All necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety and fairness of the 2028 Olympic Games, said the organizing committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics (LA 2028) at a press conference on Saturday. The press conference addressed potential security concerns, and the long-arm jurisdiction granted to the US by the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act.

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committees are working diligently to ensure fairness for all participants at the Los Angeles Games, said Casey Wasserman, the LA 2028 organizing committee's chairperson, when responding to Chinese media's query.

The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which was passed by the US Senate on November 16, 2020, grants the US the power to criminally prosecute and judge those involved in doping among American athletes, and even sue the International Olympic Committee.

Many view this act as an example of the US prioritizing domestic law over international law, substituting US rules for international ones, and showcasing a "long-arm jurisdiction" approach.

Eliyan Knighton, who competed for the US in the men's 200 meters at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, had previously tested positive for the steroid (trenbolone) in an out-of-competition doping test, but before the Paris Olympic trials began the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) unexpectedly decided that the positive result was due to contaminated meat.

In Knighton's case, USADA issued a public statement before the World Anti-Doping Agency had reviewed the case or the appeal period had expired.

China's Anti-Doping Center called on international testing agencies to increase the frequency of anti-doping checks on US track athletes during the Paris Games on Thursday and recommended that the Athletics Integrity Unit intensify anti-doping oversight of US track and field to prevent potential doping issues.

The US has ignored its long-standing doping problems while focusing on "extraterritorial jurisdiction" and imposing sanctions on other countries. This has severely impacted the performance of Chinese swimmers.

Prior to the Paris Olympics, some US institutions and media stirred controversy over alleged doping issues with Chinese swimmers. According to the World Aquatics, since January 2024, Chinese swimmers have undergone an average of 21 drug tests per athlete, compared with four for Australian swimmers and six for US swimmers.

When Los Angeles successfully bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics, it promised that the games would be the most environmentally friendly in history, a goal that will be largely achieved through a "no-car" policy, a fact that was reiterated by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a recent press conference.

At the same time, the rise in homelessness in the area has turned some subway trains and buses into de facto shelters, making many passengers feel unsafe, with notable violent incidents exacerbating these concerns.

"The Los Angeles Olympics received a special security waiver from the US government in January, three years earlier than any previous Olympics. This means the federal government has already begun efforts to ensure the safety of the games," Wasserman said.

"Our top priority is to prepare thoroughly to address all possible challenges - whether related to security, operations, or other aspects and to deliver an incredible Olympic Games for the world," he added.

China’s Ministry of Commerce and six other government departments released an announcement on Friday about upgrading the national car renewal process, vowing to provide higher subsidies and a simpler application process, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

The subsidy for consumers who scrap old cars and buy new ones will be increased to 20,000 yuan for purchasing a new-energy vehicle (NEV) and 15,000 yuan for a fuel vehicle, according to the announcement. The previous subsidy levels were 10,000 yuan for NEVs and 7,000 yuan for fuel vehicles. 

The review and subsidy allocation process for scrapping cars and renewal will also be optimized, and local governments will be asked to issue detailed action plans.  

China launched the car trade-in and renewal process on April 24 this year, in a bid to boost domestic consumption.  

Xu Xingfeng, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, said that as of June 25, the ministry has received about 113,000 applications for car trade-in and renewal subsidies and the application volume has seen an accelerating growth trend. 

Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that in July, NEV production stood at 984,000 units, up 22.3 percent year-on-year, while sales of NEVs totaled 991,000 units, up 27 percent on a yearly basis. 

The domestic monthly retail penetration rate of NEVs reached 51.1 percent in July, which means that in China, the majority of consumers opted for NEVs when purchasing passenger cars, according to statistics released by the China Passenger Car Association on August 8, 2024.  

Citing three senior Iranian officials, Reuters reported on Tuesday that only a cease-fire deal in Gaza stemming from hoped-for talks this week would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on its soil.

Analysts said if the Reuters report is accurate, Iran, by linking the potential retaliation against Israel and the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, is keeping its options open.

When asked whether China was in direct or indirect contact with Iran regarding its retaliatory actions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China has been calling for international efforts to bring an early end to the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible and prevent further spillover. China plays an active role in easing regional tensions. 

