Latest news with #reciprocity
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
African state scraps visa-free deal for French diplomats
Algeria has revoked a decade-old agreement granting visa-free travel to French diplomatic and service passport holders, in retaliation for what it called France's 'provocation, intimidation, and bargaining' amid deteriorating relations between the two countries. The Algerian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Paris had informed Algiers of its suspension of the 2013 Algeria-France accord that exempted diplomatic and official passport holders from visa requirements. It said a senior French embassy official was summoned to a meeting where two notes verbales were delivered, one of which denounced France's decision. 'This denunciation goes beyond the simple suspension previously notified by the French side and definitively puts an end to the very existence of this agreement,' it stated. 'It [Algiers] reserves the right to apply to the issuance of these visas the same conditions as those set by the French Government for Algerian nationals. This is a strict application of the principle of reciprocity,' the ministry added. Fragile relations between Paris and its former colony began deteriorating in July 2024, when French President Emmanuel Macron endorsed a controversial Moroccan autonomy plan for the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Last month, Algeria withdrew all privileged access cards granted to staff of the French Embassy at the country's ports and airports, describing it as a reciprocal move in response to restrictions placed on its diplomats in France. On Wednesday, Le Figaro reported that Macron had sent a letter to French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou directing him to tighten visa requirements for Algerian diplomats. He also reportedly asked his interior minister to seek support from other Schengen countries in enforcing the policy, including by consulting France before issuing short-stay visas to Algerian officials and to holders of passports covered by the 2013 agreement. 'France must be strong and command respect. It can only receive this from its partners if it shows them the respect it demands from them,' Macron said. In response, Algeria said it is additionally terminating the free provision of state-owned properties used by the French Embassy in Algiers as part of efforts to 'introduce balance' in bilateral ties.
Telegraph
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trump calls nuclear bluff of Russia's hawk-in-chief
Normally, when the US acts against Russia, Vladimir Putin is quick to respond in kind: sanction for sanction, travel ban for travel ban, expulsion for expulsion. 'Proportional reciprocation' and 'symmetrical response' are staples of the Kremlin lexicon, usually accompanied by howls of outrage, denouncing Washington's provocations. Yet since Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to steam towards Russia on Friday – an unusually dramatic gesture for any US president and one that would typically signal a grave geopolitical crisis – Putin has been uncharacteristically silent. Were Putin to follow his own doctrines of reciprocity, Russian submarines would now be heading towards the United States and the world would be holding its breath. Instead, he has recognised the obvious: Mr Trump's move is more about theatre than altering the US nuclear posture. The president is playing a game all too familiar to the Russians. The Kremlin has been bandying about nuclear threats since even before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with none more loud than Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's clownish sidekick and chief social media warrior. This week, Mr Medvedev, who was Russia's president from 2008 to 2012 and prime minister from 2012 to 2020, called the latest US deadline for Moscow to accept ceasefire talks a 'step towards war', and warned Mr Trump that Russia possessed nuclear strike capabilities of last resort. It was this war of words that prompted Mr Trump to order nuclear submarines closer to Russia. In doing so, he has essentially called Russia's bluff and may well feel vindicated by the Kremlin's silence. The outrage instead came from pro-Kremlin military commentators in the Russian media, with one accusing Mr Trump of 'throwing a temper tantrum' while another dismissed the submarine deployment as 'meaningless blather'. But by swatting away Mr Medvedev's threats, the US president has given him a relevance he rarely enjoys – for all his mouthiness – either at home or abroad. Hailed by European optimists as a pro-Western reformer when he took over as president from Putin in 2008, Mr Medvedev styled himself as a tech-loving moderniser and defender of civil liberties In reality, he was never the champion of Russia's Western-oriented middle class that he pretended to be. He proved instead to be a mere placeholder while he helped Putin perform a constitutional sleight of hand that reset the clock on his presidency. Ordinary Russians likened the charade to Gogol's play The Government Inspector, in which a fraudster impersonates a powerful official only for the real inspector to appear in the final scene. Cynical though it was, most Russians accepted the ruse. Since Putin's return, Mr Medvedev has been sidelined, seeking relevance from the periphery by turning himself into an ever more bombastic caricature of his former self – one even Russians struggle to take seriously. Last year, The Insider, an anti-Kremlin investigative site, reported that Mr Medvedev's most 'unhinged' social media posts often appeared shortly after deliveries from his Tuscan vineyard arrived at his Moscow address. Rumours of Mr Medvedev's drinking have swirled for over a decade, growing louder as his fulminations against the 'bastards and degenerates' in Kyiv have intensified and footage emerged of him nodding off at a series of official events. Alcohol might explain part of his transformation from a Western-courting politician to someone who now denounces Western leaders as a 'pack of grunting pigs'. But it is more likely that he simply craves attention – and Mr Trump has just given it to him, even if the US president describes him as a 'failed' has-been. The real target of the submarine manoeuvre is almost certainly Putin himself – a man Mr Trump admires but has grown frustrated with because of his refusal to make concessions on Ukraine. Matters are coming to a head, with Mr Trump vowing to impose sanctions on Russia and tariffs on countries buying its energy unless Moscow agrees to a ceasefire by Aug 8. So far, Putin has remained unmoved, seemingly calculating that Washington will retreat from secondary tariffs, which would hurt Russia's energy-dependent economy but also carry significant diplomatic costs for Mr Trump. With time running out ahead of the real showdown, the submarine move should be seen as an attempt to ratchet up pressure on Putin. In that light, the Kremlin's silence looks less like a triumph for the US president than evidence that the Russian leader has not blinked – yet.
