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7
Why Peter Mandelson’s arrest matters: Inside Israel’s influence in the UK’s Labour Party
(mronline.org)
As a key pro-Israel powerbroker, Peter Mandelson and his protégé toppled Jeremy Corbyn, installed Keir Starmer, and reshaped Labour. Now his arrest threatens to shake British politics to its core.
From MR Online via This RSS Feed.
ByIkay Romay
To all humanity, to mothers of the world, to Doctors Without Borders, to journalists with self-respect, to governments that still want justice: I condemn the crime they don’t want to see.
My name is like millions of others – no famous last name, no important position. I am an ordinary Cuban woman – a daughter, a sister, a patriot. I write this with a broken heart and trembling hands. What my people go through today is not a crisis. It is slow, calculated murder, coldly executed from Washington. And the world looks the other way.
Condemnation FOR MY GRANDPARENTS:
I accuse! In Cuba elderly people die early. The blockade keeps out medicines for heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. There’s no lack of resources. There is deliberate prohibition. Companies that would sell to Cuba are fined, persecuted, threatened. Their governments stay silent. All the while, a Cuban grandfather clutches his chest and waits. Death comes with no warning – not so with the blockade.
Condemnation FOR MY CHILDREN:
I accuse! Incubators in Cuba have to be turned off because there is no fuel. Newborns have been fighting for their lives while the U.S. government decided which countries would sell us oil and which would not – [and now decides that no country sells oil to Cuba.] Cuban mothers see their children’s lives put in danger because an order signed in an office in Washington is worth more than the cry of a baby 90 miles from US shores.
Where is the international community? Where are the organizations that defend children so strongly? Or, do they think Cuban children do not deserve to live?
Condemnation OF INTENTIONAL HUNGER
Hunger in Cuba is no accident. It’s a policy of the United States government, fine-tuned over 60 years, updated by each administration, worsened by Donald Trump, and viciously executed by Marco Rubio. They call this “economic pressure.” I call it terrorism through hunger.
Condemnation FOR MY DOCTORS:
I accuse! Our doctors, the very ones who saved lives during the pandemic while the whole world was collapsing, today have no syringes, no anesthesia, no X-ray equipment. Not because we don’t know how to produce them. Not because we don’t have the talent. But because of the blockade, we have no access to supplies, spare parts, and technology. Our scientists created five vaccines against COVID-19. Five! With no help from anyone. Against all odds. Against the blockade and lies. Even so, the empire punishes us for the achievement.
TO THE WORLD I SAY:
Cuba does not ask you for hand-outs, does not ask you for soldiers, does not ask you to love us. Cuba asks you for justice, nothing more, nothing less. I ask you to stop normalizing the suffering of my people.
I ask you to call the blockade by its name – A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. I ask you to not be fooled by the story of “dialogue” and “democracy” while they squeeze our necks. We don’t want charity. We want you to LET US LIVE.
To complicit governments that remain silent: History will make you pay. To the lying media, Truth always finds cracks to get in. To the executioners who sign sanctions, We Cubans do not forget and do not forgive. To those who in their hearts still have regard for humanity: Look at Cuba. See what they are doing to us. Ask yourselves: “Which side of history do you want to be on?”
From this small island, with a giant people, and from an ordinary Cuban woman who does not surrender: IF THESE WORDS MOVE YOU FROM THE HEART, PASS THEM ON**.** It makes no difference if you have 10 friends or 10,000 followers, no difference if your barricade is public or private, no difference if you never share anything.
This is different. This is not a photo of a sunset, not entertainment news, not just another opinion. This is a cry-out and cries are never quiet. They are HEARD. They are PASSED ON. They BECOME A CROWD. I don’t ask you today for a “like.” I ask you to use your thumbs for something bigger than scrolling down your screen.
SHARE, so that mothers everywhere know that there are babies here fighting for their lives in incubators that have been turned off – because of the blockade. So that grandparents everywhere know that there are older people here dying while waiting for the medicines Washington won’t allow.
So that complicit governments feel the shame. So that the lying media can’t escape. So that the executioners know. WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED.
One single person sharing this does not change the world. Thousands, millions, YES! Don’t keep these words to yourself. Don’t be silent, and complicit. SEND OUT THIS CONDEMNATION – OUT BEYOND THE BLOCKADE! SHARE NOW!