"We support all efforts that contribute to permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, and will work with the international community to deescalate the situation and avoid further escalation of the conflict and confrontation," Lin said.

Iran has been preparing for potential retaliation against Israel, but it is also waiting for the right timing and assessing the optimal method of the attack, Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"If Iran were to retaliate against Israel at this moment, it would bear a heavy diplomatic burden, as the retaliation could undermine the ongoing cease-fire negotiations in Gaza," Sun said.

"Under this circumstance, if the cease-fire negotiations do not yield results, or if Israel makes further military strikes against Hezbollah or Hamas, Iran's retaliation against Israel would be seen as more justified," he said.

According to Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, by linking the potential retaliation against Israel and the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, Iran is keeping its options open.

Reaching an agreement on Thursday is extremely challenging due to the substantial disparities in the basic understandings of the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, Liu told the Global Times on Wednesday, as Hamas is eager to move forward with the implementation of the existing agreement, whereas Israel is adamant about reopening negotiations.

In comments published on Tuesday, US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake confirmed that Washington is asking allies to "help convince Iran to de-escalate tensions," Reuters said. However, on the same day, the US State Department approved potential weapons sales to Israel totaling roughly $20 billion, including an anticipated sale of up to 50 F-15 fighter jets valued at more than $18 billion, according to CNN.

The US is sending a clear message to Israel that it is a steadfast protector, while at the same time, the US is working to deter Iran from initiating any significant retaliation on Israel that could potentially draw the US directly into the conflict, experts said.

Sun said. "It is precisely the US' indulgence that has led to the tragedy in Gaza today. The US is the true instigator behind this crisis," he said.

There are always appeals to separate sports from politics, but the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games has shown a complex interplay between global sports events and geopolitics.

With China and the US, two countries locked in fierce competition in almost all arenas, tied in Olympic golds, the two countries' performances at the Paris Olympics mirrored their strength and how they compete: Washington weaponized the anti-doping rules to serve its purpose of dominating its opponents, while China, being respectful of the regulations, rebutted the US slander with strong results and medals.

"The Chinese sports delegation achieved a record-breaking performance, winning 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze medals across 11 major events and 14 sub-events, totaling 91 medals. This marks the best result for China in an Olympic Games held overseas since it began participating in the Summer Olympics in 1984," Zhou Jinqiang, vice chief of the Chinese delegation, told a news conference in Paris on Sunday.

This brought China level with Team USA in the gold medal table with 40 golds.

Not only did Team China achieve outstanding performances in its traditionally strong disciplines such as diving and ping-pong, it also branched out and made breakthroughs in fields that were not its strong points.

Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle broke his own world record on the way to winning the men's 100-meter freestyle, finishing in 46.40 seconds for China's first swimming gold medal in the Games.

Meanwhile, Chinese tennis ace Zheng Qinwen won the women's singles gold, the first time a Chinese or Asian woman had won a singles gold in the Olympics.

Furthermore, in emerging sports such as freestyle scooter, rock climbing, breakdancing, skateboarding, and surfing, young Chinese athletes pushed their limits and showcased the vibrant, energetic, confident spirit of China's new generation of athletes.

Those results proved that China is on the fast track to becoming a major power in sports, thanks to the country's thriving comprehensive national strength, Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University, who is also a national political advisor, told the Global Times. "The development of sports is closely associated with a country's development level, economy and degree of civilization. For example, a starving person would have no chance of practicing freestyle scooter."

Zhang said Team China's results at the Paris Olympics showcase China's advanced capabilities in terms of cultivating and training athletes, as well as the outstanding qualities of Chinese people such as diligence, hard work, and pursuit of excellence. It also embodies the highest standards of sports ethics such as perseverance, fair competition, and respect for rules.

Zhou from the Chinese delegation also noted that Chinese athletes, whether during competitions or when interacting with the media, displayed grace, natural friendliness and an evident love for their country and pride in being Chinese.

Chinese Badminton silver medallist He Bingjiao won millions of hearts with a fine display of sportsmanship when she stood on the podium.

With a silver medal around her neck, He held a small badge of the Spanish flag, paying tribute to her semi-final opponent Carolina Marin, who suffered an injury to her right knee, forcing her to retire and leave Paris empty-handed.

