ah, ah, china's support of russia and vladimir putin invasion of ukraine is as strong as ever the chinese president made that clear to day and moscow of dashing any hopes of a possible peace sooner rather than later. at the same time, japan's prime minister arrived unannounced in ukraine with a message of solidarity for keep it battles against its russian invaders. tonight from asia to europe, the global geopolitical dividing lines deeper the front there, clear japan in the west, russia, in china. i'm broke off in berlin. this is the day. ah, and we continue to believe it's not in chinese best interest to do that to help

mister prudent slaughter incident ukrainians. oh, so far it's been, it varies. is it because it's taking place or more than a yes, seems to rush an invasion in ukraine with russia extremely isolated from the world, is pressuring the west. me courage, president shita press, president. putin directly on the need to respect prince sovereignty and territorial integrity. but when it comes to the war, the child, you know, the trustees waging against ukraine, china just wants to present itself as a rational player. the world and china's neighbors will certainly be watching closely. also coming up better late than never japan's prime minister visits. keep the last of the g 7 leaders to do so. acacia. there is a last r g 's have been dida to visit you. grand gift to meet with her president that ascii. so in that says he was

a little too late to go in for a show this up so. so his sub board studio, great people, in any case i, his visit is a heidi, a welcome ah, to our view was watching on p b. us in the united states, into all of you around the world. welcome. we begin the day with a better idea of where china stands when it comes to ukraine. firmly with russia. now there was cautious hope that beijing's proposal for ending the fighting in ukraine, along with she's in pings, visit this week to moscow that all of that would help to guide russia and ukraine towards a path to peace. or to day chinese president being dashed any of those hopes that the 2 leaders assigned to 14 agreements for more economic cooperation, especially in the energy sector. and this will give the kremlin what western sanctions are designed to deny it, of cash, lots of cash to fund putin's war in ukraine. we have more now in this report.

trying to put on the ministry sharing smiles, chinese president, she can ping and as russian counterpart vladimir putin pledge to straighten ties, putin increasingly isolated by the west for his invasion of ukraine is forced to turn east for friendly handshake. far so clever on the issue of the ukrainian crisis. china has always adhered to the purpose and principles of the united nations charter, adhered to an objective and impartial position, and actively promoted peace and negotiations. he cho, full time, beatings, refusal to condemn the war on ukraine has been the driving force of this friendships to instead, she has proposed a so called peace plan could be handing his counterpart, the opportunity to blame the west and ukraine. amelia is valerie. we believe that

many of the provisions in the peace plan put forward by china. he is a consistent with russian approaches the flow and could be taken as the basis for a peaceful settlement when they are ready for it in the west. and in heave. an however, so far we have not seen such readiness on their part that we got to do, sir, externally meeting in the gloom for putin and alliance. but she also offers a chance to close the gap left by the withdrawal of western firms from russia following its war on ukraine. concept one in the community. we are ready to support chinese businesses. so say, when it comes to replacing the production of the western enterprises that have left russia though, sting, a number of new deals on energy and trade. the autocratic duel promise a new era of partnership. one where china sees itself as

a piece broker for russia and ukraine. war. now i'm joined by joshua clintock. he's a senior fellow, per se asia at the council on foreign relations in washington dc. he's also author of the book, beijing's global media offensive. it looks at how beijing is trying to become a media information, superpower and wield influence around the world. is going to have you on the program. i want to start with what we're seeing right now in moscow. when you see these 2 presidents, the chinese president, the russian president standing side by side, what do you see? well, i mean i see that shooting ping has more clearly chosen to collaborate with vitamin. who i think he has a fairly high degree of suspicion of and it's not exactly burrell, by the way, who has gone about a lot of his actions, but feels. 2 no choice other than to build

a closer relationship given but she is increasing in carrying this and increasingly complex and difficult accomplish confrontation between basically liberal democratic states and china. i know that when we look at she's being, we see him as a leader of an economic power leader of an ascending military power. or we limiting our perception of china, though. i mean, are we doing? are we doing that also to our own detriment, by only seeing an economic and military superpower here? yeah, sure. i mean, i think we're eliminating that and that china has become increasingly influential in their global media. nearly all the chinese language media in the world. now it's controlled by aging, they are, you're eliminating and seeing the growing power of china's social media platforms.

