ah, ah, china's the support of russia and vladimir putin invasion of ukraine is as strong as ever the chinese president made that clear to day and moscow 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 as it battles against its russian invaders. tonight from asia to europe, the global geopolitical dividing lines deeper the front, their clear japan in the west, russia, in china. i'm brit gulf 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 innocent ukrainians. oh, so far it's been in various visits because it's taking place or more than a yes. seems to rush an invasion and you've crying with russia. extremely isolated in the world is pressuring the west. me courage, person, she'd press president putin directly on the need to respect, train sovereignty and territorial integrity. but when it comes to don't war, the child, you know, the treasury suasion 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. a kitchen there is a last r g 's have been dida to visit our new grand kids to meet with her president and ascii. so in that says he was a little too late to go in for

a shows us up so. so his sub board studio green people, in any case, 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. she isn't being dashed any of those hopes that the 2 leaders assigned 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 strength ties, putin increasingly isolated by the west for his invasion of ukraine, is forced to turn east for friendly handshake or 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. gigi, charles, or for 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 full as really we believe

that many of the provisions in the peace plan put forward by china. you can put a consistent with russian approaches 0 flow and could be taken as the basis for a peaceful settlement when they are ready for it in the west and in cave. at night, however, we are so far we have not seen such readiness on their part that we got to this day, sir, externally meeting in the blue do for putin an alliance which she also offers a chance to close the gap left by the withdrawal of western firms from russia following its war on ukraine. concept well 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 philanthropies, a senior fellow for 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 will influence around the world. is good 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 thrilled by the way putting 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 in some and increasingly complex and difficult compet confrontation between basically liberal democratic states and china. i know that when we look at your being, we see him as a leader of an economic power leader of in 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 and 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 is controlled by aging. they are, you're limiting and seeing the growing power of china's social media platforms.

most importantly, tick tock, which although it's 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 bus or china with in other countries, societies and politics. the scandal going on right now in canada, possible chinese intervention and kim, navy, and federal elections. there's been chinese intervention and artic and new zealand interventions and stuff. and i was and then 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, but 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. china is actually image, much of the world is not great, but in some places like really african rather develop images fairly good. but china wants to build up. graders saw our because soft power popularity among public leasing countries allow, makes it easier for you. miles down you have 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, you think the russian government, not necessarily vitamin,

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 and stuff . and other places where compared to russian information which has been much more skillful, particularly at figuring out organic, divides natural devise in other countries society and then playing those up. so i think we will see a future of china using mark accept 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 didn't thing, although he refused to work with us to try to

convince, thought not to do this before it. i suspect that he, like a lot of people didn't really, we couldn't was going to do this. and i think that china is 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 in the un organizations and sort of just a global push back against liberal democracy and 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 with china. but most of the central and eastern european countries, which had pretty warm relation to china, have now turned against china. and that's on the leave because of the support for the ukraine war. it's her time with him and a lot of other places i. i don't i don't think she's in, i think in a perfect world teaching thing 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 bad joshua clinic. 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 from, you know, she paid a visit unannounced to keep, to meet with ukrainian president brought me as a 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. mr. 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 that 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 is 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 cation, who before coming to ukraine, was in india, where he announced a broad vision for a free and open it in 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 ministry from the beginning, cited strongly with the other members of the g 7, imposing sanctions on rush on his regime. and in 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, when 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 has been keisha from the beginning and 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 course austria was 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 in asia and europe

. these changes that you speak of for japan, you know, the war in ukraine. it has forced some curious paradigm shift to take place. so 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. i mean, 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 decade story of 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 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 and the entirety of the post world war 2 period. so it really is a, has had a profound 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 going out of time. last week we did

a lot of reporting on 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 a 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 steel 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 can, 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's parliament debating the new anti gay legislation under the proposals. simply identifying as l g. b

t plus is a crime. thank you. 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 and you just need to have enough funding and telling us that the height is wrong. it's and i'm a nation looking at the bill coming in for them. it was not in the exam phrase and duleigh has been rejected by his family and he has faced evictions and arrests for being gay. were well rated by a mob of people who wanted to know a tough hasn't kill us. but when we called the police to our system, now we're that way instead arrested a subject to 1st and examinations. and at the end of the day when we came suspects

of kind of knowledge, agonies that one of nature even though could the police for support to help us from him. of that was going to lead us the author of the law. so to maximum punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment for homosexuals. what is he claims? this is landmark legislation that is widespread support. if you went to my constituents, we did him in his body and asked the deep were the idea with me on this issue. there were, did you, we are by no empty because we're me as was this might as goes and this is one of the issues where i've directed it, presented the voices of the 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 the only african country to criminalize,

simply identifying as gay and dula says the law of fuels hate in an already homophobic country. and he feels that soon his only choice may be to leave you gander edifice. oh, the iranian chest player sour condom 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 sheer 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 and protests and solidarity with the demonstrators at home for me. oh, playing without this craft. i something that i was thinking about even before, and this happened 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, sorrow 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 one out of the camera and then to, to pre pretend like you're someone else. there's no taking back her bold move. the small family started a new life and spain without furniture or possessions. even sar is chessboard remains in iran. most painful is the separation from her family. are they also under pressure sorrow? hopes not o orange 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 gonna 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 chess 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, sorry, 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 brit. gov tv and remember whatever happens between now and then tomorrow is another day we'll see you then

with i'm at neutral by 2045. germany's public transport system is going green. is a good bye to the old bus sleep. no, they're converting to electric energy which present

a technical challenge. is it worth it for the climate? absolutely. but what about for businesses made in germany? d, w. d, syria, russia's test lab. the war of aggression on ukraine is the only war being waged by vladimir for the past 12 years. he has also been supporting bashar assad in the civil war against his people. this report gets to the bottom of russia's military operation, syria, a, d, w o blue with our slime rivers created by waterfalls throwing water

particles into the air. b, trees, sweating out up to 1000 liters of water in a day or sea forest fires, evaporating large amounts of moisture tune in to get the answer. learn more about this phenomenon to find a heavy, invisible river that flows through the sky starts march 23rd on d, w ah, ah, ah, ah, once upon a time with banks were considered a some of the faith of places to park your cash. but.