Stalemate between China, US

China and the US drawing level for golds obviously drew attention from US media. CNN published an article on Monday saying that "the race was dramatically close as the two sporting superpowers went head-to-head in yet another aspect of their geopolitical rivalry in a Games that was at times overshadowed by a doping controversy."

The Paris Olympics has become a new arena for competition between China and the US, reflecting the increasingly intense rivalry between the two countries on the international stage, Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University, told the Global Times.

He said sport nowadays is no longer just about technical and physical prowess, but has also become an important means of showcasing national soft power and maintaining an international image.

Using the "doping controversy" as an example, he said that after smearing Chinese athletes in recent months over the so-called doping problems, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reviewed the Chinese athletes' case and found no evidence to dispute the conclusion that they had been contaminated.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers then threatened to cut US funding for WADA, accusing it of failing to properly investigate alleged doping by Chinese Olympic swimmers.

Last week, China hit back. The China Anti-Doping Agency called for intensified testing on US athletics and the rebuilding of global trust in fair play, after US Olympic sprinting star Erriyon Knighton tested positive for the banned steroid trenbolone during an out-of-competition test in March 2024, which also brought other doping scandals in US track and field into the public spotlight.

Shen said the performances of China and the US during the Olympics also mirrored the fundamental difference between the two countries in how they participate in global affairs: China tends to enhance its global status and capabilities by participating in international competition and adhering to the existing international rules system. However, when faced with a strong competitor, the US is willing to go so far as to bend the rules, smear opponents and manipulate international organizations to ensure victory.

That is why the organizing committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics (LA 2028) had to make solemn promises at a press conference on Saturday that the US Olympic and Paralympic Committees are working diligently to ensure fairness for all participants at the Los Angeles Games.

The US practice of using hegemony and long-arm tactics to gain victory may be heightened in 2028, but China's strength and willingness to fight back will help ensure a more stable and fair Olympic Games, as well as an international order, said experts.

Iran may retaliate against Israel in a way similar to the previous round in April, but the intensity and scope could be larger with the deployment of proxies, Chinese experts said, as Israel and the US brace for potential attacks from Iran and Lebanese group Hezbollah, which could happen "as soon as Monday." 

However, the likelihood of a large-scale Middle East war being triggered is minimal, they said. 

Israeli officials said they believe a joint or separate attack by Iran and Hezbollah is "inevitable," and are considering launching "a preemptive strike" to deter Iran, media reported, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened its security chiefs for a meeting late Sunday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries on Sunday that although the exact timing is unknown, the attack by Iran and Hezbollah could start in the next 24-48 hours, meaning as early as Monday, Axios reported citing sources.

On what seems like "the brink of a wider war," Zhu Yongbiao, executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, believes Iran may organize a retaliation similar to the form of the previous round in April, which are all fundamentally of "a performative nature," but the intensity and scale, as well as the value and quantity of targets, may moderately expand. 

However, Iran will avoid involvement in a direct military conflict with Israel to prevent being drawn into potential military actions with the US, which is their top concern, Zhu told the Global Times on Monday.

Even if Iran takes such actions, the likelihood of triggering a large-scale Middle East war is minimal, Zhu said, "but Iran's involvement through its proxies will likely increase."

Pentagon has boosted US forces in the Middle East by deploying extra fighter jets and warships, and sending the commander of US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, who was expected to arrive in Israel on Monday, to finalize preparations with the Israel Defense Forces.

Zhu said the US deployment is primarily aimed at deterring Iran and preventing it from inflicting serious harm on Israel. He noted that the US is currently caught in a dilemma, as it is unwilling to engage in a war with Iran at this stage and opening a new front, and at the same time it can do nothing about Israel's reckless aggression. 

This has led to a peculiar scenario in which the US is being manipulated by Israel, the result of the US own indulgence of the country for a long time, Zhu said.

After a massive typhoon recently swept through parts of eastern and southern provinces of China, a large number of oysters appeared on the beaches of coastal cities, as local residents flocked to the shores with buckets, sacks, and various tools to collect the crustaceans, the China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Monday.