most importantly tick tock, which although is pseudo private company is, has a seat on the board of the chinese government. it isn't really a private company. i think you're missing that increasingly powerful in books or china, which in other countries, societies and politics the scandal going on right now in canada, possible chinese intervention and community and federal elections. there's been chinese intervention in politics, new zealand, interventions. and i was we recently saw china broker returned to diplomatic relations between saudi arabia and iran. it talk to me about china's increasing soft power. well, i mean, i think that's more like traditional diplomacy, which soft power comes from other countries being attracted your ideas

or your culture, et cetera. actually don't think china has an enormous store of soft power. 10 is actually image, much of the world is not great, but in some places like the middle east, african rather developed region images fairly good. but china wants to build up greater saw our because soft power, popularity among public leasing countries allow, makes it easier for you milestone you've been quoted as saying that chinese does information efforts, though becoming more sophisticated still remain fairly clumsy in much of the world compared to those of russia is vladimir putin as he schooling. she's peeing in how to be a successful disseminator of disinformation. yeah, i mean, i think the russian government not necessarily vitamin and has been teaching china

more effective types of information. china, this information has so far, most social media platforms and pretty fairly clumsy in taiwan and parts of south austria and other places where compared to russian information which has been much more skillful. particularly figuring out organic divides natural, divides in other countries, society and then playing those up. so i think we will see a future of china using more successful this information. some of it probably learned from russia and considering all this. where do, where does ukraine fit into? she's in pings thinking, well, i think that she is doing thing. although he refused to work with us to try to convince,

put not to do this before it. i suspect that he, like a lot of people didn't really believe couldn't was going to do this. and i think that china, it's a little bit stuck on the one hand. i think that they have the stand by who is their most important partner. and so many ways and the un organizations in sort of just a global push back against liberal democracy in many other ways. on the other hand, i don't really think they're thrilled by the war. ukraine. it's, you know, so far hasn't been that successful for russia. it may, i'm not sure about the effect on taiwan, but it definitely shows that you start a war and you don't know what's going to happen, which isn't necessarily what she wants to think right now. and china support has poisoned its relationships. a lot of countries in central and

eastern europe was used to have very warm relations with china. i mean, some still do at the top levels like hungry or victor. oregon is still pretty warm in china. but most of the central and eastern european countries, which had pretty warm relations with china, have now turned against china. and that's on the lead because of the support for the ukraine war. it's her time with him and a lot of other places with you. i. i don't i don't think she's in. i think in a perfect world, teaching ping would have preferred that who didn't definitely not do this. but at this point, he has no choice, but it stand by the question would be whether you see something beyond there's china still fairly cautious approach. and some, you know, if the war drags out some much more aggressive approach like a massive supply of arms. very shocked to see that joshua clintock. we appreciate

your time and your insights did i'd excellent analysis. thank you. thank you. she isn't being is not the only major asian leader with a stake in the war and ukraine today, japanese prime minister for me, because she paid a visit unannounced to keith, to meet with ukrainian president brought me lensky because she has been a firm supporter of ukraine country providing millions of dollars of humanitarian and financial aid to keep japan has also joined the sanctions regime against russia over its invasion of ukraine. because she to invited zelinski to address the g 7 summit. japan is hosting in the city of hiroshima. this coming may i'm joined now by christopher john stone. he's a senior advisor in japan chair at the center for strategic and international studies in washington, d. c. mister johnson, it's good to have you on the program. we've got 2 major leaders from asia,

one in russia, one in ukraine. what does it tell you about how much asia and the ukraine war are now connected? yeah, we really have before as a tale of 2 visits on the one hand as your last statement really portrayed so well for president. she visiting mosque out offering really material and political support to the war and ukraine on the one hand. and then on the other prime minister, who before coming to ukraine was in india, where he announced a broad vision for a free and open it, and a large package to go along and support it. and is now, as you said in key where he's been a real leader, in contrast to previous japanese leaders of prime minister from the beginning, cited strongly with the other members of the g 7, imposing sanctions on rush on his regime and supporting in supporting ukraine.