Ilkay Romay is a Cuban actress known her roles in films such as Maite (1994), Guantanamera (1995), The Useless Death of My Pal, and Manolo (1989).
Translation by W.T. Whitney Jr.
Cuba. Carta abierta al mundo desde la Isla: una mujer de a pie denuncia el crimen que no quieren ver
Por Ikay Romay
A la humanidad entera, a las madres del mundo, a los médicos sin fronteras, a los periodistas con dignidad, a los gobiernos que aún creen en la justicia:
Me llamo como millones. No tengo apellidos conocidos ni cargos importantes. Soy una cubana de a pie. Una hija, una hermana, una patriota. Y escribo esto con el alma desgarrada y las manos temblando, porque lo que hoy vive mi pueblo no es una crisis. Es un asesinato lento, calculado, fríamente ejecutado desde Washington.
Y el mundo mira hacia otro lado.
DENUNCIA POR MIS ABUELOS:
Denuncio que en Cuba hay ancianos que mueren antes de tiempo porque el bloqueo impide que lleguen medicamentos para el corazón, la presión, la diabetes. No es falta de recursos. Es prohibición deliberada. Empresas que quieren venderle a Cuba son multadas, perseguidas, amenazadas. Sus gobiernos callan. Y mientras tanto, un abuelo cubano aprieta el pecho y espera. La muerte no avisa. El bloqueo sí.
DENUNCIA POR MIS NIÑOS:
Denuncio que hay incubadoras en Cuba que han debido apagarse por falta de combustible. Que hay recién nacidos luchando por su vida mientras el gobierno de Estados Unidos decide qué países pueden vendernos petróleo y cuáles no. Que hay madres cubanas que han visto peligrar la vida de sus hijos porque una orden firmada en una oficina de Washington vale más que el llanto de un bebé a 90 millas de sus costas.
¿Dónde está la comunidad internacional? ¿Dónde están las organizaciones que tanto defienden la infancia? ¿O es que los niños cubanos no merecen vivir?
+++
DENUNCIA POR EL HAMBRE INTENCIONAL:
Denuncio que el bloqueo es hambre programada. No es que falte comida porque sí. Es que nos impiden comprarla. Es que los barcos con alimentos son perseguidos. Es que las transacciones bancarias son bloqueadas. Es que las empresas que nos venden granos, pollo, leche, son sancionadas.
El hambre en Cuba no es un accidente. Es una política de Estado del gobierno de Estados Unidos, refinada durante 60 años, actualizada por cada administración, recrudecida por Donald Trump y ejecutada con saña por Marco Rubio.
Ellos llaman a esto «presión económica». Yo lo llamo terrorismo con hambre.
DENUNCIA POR MIS MÉDICOS:
Denuncio que nuestros médicos, los mismos que salvaron vidas en la pandemia mientras el mundo entero colapsaba, hoy no tienen jeringas, ni anestesia, ni equipos de rayos X. No porque no sepamos producirlos. No porque no tengamos talento. Sino porque el bloqueo nos impide acceder a los insumos, a los repuestos, a la tecnología.
Nuestros científicos crearon cinco vacunas contra la COVID-19. Cinco. Sin ayuda de nadie. Contra viento y marea. Contra bloqueo y mentiras. Y aún así, el imperio nos castiga por haberlo logrado.
AL MUNDO LE DIGO:Cuba no les pide limosna.Cuba no les pide soldados.Cuba no les pide que nos quieran.Cuba les pide justicia. Nada más. Nada menos.Les pido que dejen de normalizar el sufrimiento de mi pueblo.Les pido que llamen al bloqueo por su nombre:CRIMEN DE LESA HUMANIDAD.Les pido que no se dejen engañar por el cuento del»diálogo» y la «democracia» mientras nos aprietan el cuello.No queremos caridad. Queremos que nos DEJEN VIVIR.
A los gobiernos cómplices que callan:La historia les pasará factura.A los medios que mienten: La verdad siempre encuentra grietas.A los verdugos que firman sanciones:El pueblo cubano no olvida y no perdona.A los que aún tienen humanidad en el pecho: Miren a Cuba.Miren lo que le hacen. Y pregúntense: ¿De qué lado de la historia quiero estar?