According to a video clip posted by a netizen from Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, a beach in Shenzhen was covered in oysters, with city residents rushing to the shores, some carrying buckets of oysters directly to their homes. Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, also saw oysters piled up on the beach, according to CCTV.

Industry insiders speculated that the oysters may have come from surrounding areas where artificially farmed oysters are raised, but this is just an assumption, and the specific origin of the oysters is still under investigation, CCTV reported.

However, the action of collecting oysters after the typhoon still poses hidden risks, according to the report. Under the influence of the peripheral circulation of the typhoon, strong winds and long waves will be generated in the coastal areas, and there is a danger of being swept away by the waves if people go to the beach and fail to take due care.

The beach may also have sharp and dangerous objects including glass shards and nails after low tide, which can easily lead to foot or hand injuries. Dangerous marine organisms, including jellyfish and sea urchins, whose venom can cause serious and even life-threatening injuries, can be found in the near-shore seawater.

Because the freshness of the seafood cannot be guaranteed, some of the oysters may have been soaked in seawater for a long time. In addition, these oysters may also carry a large number of pollutants and harmful substances.

As the summer heat begins to wane and the days grow shorter, the traditional Chinese calendar ushers in the 13th solar term known as the Beginning of Autumn, or Liqiu, on Wednesday. Marking the end of the sweltering summer and the beginning of cooler weather, this period signifies a time of transition and preparation for the harvest season, which lasts until August 22.

At this time, the average daily temperature in most parts of China has remained above 22 C for five consecutive days, so autumn in the meteorological sense has not yet arrived. In ancient China, this period was divided into three pentads, each reflecting changes in climate, dew and fauna. The first pentad marks the arrival of the cool breeze, which is eagerly awaited after the oppressive heat of the previous period. In the second, nighttime temperatures drop, causing moisture in the air to condense into mist and leading to the appearance of what is known as "white dew." In the third, summer cicadas shift from their loud and continuous song to the intermittent and subdued calls of cold cicadas.

There is a saying that goes, "If it rains on the day of the Beginning of Autumn, a good harvest is expected." The Beginning of Autumn is a pivotal moment for farmers, who adapt their agricultural practices to the changing climate. The cooler temperatures and reduced humidity create optimal conditions for crops like rice, corn, and sweet potatoes to mature. Farmers closely monitor their fields, ensuring timely harvests and planting to make the most of the remaining warmth and sunlight. 

The Beginning of Autumn is not only an agricultural milestone but also a cultural celebration rich with traditional customs and practices. In some regions, there is a time-honored tradition of weighing people on this day. Families gather to compare their weights from the Beginning of Summer, or Lixia, to the present, playfully noting any changes. This practice, though light-hearted, is rooted in the belief that maintaining a healthy weight reflects overall well-being.

In Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, the celebration of the Beginning of Autumn includes eating peaches.The peach stones are kept until Chinese New Year's Eve and then thrown into the stove and burned into ash. People believed that in this way, plagues could be prevented over the coming year.

There's also a culinary tradition that traveled through time. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), people would put gourds outside for a day before the Beginning of Autumn, and then eat them on the day to drive off the summer heat. Today people in North China's Tianjin still keep this custom, believing that eating melons such as towel gourds, white gourds and bitter gourds can prevent diarrhea in autumn and the coming winter and spring. It is known as "eating autumn."

In addition to these culinary customs, the Beginning of Autumn is a time for health practices rooted in traditional Chinese therapy. As the body adjusts to the cooler weather, the high season for illnesses such as stiff neck, cervical spondylosis, and throat inflammation arrives. 

Experts suggest people try cupping therapy as a solution. Indeed, the "mysterious Eastern power" of cupping therapy has also made an appearance on swimmers' backs at the Paris Olympics, including renowned Chinese swimmer Zhang Yufei, who sported cupping marks at the Olympic swimming venue when she was doing acclimatization training.

As the Beginning of Autumn arrives, the emphasis on aligning oneself with the season's changing energy is paramount. It is also encouraged to gradually reduce the consumption of cold food and drinks, which can shock the system. Instead, moderate physical activities are suggested that promote gentle sweating, help release toxins, and naturally cool the body.