Mail & Guardian
29-07-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Reciprocity or retaliation? The semantics of US trade power
Trump's trade tantrums reflect the US president's transactional politics. Photo: File It's hard to decide what's more surreal — that the US is threatening 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports in the name of 'reciprocity' or that global markets, once jittery at the mere whisper of Trumpian trade tantrums, are now brushing off these ultimatums with a shrug and record-breaking rallies. In a letter campaign launched on 7 July, the US administration warned dozens of nations that, unless bilateral trade deals were reached by 1 August, punitive tariffs would be unilaterally imposed. Brazil, the current chair of Brics and a nation with a sizable trade deficit vis-à-vis the US, was told in no uncertain terms that its exports would be slapped with 50% tariffs. The premise is both stark and familiar: comply or pay. But this time, something has shifted. Unlike the uproar that followed the first wave of tariff threats in April — when emergency summits and legal challenges rippled across the globe — the second wave has been met with a remarkable degree of composure. The world isn't retreating. It's recalibrating. Take Brazil, for example. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, just days after hosting the 17th Brics Summit in Rio de Janeiro, responded with restraint. 'We don't want an emperor,' he quipped, declining to engage in crisis theatrics. It was a sharp, yet composed, rejoinder to an ultimatum that would once have triggered panic. This moment marks more than defiance, it signals a strategic turning point. The Rio Declaration, adopted unanimously by Brics nations and invited partner countries, issued the bloc's clearest rebuke yet of US trade practices. 'We are seriously concerned about the rise of unilateral tariffs and non-tariff measures, which distort trade and violate WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules,' the declaration read. More than rhetoric, it outlined a coordinated vision — strengthen local currency trade, expand the role of multilateral development institutions and build resilient frameworks beyond the reach of US coercion. The contrast couldn't be clearer. While Washington leans on tariffs as a blunt tool of pressure, the Global South is coalescing around a more deliberate, cooperative trade vision. It's worth interrogating the logic behind these US threats. The idea that trade imbalances are inherently unjust and must be 'corrected' through punitive measures is a populist oversimplification. Economies specialise, consumers choose and deficits emerge naturally. Punishing countries for selling what Americans want to buy is not reciprocity – it's retaliation. Moreover, Washington's coercive strategy stands on shaky legal ground. The US Court of International Trade ruled in May 2025 that the administration's use of emergency tariff powers was incompatible with trade law. Yet, legality seems increasingly irrelevant in the face of a foreign policy that views the WTO not as a rules-based arbiter, but as an inconvenience. And still, the global economy hums. The Dow and Nasdaq have posted historical highs. Inflation remains subdued. Emerging markets, far from fleeing, are holding their ground. It's tempting to believe the tariffs are toothless. But that would be premature. Beneath the surface, a quieter reordering is underway. Countries are no longer scrambling to appease Washington. They're building buffers. From the Association of Southeast Asian Nations's supply chain diversification to the African Continental Free Trade Area's intra-regional push, nations are insulating themselves — not just economically, but diplomatically. The Brics bloc is central to this shift. No longer just a symbolic grouping, it has taken tangible steps toward a multipolar economic architecture. New initiatives unveiled in Rio — such as the Brics Pay platform, the Multilateral Guarantee Mechanism and ethical AI cooperation — are not mere declarations of intent. They are building blocks of a system that does not rely on Western-dominated institutions for validation. China's role in this transformation is pivotal. As the world's second-largest economy and a founding Brics member, China has consistently championed win-win cooperation over confrontation. Its advocacy for local currency-based payment systems, climate financing for the Global South and expanded youth and trade exchanges underscore a strategic, long-term vision. One not built on coercion, but on connectivity. India, too, proposed a forward-looking four-point agenda for the 2026 Brics Summit it will host: demand-driven development financing, climate adaptation support, ethical AI regulation and a framework for South–South food security. Together, these form a quiet, yet deliberate, counter-narrative to the transactional diplomacy of tariffs and threats. It's important to note that this isn't anti-Americanism. It's post-Americanism. Countries are not trying to isolate the US, they are trying to insulate themselves from its volatility. And the backlash is not limited to Brics. The EU, long seen as a compliant economic partner of the US, is beginning to show signs of fatigue. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has floated anti-coercion instruments aimed at retaliating against US overreach in public tenders and service sectors. Canada is considering reciprocal tariffs on US steel and agriculture. Even smaller nations like Malaysia are defending domestic policy space while exploring countermeasures. This isn't surrender. It's maturity. The world is learning that the US, for all its economic might, cannot permanently bend the global system to its will — at least not without consequences. Of course, the asymmetry of power remains. A 50% tariff from Washington still packs a punch. But its effectiveness as a shock tool is eroding. Countries are beginning to treat American threats not as destiny, but as one variable among many. If anything, the US approach might hasten what it fears most: a decentralised, multipolar trade regime. By using tariffs to enforce compliance, Washington is nudging others towards de-dollarisation, alternative payment networks and regional trade accords. Already, energy deals between Russia and China are settled in yuan and rubles. India pays for oil in dirhams. Brics's expansion to include Argentina, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates — and talks with Saudi Arabia as a strategic partner — further signals a pivot toward greater autonomy from Western leverage. As the 1 August deadline nears, some nations could still pursue tactical deals with Washington. India is reportedly close to a metals agreement. Pakistan is finalising a tariff adjustment deal. But the broader picture is one of divergence, not capitulation. The Rio Declaration summed it up best: 'Only when more and more economies issue a unanimous voice of condemnation and more and more actions form a counter-force can bullying be stopped.' The world is not panicking. It is prepared. And in that preparation lies not just the defiance of the present, but the blueprint of the future — a future where trade is negotiated, not dictated; where cooperation triumphs over coercion and where no nation, however powerful, can hold the global economy hostage to its whims. Dr Imran Khalid is a freelance columnist on international affairs based in Karachi, Pakistan.
The Australian
28-07-2025
- Business
- The Australian
China hopes for 'reciprocity' at trade talks with US in Stockholm
Chinese and US economic officials met for talks in Stockholm on Monday, with Beijing saying it wanted to see "reciprocity" in its trade with the United States. The Swedish prime minister's office confirmed the talks, which are expected to last two days, were under way. The talks came a day after US President Donald Trump reached a deal that will see imports from the European Union taxed at 15 percent and the clock ticking down for many countries to reach deals or face high US tariffs. Beijing said on Monday it hoped the two sides could hold talks in the spirit of "mutual respect and reciprocity". Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing sought to "enhance consensus through dialogue and communication, reduce misunderstandings, strengthen cooperation and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations". For dozens of trading partners, failing to strike an agreement in the coming days means they could face significant tariff hikes on exports to the United States come Friday, August 1. The steeper rates, threatened against partners like Brazil and India, would raise the duties their products face from a "baseline" of 10 percent now to levels up to 50 percent. Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have already effectively raised duties on US imports to levels not seen since the 1930s, according to data from The Budget Lab research centre at Yale University. For now, all eyes are on discussions between Washington and Beijing as a delegation including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meets a Chinese team led by Vice Premier He Lifeng in Sweden. In Stockholm, Chinese and US flags were raised in front of Rosenbad, the seat of the Swedish government. While both countries in April imposed tariffs on each other's products that reached triple-digit levels, US duties this year have temporarily been lowered to 30 percent and China's countermeasures slashed to 10 percent. But the 90-day truce, instituted after talks in Geneva in May, is set to expire on August 12. Since the Geneva meeting, the two sides have convened in London to iron out disagreements. - China progress? - "There seems to have been a fairly significant shift in (US) administration thinking on China since particularly the London talks," said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures. "The mood now is much more focused on what's possible to achieve, on warming relations where possible and restraining any factors that could increase tensions," she told AFP. Talks with China have not produced a deal but Benson said both countries have made progress, with certain rare earth and semiconductor flows restarting. "Secretary Bessent has also signalled that he thinks a concrete outcome will be to delay the 90-day tariff pause," she said. "That's also promising, because it indicates that something potentially more substantive is on the horizon." The South China Morning Post, citing sources on both sides, reported Sunday that Washington and Beijing are expected to extend their tariff pause by another 90 days. Trump has announced pacts so far with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, although details have been sparse. An extension of the US-China deal to keep tariffs at reduced levels "would show that both sides see value in continuing talks", said Thibault Denamiel, a fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. US-China Business Council president Sean Stein said the market was not anticipating a detailed readout from Stockholm: "What's more important is the atmosphere coming out." "The business community is optimistic that the two presidents will meet later this year, hopefully in Beijing," he told AFP. "It's clear that on both sides, the final decision-maker is going to be the president." For others, the prospect of higher US tariffs and few details from fresh trade deals mark "a far cry from the ideal scenario", said Denamiel. But they show some progress, particularly with partners Washington has signalled are on its priority list like the EU, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea. The EU unveiled a pact with Washington on Sunday while Seoul is rushing to strike an agreement, after Japan and the Philippines already reached the outlines of deals. Breakthroughs have been patchy since Washington promised a flurry of agreements after unveiling, and then swiftly postponing, tariff hikes targeting dozens of economies in April. burs-rl/cw
News.com.au
28-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
China hopes for 'reciprocity' at trade talks with US in Stockholm
Chinese and US economic officials met for talks in Stockholm on Monday, with Beijing saying it wanted to see "reciprocity" in its trade with the United States. Talks in the Swedish capital between the world's top two economies are expected to last two days. They came a day after US President Donald Trump reached a deal that will see imports from the European Union taxed at 15 percent and the clock ticking down for many countries to reach deals or face high US tariffs. Beijing said on Monday it hoped the two sides could hold talks in the spirit of "mutual respect and reciprocity". Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing sought to "enhance consensus through dialogue and communication, reduce misunderstandings, strengthen cooperation and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations". For dozens of trading partners, failing to strike an agreement in the coming days means they could face significant tariff hikes on exports to the United States come Friday, August 1. The steeper rates, threatened against partners like Brazil and India, would raise the duties their products face from a "baseline" of 10 percent now to levels up to 50 percent. Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have already effectively raised duties on US imports to levels not seen since the 1930s, according to data from The Budget Lab research centre at Yale University. For now, all eyes are on discussions between Washington and Beijing as a delegation including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meets a Chinese team led by Vice Premier He Lifeng in Sweden. In Stockholm, Chinese and US flags were raised in front of Rosenbad, the seat of the Swedish government. While both countries in April imposed tariffs on each other's products that reached triple-digit levels, US duties this year have temporarily been lowered to 30 percent and China's countermeasures slashed to 10 percent. But the 90-day truce, instituted after talks in Geneva in May, is set to expire on August 12. Since the Geneva meeting, the two sides have convened in London to iron out disagreements. - China progress? - "There seems to have been a fairly significant shift in (US) administration thinking on China since particularly the London talks," said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures. "The mood now is much more focused on what's possible to achieve, on warming relations where possible and restraining any factors that could increase tensions," she told AFP. Talks with China have not produced a deal but Benson said both countries have made progress, with certain rare earth and semiconductor flows restarting. "Secretary Bessent has also signalled that he thinks a concrete outcome will be to delay the 90-day tariff pause," she said. "That's also promising, because it indicates that something potentially more substantive is on the horizon." The South China Morning Post, citing sources on both sides, reported Sunday that Washington and Beijing are expected to extend their tariff pause by another 90 days. Trump has announced pacts so far with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, although details have been sparse. An extension of the US-China deal to keep tariffs at reduced levels "would show that both sides see value in continuing talks", said Thibault Denamiel, a fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. US-China Business Council president Sean Stein said the market was not anticipating a detailed readout from Stockholm: "What's more important is the atmosphere coming out." "The business community is optimistic that the two presidents will meet later this year, hopefully in Beijing," he told AFP. "It's clear that on both sides, the final decision-maker is going to be the president." For others, the prospect of higher US tariffs and few details from fresh trade deals mark "a far cry from the ideal scenario", said Denamiel. But they show some progress, particularly with partners Washington has signalled are on its priority list like the EU, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea. The EU unveiled a pact with Washington on Sunday while Seoul is rushing to strike an agreement, after Japan and the Philippines already reached the outlines of deals. Breakthroughs have been patchy since Washington promised a flurry of agreements after unveiling, and then swiftly postponing, tariff hikes targeting dozens of economies in April.