and in so doing, he really departed from years, literally years of japanese foreign policy, which it thought to cultivate closer ties with russia. so it's striking to see the contrast, the position, the prime minister has taken, and it really does speak to the linkages that you see between europe and east asia . we've reported many times that the leader of china looks at the war in ukraine with, you know, one i on the situation in taiwan. is that the same when we're talking about japan and it's concerns about security in the, in the pacific region? absolutely. you can make the case that no country in asia has been more influenced by the war in ukraine than japan. it has been keisha from the beginning who has sought to draw a connection between this use of force to to alter the status quo,

to achieve political aims that we've seen with russians invasion of ukraine. and the possibility that china might attempt the same in east asia. it was prime minister kesha coin that famous phrase ukraine today could be east asia tomorrow. the sense that the international rules based order is indivisible. and that threats to it anywhere have to be responded to everywhere that has been, that has been his frame in this and in so doing, i might at, he's really brought other countries in asia along with i would argue that in some ways it was, it was the speed of japan's response to the invasion that helped to make the response global. and after japan weighed in so forcefully, south korea came along singapore came along or says to you is there early as well. so i really do think he's played an important role in sort of offering

a global response and helping the world understand the linkages to do in asian europe. these changes that you speak of for japan, you know, the war in ukraine. it has forced some curious paradigm shifts to take place a particularly here in germany. and it's, that's the same in japan. i'm wondering, it has, has it been discussion reported in public a lot. i mean, here, here in germany, people have talked a lot about how this country in the spend of the you, how it's foreign policy has been turned upside down. is that the same in japan? it's absolutely the same in japan, the coverage of the ukraine war. i would argue in some ways, it's even more thorough and extensive than what we see in the united states. and it really has had a transformative effect on public opinion. i mean, when you think about the security environment in east asia, right, north korea has been launching missiles and testing nuclear devices for a long time. china's military modernization story is not new. it's

a 2 decades story. really transformative investment in the military. so what's changed? well, what changed is the war and ukraine and the recognition on the part of the japanese people that major. ready war is possible in the 21st century. shocking is that may be and it's, and it's part real change. so this is the country that for 50 years had a policy of restraining defense spending to one percent of g d p. and on a single day in december, they cast that norm out the window and have embarked on a path to spending up to 2 percent of g. d p. acquiring new capabilities, including long range missiles and things that they've never had before in the entirety of the post world war 2 period. so it really is a, has had a troll, found impact on political discourse here. and i think made the japanese public realize that japan needs to do more to defend, defend itself and see before one of time last week we did

a lot of reporting on this. the august deal between the u. k. australia and the u. s. for nuclear technology submarines. and now we're talking about japan and spending on its military a paradigm shift. all of these things come together and they lead to this question . will we see military confrontation between the u. s. and china, in this decade perhaps we know some us generals have said we will. what's your opinion? i don't think a conflict is inevitable. why? i don't, i think we are in a dangerous period. it's clear that she g paying has given his military the order to be ready by 2027. but that's different. come in order to go by 2027. so i'm a firm believer that deterrence remain off the ball. and that's why the step that we've seen that japan investing in its own defense australia, as you said, with the office deal investments that we see korea making human progress in the,

in the relationship of the united states with the philippines. right. all of these things i think, send a message, a web of like minded states, the web u. s. alliances and partners in the region is, is drawing tighter. and that's a good thing for deter. you think we can avoid the worst outcome here. mr. johnson, we appreciate your time and your analysis tonight. thank you. thank you for the opportunity. ah, you get those parliament has voted to increase prison sentences for homosexual acts to a maximum of 10 years. laws against gays and lesbians in uganda, day back to the colonial era. but this new legislation criminalizing anyone who claims a gender identity other than what is considered male or female. that is a different level. i won't be uganda parliament debating the new anti gay legislation under the proposals. simply identifying as l g. b t

