More than 1,000 people gathered in Berlin over the weekend to protest against U.S. threats of military intervention in Venezuela and voice support for the Venezuelan government.
The demonstrations, held on Saturday and Sunday in the German capital, drew participants who condemned the U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and the naval deployments in the Caribbean.
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Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters said that the United States, under the pretext of counter-narcotics, deployed several warships in the Caribbean near Venezuela, and such a military threat was aimed at interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs.
"The military threat brings a great danger. The United States and Western countries, including Europe, are targeting at Latin American countries that refuse to yield to U.S. pressure and stick to pursue independent policies. They are trying to interfere in Latin American politics and install governments that are obedient to them," said Diedrich Franck, organizer of the protest.
Some protesters said the United States' open threat of ground operations to topple the Maduro government was aimed at seizing Venezuela's oil resources.
"The United States has long been treating Latin America as its backyard to exploit its raw materials and also the Latin American people. Venezuela is the country with the largest oil reserves in the world. There are very obvious interests for the United States to seize its resources and at the same time control the entire Latin American continent. Therefore any leftist, anti-imperialist government in Latin America is seen as a problem by the United States," said Max, a German scholar of modern history.
Washington has deployed around a dozen warships and 15,000 troops to the Caribbean Sea, which shares a significant amount of coastline with Venezuela. U.S. forces have carried out at least 21 known strikes since Sept. 2 on boats suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean and East Pacific, killing at least 83 people.
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Protesters gather in Berlin against U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Japanese scholars and officials, including former Prime Minster Yukio Hatoyama, on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan region and expressed concerns over the deteriorated bilateral ties.
At a Diet meeting on Nov 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately sparked strong criticism inside Japan.
The scholars voiced their concerns at an academic exchange meeting held by the International Academic Society for Asian Community (ISAC) in Tokyo, where over 100 representatives from Japanese political, academic, and economic circles held discussions on the current international situation and China-Japan relations.
In his keynote speech, Hatoyama said that Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan region fundamentally deviated from international law and the spirit of the 1972 China-Japan Joint Communique.
"According to the China-Japan Joint Communique, the Potsdam Declaration, and the Cairo Declaration, Japan further reaffirmed its position that Taiwan is Chinese territory. Therefore, the Taiwan question is China's internal affair. Furthermore, the China-Japan Joint Communique also established the principle of non-interference in China's internal affairs. But against this backdrop, however, Takaichi made the related remarks," he said.
Participants of the academic meeting said that Takaichi's erroneous remarks damaged the relations between China and Japan and should be retracted.
"As an academic organization dedicated to the study of peace and security in East Asia, we are deeply concerned about the sharp deterioration in Japan-China relations caused by Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks in the Diet, which related Taiwan question to a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan," said Eiichi Shindo, ISAC president and a professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba.
"After the war, Japan and China reached many political agreements, but now it is Japan that unilaterally violates these rules and agreements. This is highly problematic, and I feel very sorry about it. Japan-China relations are deteriorating on multiple levels, and obviously it is Japan that has caused such a situation. (Takaichi's) remarks definitely crossed the line, and I believe they should be retracted," said Akira Kimura, a professor emeritus at the Kagoshima University.
Following the event, Hatoyama told China Media Group (CMG) that he was deeply concerned that Takaichi's remarks had worsened China-Japan relations.
"Prime Minister Takaichi made remarks about Taiwan question, claiming it would constitute a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan. In my view, this was less a rash statement and more a deliberate declaration, which is regrettable. I am deeply concerned that the situation will worsen if measures are not taken quickly. This has plunged Japan-China relations into a very serious situation. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and Japan should not interfere," said Hatoyama.
Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks
Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks
