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Why Asia Won't Reject Russia's Hydrocarbons or China's Rare Earths Despite US Pressure_我的网站

一 |     "I think a lot of people have been very surprised, not least in the Armed Forces themselves have been very surprised to hear that there has been a particularly strong positive discrimination in favour of ethnic minorities in the Royal Air Force," Matthew Gordon-Banks, a former Tory lawmaker and retired senior research fellow at the UK’s Defence Academy, explained.,Gordon-Banks suggested that neither the UK Army nor the Royal Navy lack appropriate diversity: "We've seen considerable changes in recent years in our army and even those soldiers who guard the Queen on ceremonial duties ̶ we're seeing a wide range of ethnic minorities also serving, not just white faces," he said.,However, the RAF has possibly become the least attractive service given the fact that the UK has reduced its number of planes and ships, according to the former British lawmaker. He does not rule out that the RAF is "suffering from recruitment problems which have exacerbated the potential lack of diversity at the current time.",‘The Biggest F*** Up in the RAF': UK's Training of Fast Jet Pilots in Crisis, Leaked Docs Claim6 August, 11:14 GMT,Gordon-Banks went on to recall that the head of the British Armed Forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, "made clear that he wanted the Royal Air Force chiefs to make diversity a priority” in his very first speech as the combined head of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in December 2021.,"So that means, in my view, that the combined head of our Armed Forces is the person who actually started this particular issue," Gordon-Banks claimed. "And the head of the Royal Air Force, Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, subsequently committed to doubling the number of women to 40% in the RAF by 2030 and also having 20% ethnic minorities serving in our Air Force. And this seems to be a target which has been described as too far, too fast, and in pursuing it, it actually puts diversity targets ahead of ensuring what is best for our Armed Forces operational effectiveness.",Gordon-Banks emphasized that he would be the first to say that having a good ethnic minority and diverse mix in the Armed Forces which reflects the multicultural kind of country that the UK is, is a positive thing. However, it should not come at the expense of operational effectiveness, the former Tory politician noted.,The head of the RAF’s recruiting team – herself a senior female officer whose identity has not been disclosed – recently resigned "in disgust at what reports claim is the imposition of a de facto recruitment freeze on white men in favour of women and candidates from an ethnic minority background," according to the Daily Mail.,"The very idea that a female group captain, head of recruitment of the Royal Air Force, has felt it necessary to tender her resignation because she believes that operational effectiveness is being hindered by an alleged stopping of recruitment of white faced recruits in order to boost ethnic minority recruitment is clearly ridiculous, and that such a senior officer should feel it necessary to tender her resignation highlights a very serious issue, but it's an issue which is being created by the very head of our Combined Armed Forces, Admiral Tony Radakin himself," highlighted Gordon-Banks.,WorldRAF Recruitment Head Reportedly Resigns After Service Temporarily Stops Hiring White Men17 August, 05:57 GMT,"Then you look at the head of the RAF and he's prepared to break the operational requirement of the air force just to meet diversity [targets]," one source said, as quoted by Sky News. Sources within the British Armed Forces have argued that these diversity targets are "impossible.",Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, a contender to become the UK's prime minister, has recently commented on the emerging controversy. "The only thing that should matter in recruitment is the content of your character, not your sex or the colour of your skin," a spokesperson for the Sunak campaign said. "That the Ministry of Defence would allow Britain's security to potentially be put at risk by a drive for so-called 'diversity' is not only disgraceful, it is dangerous.",For its part, the RAF disputed the allegations, insisting that there is no pause in RAF recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements, according to Sky News.,"What we should be doing in the UK is ensuring that we are recruiting the best irrespective of ethnicity," Gordon-Banks concluded.。