Desde esta isla pequeña, con un pueblo gigante,Una cubana de a pie que se niega a rendirse. SI ESTE TEXTO TE MOVIÓ POR DENTRO, COMPÁRTELO.No me importa si tienes 10 amigos o 10 mil seguidores.No me importa si tu muro es público o privado.No me importa si nunca compartes nada.Pero esto es diferente.Esto no es una foto de un atardecer.Esto no es una noticia de farándula.Esto no es una opinión más.
Esto es un GRITO. Y los gritos no se guardan. Se ESCUCHAN. Se REPLICAN. Se VUELVEN MULTITUD.Hoy no te pido un «me gusta».Te pido que uses tus pulgares para algo más grande que desplazar la pantalla.COMPARTE.Para que el mundo sepa que en Cuba no hay una crisis.Hay un CRIMEN.Para que las madres de otros países sepan que aquí hay bebés luchando en incubadoras apagadas por el bloqueo.
Para que los abuelos de otras tierras sepan que aquí hay ancianos que mueren esperando medicamentos que Washington no deja entrar.Para que los gobiernos cómplices sientan vergüenza.Para que los medios mentirosos no tengan escapatoria.Para que los verdugos sepan que NO NOS CALLAMOS.Una sola persona compartiendo esto no cambia el mundo.Miles, millones, SÍ.
No te quedes con este texto guardado.No seas cómplice del silencio.HAZ QUE ESTA DENUNCIA LLEGUE MÁS LEJOS QUE EL BLOQUEO.COMPARTE. AHORA.
From In Defense of Communism via This RSS Feed.
On the last Saturday in January, Natalie Aird and Josie Flatgard spent the morning at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa, laying out packets and jars of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds for National Seed Swap Day. Among the offerings on tables throughout the room: packets of grayish-brown French Breakfast radish seeds and arrow-shaped Prairie Blazing Star wildflower seeds, and a large jar of pink-speckled Mayflower bean seeds.
A few hours later, in tromped farmers, excited young kids, plant nerds, and community gardeners, banging the snow off their boots and fanning out to add their own seeds to the collection—spiky marigold seeds, glossy multi-colored flint corn, flat squash seeds, tiny round broccoli seeds. And, of course, pick up a few for themselves.
Aird and Flatgard organized the event as representatives of Seed Savers Exchange, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving heirloom seeds, plants, and their stories. Swaps like this are an opportunity for Aird, the seed bank’s inventory coordinator, and Flatgard, the exchange coordinator, to share part of Seed Savers’ vast collection and knowledge with other seed savers. The free events also allow participants to exchange their own plants and seeds with one another, along with related stories, recipes, and growing tips.
In an era where most home gardeners and farmers grow just a handful of the same hybrid varieties, seed and plant swaps help to preserve open-pollinated and heirloom seeds. Some sources estimate that the United States lost 93 percent of its seed diversity between 1903 and 1983 as industrial agriculture prioritized uniform, hybrid varieties.
In an era where most home gardeners and farmers grow just a handful of the same hybrid varieties, seed and plant swaps help to preserve open-pollinated and heirloom seeds.
“Seed swaps are one of the activities that pulls people back into maintaining seeds themselves and not having all the controls be by big multinational companies offering a more limited range of what type of seeds and food is available to you,” said Ira Wallace, sometimes referred to as “the godmother of Southern seeds.”
Wallace is a member of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, a worker-run cooperative dedicated to promoting seed saving and preserving open-pollinated varieties adapted to the Southeast. Open-pollinated seeds are naturally pollinated by insects, birds, people, or wind. They are critical because they are genetically stable varieties that produce “true to type.”
Heirlooms are open-pollinated seeds that have been passed down from generation to generation, like “Angelica’s Little Diablo” pepper. A woman named Angelica and her mother brought the pepper seeds to the United States in the 1970s from Oaxaca, Mexico, where their family had grown the spicy peppers for over a century. Angelica shared the seeds with gardener Norma Ortiz, who donated them to the Seed Savers Exchange around 2020. They have proliferated in home gardens ever since.
Seed and plant swaps don’t require participants to bring anything, so they’re a great place to start if you’re new to gardening or seed saving. Flatgard and Aird said that they like to have plenty of popular, easy-to-save crops like beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and radishes available for beginners. One year, they helped a young family who was new to seed-saving excitedly select a few of these varieties to take home and try—including cowpeas, a delicious, drought-tolerant, easy-to-grow legume.