The Beginning of Autumn, with its blend of agricultural significance, cultural richness, and health-conscious practices, is a time of harmony between humans and nature. As people across China celebrate this solar term, they honor the wisdom of their ancestors, embracing traditions that have been passed down through millennia to maintain health, ensure a bountiful harvest, and welcome the cool embrace of autumn.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) unveiled new guidelines on Tuesday, vowing to strengthen the innovation of telecom management and aiming to create an efficient, open and unified market access environment.

The move aims to accelerate the construction of a modern industry supervision and service system that is compatible with digital development and help build a market-oriented, legal and international first-class business environment. It seeks to enhance the telecom industry's role in driving new industrialization, strengthening manufacturing, fostering digital growth and promoting high-quality economic development, the MIIT said on its website.

Experts said that the new guidelines reflect the Chinese government's response to foreign investment needs by streamlining and expanding market access. This move aims to attract more foreign capital, boost confidence among domestic and international market players, and align with the country's commitment to further opening-up, experts said.

The guidelines require to optimize market access management and realize a "one-time application, one-stop approval" system for new technologies and applications of various telecom services. The guidelines require to accelerate the revision of the telecom business classification catalog and coordinate commercial pilot programs for new telecom services, and support innovation in emerging technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence and quantum information.

Additionally, the guidelines encourage private-sector involvement, and they support reforms in satellite internet to boost the growth of private telecom enterprises.

"Driven by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and many exchanges between foreign businesses and China, our government addresses both domestic and international needs. We are increasing support for domestic tech innovation while striving to create a more convenient and fair business environment for high-tech foreign enterprises," Bian Yongzu, the executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

This sends a positive signal, making companies more willing to invest in China, which will help enhance the security and stability of China's industrial and supply chains, Bian added.

The guidelines aim to foster a fair telecom market ecosystem by monitoring key areas like campus telecom markets and addressing issues promptly. They urge to ensure that large platforms treat third-party companies equally and tackle disruptive behavior like intentional incompatibility and interference with internet applications, according to the MIIT.

"In the global high-tech telecom sector, China is still in a catch-up phase, making the creation of a more transparent business environment crucial. This strategy not only fosters the development of local talent but also attracts foreign investment, driving technological breakthroughs and enhancing telecom-related management expertise," Bian said.

As of the end of March, 1,926 foreign enterprises had been approved to operate telecom businesses in China. In April, the MIIT launched a pilot program to expand the opening-up of value-added telecom services in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and South China's Hainan Province, injecting new vitality into China's digital transformation and digital economy development.

In recent years, China's information and communications industry has made remarkable strides. The country has built the world's largest fiber optic and mobile broadband networks and created the world's largest digital consumer market, according to media reports.

The high-quality development of China's information and communications industry has achieved remarkable results. There are 3.837 million 5G base stations, reaching more than 60 percent of the world, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong told a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on July 5. 

China's state security authority on Tuesday said that a global IT outage caused by CrowdStrike exposed that the US, a self-claimed network guardian is actually a hacker empire, as it failed to take on the responsibility of maintaining global cyber security, but instead used its technological advantage to infringe upon the sovereignty and interests of other countries.

Last month, a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike crippled computers-running Microsoft Windows at organizations, causing major IT outages, taking out banks, airlines and businesses globally.

US federal airspace officials later announced a nationwide ground stop of air traffic due to the outages. Airlines and airports across Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Australia, Japan, India, and Singapore also reported problems with check-in and ticketing systems, resulting in flight delays.

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) wrote in a post on WeChat on Tuesday that CrowdStrike causing IT outage is not first case that the US has caused a serious global accident due to a security software update error. For example, in May 2007, the US antivirus software manufacturer Symantec updated the virus database, causing the Windows XP operating system to experience blue screen and restart issues.

The US, as a leading cyber power, possesses advanced network technology capabilities. However, instead of taking on the responsibility of maintaining global network security, it uses its technological advantage to infringe upon the sovereignty and interests of other countries. It also acts with impunity in cyberspace, carrying out infiltration, attacks, and sabotage activities at will, and is constantly exposed for various scandals of monitoring other countries, the MSS said.

In June 2013, Edward Snowden revealed that the US National Security Agency was conducting large-scale global surveillance and information monitoring on numerous countries.

