United States (US) President Joe Biden will virtually host heads of state, civil society leaders, and businesspeople across the globe for the inaugural “Summit on Democracy” on December 9 and 10.
Biden announced the Summit in February this year, delivering on a campaign promise to conduct a meeting with democratic allies and partners regarding the situation of democracy around the world. The leaders are expected to discuss key themes such as protection against authoritarianism, combating corruption, and promoting respect for human rights.
On Tuesday, the US Department of State released the list of 110 countries invited to the virtual Summit, stirring controversy over the inclusions and exclusions.
The inclusion of self-governed Taiwan at the Summit was met with backlash from China, which was left out.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the move, calling it “an affirmation of Taiwan’s efforts to promote the values of democracy and human rights.” However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian expressed firm opposition to America’s decision to invite Taiwan and said, “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the one-China principle is a widely recognised norm; governing international relations.”
Zhao also accused the US of “using democracy as a cover and tool to advance its geostrategic goals, suppress other countries, divide the world, and serve its selfish agenda of maintaining hegemony,” marking another hit in the US-China relations following last week’s provocations over the movement of a US Navy warship in the strait of Taiwan.
Some controversial invitees include countries that have experienced democratic backsliding in recent years, such as Brazil, India, Poland, and the Philippines.
Brazil’s far-right populist leader Jair Bolsonaro has displayed authoritarian tendencies and has been accused of undermining democracy in Latin America’s largest country. Biden is yet to meet Bolsonaro, who shared a close relationship with former US President Donald Trump. In fact, like Trump, he has suggested that he could reject the results of next year’s election if he loses.
Another invitee is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose leadership India has experienced “big declines in freedom of expression.” Recent reports suggest India has experienced the highest number of democratic violations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the persecution of activists and journalists, the harassment of religious minorities, and internet obstruction in Kashmir.
Another includes Poland, where President Andrzej Duda’s ruling nationalist party has come under fire from the European Union over the independence of the judiciary, press freedoms, and LGBT rights, resulting in a judicial tussle with European courts. In light of the recent migrant crisis at the Poland-Belarus border, however, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed support for Poland in the face of the “Lukashenko regime’s cynical exploitation of vulnerable migrants.”
Other questionable invitees at the Summit include Israel and Iraq, the only representatives from the Middle East, and Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Niger.
Regarding the inclusions in the list, Uzra Zeya, the Under-Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights at the Department of State, said, “Our goal in this effort is to be as inclusive as possible within logistical constraints.” Zeya added that the list aimed to represent “a regionally diverse set of well-established and emerging democracies.”
Nevertheless, Washington was strict in excluding countries such as Hungary, Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran, Tunisia, and prominent actors such as Turkey, Russia, and China. Traditional allies such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were snubbed as well.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally Turkey was not invited due to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s increasingly autocratic behaviour and growing ties with Russia. The Trump administration sanctioned Turkey last December, under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), over its purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia. Washington has expressed its concern about the Kremlin gaining access to American military secrets if the Russian-made systems are integrated into Turkey’s military. However, Biden has expressed interest in repairing relations with Turkey after the recent F-35 deal fiasco.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Washington of “trying to privatise the term ‘democracy,” and called the Summit “divisive.” Regarding the list of invitees, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the US “prefers to create new dividing lines, to divide countries into those that in their opinion are good, and those that are bad.” The list of invitees also includes former Soviet countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, and Georgia.
Biden’s Summit for Democracy: Who’s In and Who’s Out?
Taiwan, Brazil, India, Poland are among the 110 delegations invited to the virtual summit. China, Russia, and Turkey, meanwhile, were snubbed.
November 25, 2021
US President Joe Biden IMAGE SOURCE: REUTERS