“It’s so cool to see people nerd out about seeds,” Flatgard said. “The little kiddos were so excited to be involved.”
These swaps may be critical for protecting open-pollinated varieties. Some sources estimate that the United States lost 93 percent of its seed diversity between 1903 and 1983 as industrial agriculture prioritized uniform, hybrid varieties.
While Seed Savers Exchange and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange have years of experience and collections to lean on, both are firm believers that anyone can run a successful swap where they live. And, in fact, people do: Today, there are hundreds to thousands of swaps each winter and spring across the United States, many of which began as small community events.
Great plant and seed swaps rely on (and build) connections to other people. “Seed swaps are such a special way to join in community with other gardeners, farmers, and fellow seed savers,” Flatgard said.
Here’s what it takes to start one in your community.
A display of seeds from Glenn Teves, a seed grower and breeder from Hawaii, at an Organic Seed Growers swap. (Photo courtesy of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange)
Gather the Seeds
Wallace encourages organizers to reach out to local seed companies, seed-saving groups, or gardening groups in the fall or early winter. These groups can also sometimes send a speaker to give a presentation about the basics of seed saving. “I like to arrange it so that someone at the beginning talks a bit about seed saving and how it can give you personal independence and the possibility of carrying family heirlooms into the future,” Wallace said.
Southern Exposure’s flagship tomato, Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter, is one of those important family heirlooms that has been preserved for future generations. M.C. Byles (Radiator Charlie) bred the tomato variety in the 1930s and sold seedlings in the 1940s to pay off his mortgage.
To ensure you have enough seeds and plants at your event, Aird encourages organizers to reach out to small seed companies or local nurseries for a donation. Some communities may also have garden programs that could help.
Wallace noted that they sometimes end up with extra plants and seeds, especially if the swap has received a large donation. In that case, she recommends encouraging participants to take extras, particularly if they’re representing a community garden or other group. At the end, she donates any extra to community gardens or local sustainable agriculture nonprofits.
Find the Site
Community organizations may also be able to help you find a site for your swap. Working with Seed Savers, Aird and Flatgard use space at large organizations like the Vesterheim Museum or Seed Savers Heritage Farm, also in Decorah.
They partner with PBS Wisconsin on a seed swap in Madison, Wisconsin as well. For smaller swaps, they recommend you reach out to organizations in your community—libraries, churches, farmers’ markets, food co-ops, master gardener groups, community gardens, and other agricultural groups.
You can also find helpful resources for seed saving and setting up a swap on the Southern Exposure and Seed Savers websites as well as in books like Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth and Seedswap: The Gardener’s Guide to Saving and Swapping Seeds by Josie Jeffery.
Setting and Sharing Guidelines
Seed and plant swaps can vary widely, but it’s important for participants to know what to expect. Some swaps encourage swappers to sit next to their plants and seeds, sharing information and monitoring what’s taken. Other swaps are less formal, with everything spread on tables for participants to choose what they want.
While there are many ways to set up a swap, Seed Savers Exchange recommends setting clear guidelines for the types of seeds and plants participants may bring. For example, at their swaps, they encourage folks to bring open-pollinated seeds, locally saved seeds, excess purchased seeds, and excess seeds donated by a seed company.
They ask participants not to bring any seeds and plants that are illegal in the U.S. or their state, as well as genetically engineered plants, F1 hybrids, poisonous, noxious, or controlled seeds and plants, patented seeds, or unknown seeds from volunteer plants.
Ira Wallace of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange shells Blue Clarage corn, a vibrant and flavorful heirloom variety from Ohio. (Photo courtesy of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange)
Common in seed catalogs, F1 hybrids are the first-generation cross from two distinct varieties, and while they may produce well in your garden, they won’t produce consistent offspring the following year. Organizers can find lists of noxious or controlled plants with the state or federal government; they include non-native plants like kudzu and purple loosestrife, which grow aggressively and displace native species.
Whatever rules you decide on, be sure to share your guidelines on your promotional materials and in person after participants arrive.
Wallace also suggested planning to have extra labeling supplies and examples of well-labeled seeds and plants; that way, people can take a moment to label their items if they haven’t yet.
“For people I know are coming, I like to send them a little sheet in advance about how to label their seeds,” Wallace said.