Data revealed that from May 2023 to January 2024, US government-backed hacking organizations had conducted over 45 million cyberattacks — all authorized by Section 702 — against Chinese government entities, academies, scientific research institutes, enterprises and critical infrastructures, according to findings of a Chinese investigation.

In the face of numerous criticisms and concerns from the international community, the US has turned a deaf ear, even turning the tables and repeatedly politicizing and weaponizing cybersecurity issues, smearing other countries without factual basis, erecting a "digital iron curtain," creating a "cyberattack island chain," seeking technological monopoly and cyber hegemony, using its own advantages to attack, steal secrets, infiltrate and sabotage other countries, and undermining the efforts of the international community to promote internet governance.

In stark contrast to the global IT outage caused by CrowdStrike, public services in China were not significantly affected by the Windows system failure. This is largely due to China's active integration of independent technological innovation, with domestically developed operating systems demonstrating high levels of stability and reliability during this event, ensuring the normal operation of public services, the MSS said.

In a conversation with visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chan Heng Chee, ambassador-at-large at Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, repeatedly expressed concerns from Southeast Asian countries about the US' growing trend toward trade protectionism. She said she gets discouraged when she hears Americans say they can't do trade, and is very worried about the US "small yard, high fence" policy, as it is becoming a bigger yard and higher fences. This mirrors the deep concerns of Washington's Asian allies about the US' growing trade protectionism and reckless high-tech crackdowns.

Singapore is one of the stops on Blinken's 18th visit to the Asia-Pacific region since becoming Secretary of State. His visit has largely revolved around China, with the aim of strengthening the "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and using the pretext of US-defined "freedom and openness" to form more exclusive cliques. During the conversation in Singapore on about protectionism nesday, Ambassador Chan questioned the US about its generalization of security which she believes is causing the definition of national security to become "looser and looser." Chan's concerns about these worrying trends in the US are representative.

Ironically, in response to Chan's questions, Blinken stated that the US government wants to "make sure that even as we're taking what we believe are necessary measures to protect our security, we're not doing it in a way that undermines, inhibits trade." This suggests that the US promises to protect trade freedom while implementing trade protectionism, a contradictory commitment. But Blinken indicates that the US will allow these two almost opposite terms to coexist.

In the conversation, there is also a pair of terms that are difficult to coexist: "minilaterals" and "multilateral system." The multilateral system represents openness and inclusivity, while the minilateral system is the exclusionary cliques that the US has become more adept at forming in recent years. Faced with Ambassador Chan's questioning of the Biden administration's obsession with creating minilaterals such as Quad, AUKUS to meet security objectives, Blinken stated that the multilateral system remains an important part of US' cooperation with countries around the world. This response was pale and unconvincing.

What we see is that the so-called multilateral system Washington has been promoting is operating based on the idea of America First. In fact, it is not even a multilateral mechanism but a truly minilateral one. Washington's minilateralism is essentially a selfish act that protects US' core interests, said Sun Xihui, an associate research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The strategy inevitably harms the interests of other countries, including US allies. Therefore, if the strategy is implemented in the long term, it will inevitably lead to conflicts of interest between the US and its allies.

The dialogue between Ambassador Chan and Blinken is a good footnote on Southeast Asian countries' views on the US. As a neutral and politically independent country, Singapore's voices effectively represent the sentiments of Southeast Asian countries regarding the negative impact of US technology restrictions and trade policies. This should serve as a wake-up call for the US.

In order to block China's technological advancement, the US has spared no effort in building "small yard, high fence" and suppressing China's technological development, even at the cost of disrupting global technological cooperation and supply chains. This has led to concerns in countries like Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries that the US' abuse of economic tools to achieve geopolitical goals will have a significant impact on the global economy and even threaten global stability.

The current US strategy is at odds with the traditional development concepts of Southeast Asian countries. If the US continues to push for "small yard, high fence" approaches or other anti-globalization measures such as minilateralism, it will only bring harm to Southeast Asia without any benefits.

Blinken's assurances will not only be scrutinized by Southeast Asian nations but also by other countries worldwide affected by US trade protectionism. It is crucial for the US to fulfill its promises rather than offering empty assurances to temporarily alleviate concerns. Repeatedly failing to deliver on promises will only erode trust and credibility in the long run.