二 |     "Given that energy is the lifeline of modern economies, modern economic growth patterns, there are not that many alternatives available and there are only a few countries that are players in the global energy market. Russia certainly cannot be counted out and Russia cannot be marginalized in the global energy landscape," says Harsh V. Pant, professor of international relations at the King's College London India Institute and director of the strategic studies program at the Observer Research Foundation.,International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol and US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on 12 July urged Indo-Pacific countries at the Sydney Energy Forum to diversify their supply chains for energy and critical minerals to reduce "dependency" on Russia over its special operation in Ukraine, as well as on China.,"At a time when the energy prices are going up and affecting some of the poorest and most vulnerable countries around the world very significantly, I think Asian countries will continue to cooperate with Russia in order to support their economies and their domestic requirements," says Pant.,He explains that dealing with Russia has become an economic imperative at a time of energy crunch given that Moscow is offering discounted oil to a number of countries. Furthermore, maintaining economic relations with Russia is a question of survival and the people's well-being for some Asian nations and countries of the Global South, according to the professor. Under these circumstances it's highly unlikely that they will succumb to the pressure from Washington and sever ties with Russia, he says.,"For political leaders across the world, at a time when economies are just beginning to grow after the long COVID pandemic, they can [not] afford a lack of energy and higher energy prices," Pant stresses.,Russia, Venezuela to Expand Oil Sector Cooperation, Working on Pact to Circumvent Western Sanctions4 July, 11:15 GMT,Anti-Russia Sanctions: India and EU Approaches,To illustrate his point, the professor cites India's approach to Russia's affairs and the Ukraine crisis. New Delhi continues to import energy from Russia despite the US and Europe urging India to join sweeping anti-Russia sanctions.,"What we have seen in the last two months is a gradual, significant increase in what India is buying from Russia when it comes to oil," the professor says. "This is particularly relevant again because Russia has offered India discounted oil and India's economic requirements demand that India continues buying this oil. The challenges facing India's population mean that the Indian leadership has an incentive in continuing to engage with Russia on this question.",At the same time, the European Union's decision to slap sanctions on Russia and slash energy supplies from the country have backfired on Europe's economy, sending fuel prices up and accelerating inflation.,"We have seen how Europe is struggling to reduce its dependence and the kind of costs that it is imposing on Europeans," says Pant. "Most Asian countries would be reluctant to go down that route.",Brussels: Anti-Russia Sanctions Raise Questions About Sustainability of EU's Financial Model 10 June, 08:44 GMT,The disruptions in the supply of crude after the imposition of ban on imports from Russia have given a dramatic boost to energy prices and inflation, echoes Suranjali Tandon, assistant professor at the Delhi-based National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.,"The current inflationary trends are the most serious challenge for policy makers," she says. "Central banks around the world have begun the process of unwinding loose monetary policy… The current inflation rates have led to internal economic strains and as seen in Sri Lanka, a political upheaval. The cooperation between Russia and Asian countries may be economically prudent.",Moreover, major Asian economies – India and China – are ready to absorb crude supplies from Russia rejected by the West, according to her.,At the same time, Washington's plan to force Asian states to join anti-Russia sanctions is fraught with severe risks for the global economy, Tandon warns.,"The ban, if carried out by other Asian economies, will further cut off supplies of refined petroleum and related products," she says. "This could lead to an unmanageable inflationary spiral while depressing global growth.",Lithium, Gold & Rare Earths: How China May Open the Door to New Business Opportunities for Afghans19 August 2021, 08:38 GMT,Are There Alternatives to Russia & China?,According to Tandon, India sets an important precedent for other Asian states by withstanding the US pressure when it comes to energy sanctions against Russia. By doing this, India is defending its internal interests in the first place, the professor underscores.,She hails the idea that single technology or fuel dependence should be avoided. This principle could be applied to Russia, China, or Western countries in a similar way. However, when the West is calling upon Asian nations to shift to wind, solar, and even nuclear power and abandon fossil fuels, it's clear that this shift cannot be done immediately, the professor emphasizes.,Even after the "green" transition, Asian states and the Global South are likely to maintain ties with Russia and China, who have been developing cutting-edge nuclear technologies and mining rare earths needed for producing electric batteries and electronic components.,"Russia's energy supplies will remain globally important," Tandon forecasts. "More importantly, even when this transition does take place the natural resources including minerals used as inputs in renewables will be concentrated in countries like China. China produces 63% of the world’s rare earth elements, including 45% of molybdenum as per IEA, so it's unclear what countries must do to expand alternatives while being under pressure to transition quickly."。

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