For most varieties, about 25 seeds in each packet is a good place to start. Packets can be Ziploc bags or envelopes labeled with the variety name, date grown, the grower’s information and location, and any additional information participants may have. For plants, participants can label the pot or provide a small card or sheet to go with each plant.
Swaps that welcome participants of all skill levels will ensure that seed saving and gardening are passed on to the next generation.
Set a Date and Promote Your Event
After you have a location and partners, it’s time to set a date and promote your event. Getting the word out at least a month in advance will encourage participation. Winter swaps are great for trading seeds like peppers and tomatoes, which need to be started early. Spring swaps are better for participants to trade plants that may need to be transplanted right away.
If you’ve found good community partners, work with them and their social media networks to help get the word out. You can also try posting to community Facebook pages or local gardening groups.
Good old-fashioned flyers are still a viable way to advertise. Ask to post notices in your community at places like food co-ops and health food stores, community gardens, local libraries, and community bulletin boards. Some of these organizations may be willing to share your event on their social media as well.
The Seed Savers Exchange gathering at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa, on National Seed Swap Day. (Photo courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange)
Hosting Your Swap
Especially if your swap includes a beginning presentation or educational element, set up the space to allow room for that. Folks not attending the presentation can then move around the tables comfortably as they check out the seeds and plants and chat with other seed savers.
Consider making space for snacks and drinks, too. A tempting spread encourages participants to relax and connect over food. A potluck-style snack table is a budget-friendly option.
Stay Connected
Organizing a seed swap is a great start, but you’ll need to stay connected to build a thriving plant community. Hosting an annual swap at the same place that people can count on will help encourage people to save seeds and attend.
Aird and Flatgard smiled when talking about the young family who’d scooped up the cowpeas.
“Lo and behold, we saw them again in August when we had another swap,” Aird said. “They had grown the cowpeas, saved the seeds, and brought them to share with other gardeners. It was a full-circle moment. This is the whole point of us sharing the seeds: So people can grow them out, enjoy them, and then bring the extras to share.”
The post How to Start a Seed and Plant Swap appeared first on Civil Eats.
From Civil Eats via This RSS Feed.
3
US unipolarity vs China’s multipolarity: Whose vision will shape the new global order?
(geopoliticaleconomy.com)
The United States is waging a new cold war against China. This has been openly admitted in Washington for several years.
The First and Second Cold Wars are different in some significant ways. The ideological split is not exactly the same.
The United States is capitalist and constitutes the heart of the capitalist world-system, whereas China is socialist. However, the People’s Republic of China is not the Soviet Union; it does not lead a socialist bloc of countries, and Beijing has been clear that it does not seek to “export” revolution.
“We will not import other countries’ models, and will not export the China model”, President Xi Jinping asserted in 2017 — although he added, “We will provide more opportunities for the world through our development”.
With that established, it should be stressed that just because China is very different from the USSR does not mean that there is no ideological aspect of Cold War Two.
There are unambiguous ideological differences between the US and China, and each promotes a very different vision of international relations.
The Second Cold War, therefore, will still have an enormous impact on the new global order that is being shaped.
In short, the political model that Washington seeks to impose on the world is the exact opposite of the political model being advocated by Beijing.
The Donald Trump administration wants to return to the politics of the colonial era of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when Western empires carved up the world and treated other regions as their imperial “spheres of influence”, denying sovereignty to Global South countries.
In stark contrast, China — which was a victim of colonialism in the Century of Humiliation — opposes Western hegemony, and wants to lift up the Global South as the protagonist of a more equitable international order.
Beijing advocates for a multipolar system in which all countries, regardless of size, have a voice on the international stage and equal representation in multilateral institutions.
Beijing considers sovereignty to be a sacred principle that must be respected and guaranteed, in a firmly established system of international law that every country must abide by, whether or not it is a great power or a small nation.
Speeches at the Munich Security Conference illustrate the opposing visions of the US and China
These two opposing global visions were clearly articulated at the 2026 Munich Security Conference in February.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered an overtly pro-colonialist speech in which he called to reverse the decolonization of the Global South, revive “the great Western empires”, and “build a new Western century”.
The top US foreign-policy official demonized Global South anti-colonial movements as a nefarious plot by “godless communists”. He also praised the colonization of the Americas by European conquistadores, while whitewashing and denying the genocidal crimes against humanity that they committed against indigenous peoples.
