This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission. China has expressed “grave concern” about the possibility of Japan joining the AUKUS security pact, saying it would undermine peace and stability in the region and the world. A spokesperson at China’s defense ministry said on Thursday that China was open to normal military cooperation between countries but “we firmly oppose relevant countries cobbling together exclusive groupings.”  North Korea, meanwhile, said the United States has made “reckless moves” to involve Japan to “frantically expand its alliance sphere without limits.” Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. formed the AUKUS defense and security partnership in 2021 in an effort to stand up to China’s growing power in the region.  China has repeatedly criticized AUKUS as stoking “bloc-to-bloc confrontation”. The United States has also sought to step up partnerships with allies in Asia, including Japan and the Philippines, in the face of China’s military build-up and its growing territorial assertiveness. Japan has yet to explicitly announce its participation in AUKUS but a joint statement released after U.S. President Joe Biden met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida this month said that the AUKUS partners “are considering cooperation with Japan” in certain projects. Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Wu Qian told a press briefing in Beijing that the Asia-Pacific was “not a wrestling ground for geopolitical competition.” “Japan needs to draw lessons from history, both speak and act prudently on military and security issues,” Wu said, warning some “other countries” to avoid fueling confrontation, too. North Korea also criticized the plan, saying that “the danger of Japan’s participation in AUKUS is making the whole international community tense.” “It is the sinister intention of the US to make Japan … obsessed by nationalism, a crewmember of a confrontation ship called AUKUS and put it at the outpost

Ukraine Army Chief Admits ‘Tactical’ Retreat Underway The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi has just issued a new dire assessment confirming widespread international reports that Ukraine forces are getting beaten back from the frontlines. He has confirmed that his outnumbered troops have fallen back to new positions on the eastern front, west of the villages of Berdychi and Semenivka, outside of Avdiivka – and near Novomykhailivka. Gen. Syrskyi has essentially admitted for the first time that a ‘tactical’ retreat is underway. “The situation at the front has worsened,” Syrskii wrote on Telegram, ironically coming just days after President Biden signed into effect a $61 billion defense aid package for Ukraine. The Pentagon has vowed to ship new weapons as fast as possible, while some Ukrainian officials have been warning that it is too little, too late. General Syrskyi and President Zelensky earlier in the war. “In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain operational advantages,” Syrskii said, noting too that Russia has been able to pour additional manpower into the east with ease. “The enemy has engaged up to four brigades in these directions, and is trying to develop an offensive west of Avdeevka and Maryinka,” the top Ukrainian commander said. The statement also comes following Russia’s defense ministry announcing that its forces had captured the village of Novobakhmutivka on Sunday. The BBC has also verified that a collapse of Ukraine’s defenses is underway in certain sectors of Donetsk: He confirmed Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from some of their positions in an area of Donetsk that had formed part of a defensive line, established after Russia captured Avdiivka in February. Much of the fighting has been taking place around Chasiv Yar, a Kyiv-controlled stronghold which Russia has been trying to reach after