plus is a crime. thank you for cut for gay activist eric and dula. the new law comes as no surprise. of course, this has been the environment that has been happening from leticia hands phone very justly does even buffalo, our feminine phones telling us that was the height is wrong. it's an abomination looking at a bill coming in pelham. and it was not and big surprise and duleigh has been rejected by his family and he has faced evictions under arrests for being gay. were were rated by a mob of people who wanted to, you know, a tankless and kill us. but when we called the police to our sisters, now we're that way instead arrested a subject to 1st and examinations. and at the end of the day would be comb suspects

of kind of knowledge. again, is that one of nature, even though we called the police for support to help us from him up that was going to the chest, the author of the law. so to maximum punishment of up to 10 years, imprisonment for homosexuals. what he claims this is landmark legislation that has widespread support. if you went to my constituents, we did him in his body and asked that people were the idea with me on this issue. there were, did you, we are by no impact because we're me, as was this much as goes and this is one of the issues where i would direct delayed it, presented the voices of the big by the pleasant uganda. already had laws criminalizing same sex acts dating back to british colonial rule. but according to human rights watch, the new legislation makes uganda see only african country to criminalize,

simply identifying as gay and dula says the lo fuels hates in an already homophobic country. and he feels that soon, his only choice may be to leave uganda. ah, the iranian chest player sour content has become a symbol of protests against her country's strict religious dress laws. she took part in an international tournament back in december without wearing a headscarf. now she lives in exile in spain, where her life has changed completely. a cheerful young family in picturesque setting, summer in spain. but this coastal retreat isn't a holiday resort for sarah are to share. and sam, they're here because they cannot return to their home country. and iran, a warrant has been issued for sar, is arrest. i never wanted to,

i'll leave completely like it happened now. and yeah, that is now what i was planning before. december 26, 2022. a tense silence grips the world blitz chest championship and kazakstan. sarah hud. him has another struggle on her mind. she's competing for iran without a head scarf in protests and solidarity with the demonstrators at home. for me, playing without this clarify something that i was thinking about even before this happened in, in iran. but after i got invited to the herman, i thought maybe it's the right time while still at the tournament, sorry, received a call from the iranian authorities. they demand that she publish a video expressing regret for her actions and stating she was under pressure. after finishing the tournament, sorry, learns she faces imprisonment. she still feels her decision was the right one. when you are in front of the camera,

you are representing the country and in those official ways we all was just wearing something to say that we are following the rules. but we never really believed in what was going on that for me. it was the same way, but you know, it doesn't really feel right to, to be sung a one out of the camera and then to, to pretend like you're someone else. there's no taking back her bold move. the small family started a new life in spain without furniture or possessions, even sorry, chessboard remains and iran most painful is the separation from her family. are they also under pressure? sorrow? hopes not though aren't of earth is mine. it's not there, so to be honest, not really uh, the only thing that i really care about is that i cannot go back because as soon as i go back, i will get arrested at the airport. and what about sarah's chest career? she was recently invited to play a game with spanish prime minister pedro sanchez. sarah says,

while her example contributes to change the demonstrators back home, took far greater risks. she hopes to play in chest tournaments again soon and reached the top 10 without wearing a headscarf and under the iranian flag. when that player is playing under flag the feathers and cannot really do something to take that flag away. but what they can do is that they can of not put me in though national team. sorrow is still feels she is part of iran, not just it's chess team, though she and her family feel welcome in spain. they haven't lost hope of finding a way back home. well, the day's almost done. the conversation continues all wine. you'll find us on twitter at dw news. you can follow me on twitter at brent gov tv. and remember, whatever happens between now and then tomorrow is another day we'll see you then.

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