Rubio’s imperialist tirade could not have been any more different from the remarks delivered by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang denounced the “the law of the jungle and unilateralism” of the US, instead calling for a system of “international collaboration” based on “win-win cooperation”.
The top Chinese foreign-policy official declared (emphasis added):
The monopolization of global power by a small number of countries is unpopular. We live in a multipolar world and need to practice true multilateralism.
There needs to be greater democracy in international relations. Global affairs should be discussed by all and the future of the world should be decided by all.
We need to make sure that all countries abide by the same set of rules, i.e., the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. All countries should be equal in terms of rights, opportunities and rules, and all countries, in particular small and medium-sized ones, should be able to find their places and play their roles in international relations.
Compared back to back, these speeches succinctly demonstrate the ideological divisions of Cold War Two.
The multipolar model of international relations that China is promoting is the polar opposite of the unipolar one advocated by the United States.
Beijing defends decolonization and wants a global order based on multipolarity, multilateralism, and peace; while Washington uses military force and wages economic warfare in a desperate attempt to restore a unipolar system in which it can act unilaterally, anywhere on Earth, without consequences.
Washington supports an imperialist international system based on the law of the jungle
The extreme imperialist worldview of the US government was articulated by Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, the far-right white nationalist Stephen Miller.
In an interview on CNN in January, Miller defended the Trump administration’s illegal invasion of Venezuela, in which US troops killed more than 100 people and kidnapped internationally recognized President Nicolás Maduro.
Miller argued that the global political order is and should be based on the principle that might makes right. He stated the following in a segment with CNN host Jake Tapper:
STEPHEN MILLER: The United States — this is sort of foundational — the United States is using its military to secure our interests unapologetically in our hemisphere.
We’re a superpower. And under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower.
It is absurd that we would allow a nation in our own backyard to become the supplier of resources to our adversaries, but not to us; to hoard weapons from our adversaries; to be able to be positioned as an asset against the United States, rather than on behalf of the United States.
JAKE TAPPER: Sovereign countries shouldn’t be able to do what they want to do?
STEPHEN MILLER: The Monroe Doctrine and the Trump Doctrine is all about securing the national interest of America.
…
The future of the free world depends on America being able to assert ourselves and our interests without apology.
These are not just the fringe views of one individual. This is the imperialist ideology that is openly promoted by top officials of the US government, including Trump and Marco Rubio.
Rubio’s pro-colonialist speech at the 2026 Munich Security Conference made it clear beyond a doubt that the goal of the US empire is to reverse the decolonization of the latter half of the 20th century and to drag the world back to the colonial era of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
China’s vision of a multipolar world based on peace and cooperation
The model of international relations that China is promoting is that of a multipolar world based on multilateralism, win-win cooperation, and respect for the sovereignty of all countries, including and especially small ones.
The People’s Republic of China is profoundly opposed to imperialism and hegemony, and not only for ideological reasons, but also due to its own history.
During the Century of Humiliation — from the start of the British Empire’s First Opium War in 1839 until the revolution of 1949 — China was partially colonized by numerous Western powers and Japan. The European empires, Japan, and the United States all invaded China, exploited its workers and resources, and even seized control of parts of its territory.
Since its foundation in 1949, the People’s Republic of China has done everything it can to defend its sovereignty and make sure the Century of Humiliation is never repeated.
This history very much informs the policies of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Beijing’s vision for the world was spelled out in the speech given by Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the 2026 Munich Security Conference.
This was the antithesis of the remarks delivered by Rubio.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the Munich Security Conference in February 2026
The following is an excerpt of Wang’s speech (all emphasis added):
Over the past year, the international landscape was marked by growing transformations and turbulence, and the law of the jungle and unilateralism went rampant. Humanity has come to a new crossroads for the cause of peace and development. At such a juncture, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), and called for following the five principles of sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, the people-centered approach, and real actions, with a view to jointly building a more just and equitable global governance system. The GGI aligns with the progressive trend of the times, represents the biggest common ground of the world’s nations, and has thus received widespread response from the international community shortly after its announcement. It injects new impetus into the endeavor to build a community with a shared future for humanity, and offers a compass for the giant ship of history to navigate through storms toward a brighter future. Now that humanity has weathered wind and rain to come this far, pulling together should be the imperative choice. We should reform and improve global governance to set the ship of history on the right course.
