xi Jinping says China is ready to advance relations with Australia based on mutual respect and win-win principles.

Interview with Michael Kolokossian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia. Topics include the Azerbaijani attack on Armenia and the need for foreign minister to condemn this aggression, Victorian state elections, ANCA Advocacy Week and the ANCA Gala Night.

As Turkey and Israel restore full diplomatic relations, HALC Executive Director Endy Zemenides and Dr. Aykan Erdemir, director of international affairs research at the Anti-Defamation League, discuss what prompted the move and the implications for the region.

Your daily news in under three minutes.