In reforming and improving global governance, the priority is to revitalize the United Nations system.
The founding of the U.N. was an important outcome of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, a historic choice made by previous generations after painful reflection on past agonies, and the peace endeavor that nations have invested their greatest efforts in thus far. This edifice was jointly built by the people of the world. We have every responsibility to reinforce and renovate it, and no right to destroy it or tear it down.
The U.N. is not perfect, but it remains the most universal and authoritative intergovernmental organization in the world. On the U.N. platform, each country, regardless of its size or wealth, has a voice and a sacred vote as well as its due obligations and equal rights. Without the U.N., the world would revert to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak, and many small and medium-sized countries would lose the multilateral foundation critical to their survival and development.
Therefore, what is imperative for us today is to recommit to the founding mission of the U.N., revitalize the leading role of the U.N., abide by the purposes of the U.N. Charter, and enhance the efficiency and efficacy of the U.N. system, so that the organization will be able to better adapt to the needs of the 21st century and unleash renewed vitality.
In reforming and improving global governance, the key lies in the collaboration and cooperation of all countries.
The reason why the international system is not functioning well enough lies not with the U.N. itself, but rather with certain country seeking to magnify differences and disagreements, put itself above everyone else, stoke bloc confrontation and even revive the Cold War mentality. All these have eroded the foundation of trust, worsened the atmosphere for cooperation, and impeded the functioning of international institutions.
To safeguard international collaboration and cooperation, it is important to seek common ground while shelving differences and pursue win-win cooperation. The world is a diverse place. It is only natural that countries differ in social system, history, culture, interests and demand. And it is precisely the differences that necessitate dialogue and cooperation. There is no reason why countries cannot respect each other and contribute to each other’s success. Just like the way gentlemen engage with one another, there could be harmony without uniformity.
A review of history shows, from the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, to overcoming the global financial crisis, from the climate response to fighting terrorism, none of such progress would have been possible without countries coming together for sincere cooperation despite their differences. Let us always bear in mind that unity brings strength, and only in unity can we find hope.
In reforming and improving global governance, multilateralism should be always upheld.
The monopolization of global power by a small number of countries is unpopular. We live in a multipolar world and need to practice true multilateralism. There needs to be greater democracy in international relations, global affairs should be discussed by all and the future of the world should be decided by all.
We need to make sure that all countries abide by the same set of rules, i.e., the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. All countries should be equal in terms of rights, opportunities and rules, and all countries, in particular small and medium-sized ones, should be able to find their places and play their roles in international relations.
To practice multilateralism, major countries in particular should lead by example. They should take the lead in pursuing cooperation, instead of conflict or confrontation. They should take the lead in observing rules, instead of applying double standards. They should take the lead in promoting equality, instead of imposing their will onto others. They should take the lead in encouraging openness, instead of resorting to self-serving unilateralism.
The Global South is rising collectively. The global governance system should also stay up-to-date to give more prominence to their voices and representation. Time will prove that the more democratic international relations are, the more peaceful the world is; the stronger multilateralism gets, the more effective global governance becomes.
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MANILA — Progressive organizations marked the 40th year of EDSA People Power uprising on February 25. Despite being harassed and blocked by the police, the groups asserted to hold the program in front of the EDSA Shrine (or the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace) at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and EDSA.
They demanded holding Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte accountable for a legacy of rampant corruption, environmental destruction and political repression.
Groups revitalized calls pertaining to the flood control scandal, stressing that trillions of pesos are nowhere to be found. They demanded that corrupt officials be jailed and held accountable. They also called for the abolition of a rotten system that only benefits the elite.
Environmental groups meanwhile marched for climate justice, denouncing incessant environmental plunder and exploitation still persisting under the Marcos Jr. administration. They called for the cancellation of Woggle Corp.’s mining permit, the enactment of pro-people environmental policies, and to defend the lands and its environmental defenders.
The commemoration saw many youth rally, vowing to never forget the atrocities of Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship. Students protested to hold Marcos Jr., Sara Duterte, and their cronies accountable, linking budget shortages and rising tuition fees to rampant corruption and condemning state attacks on student leaders. (AMU, DAA)
Photos and text by Viggo Sarmago/Bulatlat
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‘Eulogy for globalist hypocrisy’: Netizens react to Canada PM’s speech on end of ‘rules-based order’
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Extra context added because this headline is wildly misleading.