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Joe Biden And Vladimir Putin Hold Two-Hour Video Call; Kremlin Blames NATO For Troop Buildup Near Ukraine Border; Joe Biden Warns Vladimir Putin About Economic Consequences Of Invasion; WHO Europe: Success Against Delta Will Help With Omicron; Angela Merkel Stands Down After 16 Years As German Chancellor. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired December 08, 2021 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, Biden puts Putin on notice. An invasion of Ukraine would bring significant and severe economic harm to the Russian economy and increased NATO and U.S. military presence in Europe.

The always dependable, totally predictable, ever reliable Angela Merkel bows out after 16 years as German chancellor and a replacement described as the Merkel variant.

And Australia joins the U.S. in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, bringing the number of countries taking a stand against human rights abuses to two.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: For two hours, face to face over a secure video link, the U.S. and Russian President squared off over Ukraine, which is now surrounded on three sides by an unprecedented military buildup by Russian forces.

Joe Biden said any escalation would bring harsh economic penalties, warning the U.S. and its allies are prepared to go much further than they did in 2014 after the Russian invasion of Crimea.

The Biden administration assessment right now though, is that Putin is yet to decide if he will order an invasion. But if he does, Biden laid out the consequences during their virtual Summit.

Putin emerged from the meeting still blaming NATO and the U.S. for this crisis, still demanding legal guarantees preventing Ukraine from joining the defense alliance.

And there are new details now about the Kremlin's buildup on Ukraine's border, 175,000 troops many redeployed from Central Russia.

The virtual summit those started off amicably, and sources say the conversation was frank and professional. But at times it became tense, especially when it turned to Russia's military buildup. CNN's Kaitlan Collins now reporting in from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A high-stakes call amid fears of a Russian invasion.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hello. Good to see you again.

COLLINS: With tensions simmering on the border of Ukraine, President Biden spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin for two hours and 1 minute today.

JAKE SULLIVAN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT BIDEN: The call covered a range of issues but the main topic was Ukraine.

COLLINS: The call posing a critical test for Biden as he tries to avoid a major European security crisis if Russia invades Ukraine.

So, did President Biden get clarity from him on whether or not that is his intention?

SULLIVAN: We still do not believe that President Putin has made a decision. What President Biden did today was lay out very clearly the consequences if he chooses to move.

COLLINS: Biden warning Putin about strong economic consequences and, "other measures", but it remains to be seen if the combative Russian leader backs down.

SULLIVAN: There was no finger-wagging but the president was crystal clear.

COLLINS: Putin had his own demands, including blocking Ukraine from joining the military alliance known as NATO.

SULLIVAN: He made no such commitments or concessions.

COLLINS: Sullivan adding the U.S. is prepared to act in ways it didn't after Russia illegally annexed Crimea when President Obama was in office.

SULLIVAN: I will look you in the eye and tell you as President Biden looked President Putin in the eye and told him today that things we did not do in 2014, we are prepared to do now.

COLLINS: Tensions between the United States and Russia have only gotten worse in the months since Biden and Putin sat down for talks in Geneva. At that meeting in June six months ago, Biden predicted he would knew soon if he had made real progress with Putin.

BIDEN: What is going to happen next is we're going to be able to look back, look ahead in three to six months and say, did the things we agreed to sit down and try to work out, did it work?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS (on camera): And in the meantime, while the White House waits to see how Russia does respond to that warning from President Biden today, we should note that President Biden is scheduled to speak with Ukrainian president Zelensky on Thursday to talk about essentially a debrief of this conversation that he had with President Putin today.

[00:05:01]

COLLINS: And in the meanwhile, the National Security Council aides that you heard from today, including the National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan say they will stay in touch with their Russian counterparts on what the consequences will be if Russia does decide to invade Ukraine.

Kaitlan Collins, CNN, the White House.

VAUSE: The next move here, it seems, is now up to the Russian president.

CNN's Matthew Chance covering the Russian response to the Putin Biden call from Odessa, Ukraine.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Vladimir Putin doesn't seem to have shed much light on his plans for Ukraine. But the Kremlin readout of the video call with President Biden certainly spells out what are Russia's concerns in response to allegations that Russia is threatening Ukraine with the troop buildup near its borders.

President Putin according to the readout, said that Russia should not be blamed, and that it is in fact NATO that is making what he called dangerous attempts to conquer Ukrainian territory, building up its military potential, Putin said at Russia's borders.

The Russian leader then went on to say he was seriously interested in obtaining legal guarantees that would stop NATO from expanding to the East, and to prevent the military alliance from deploying what he called strike weapons systems in countries next to Russia.

Ukraine, of course, which officially wants to join NATO says Russia should never be given any veto over its eventual membership.

And so far, there are no indications that the United States or its NATO allies would allow that to happen.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Odessa, Ukraine.

VAUSE: Lieutenant General Mark Hertling is a CNN Military Analyst and former U.S. Army Commanding General for Europe and the Seventh Army. He joins us this hour from Florida. Good to see you again.

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good to see you, John. Good to be with you.

VAUSE: OK, well, the U.S. president, he seemed to put a lot more on the table here during these two hours in terms of consequences for Moscow, and not just punitive economic sanctions but increased support for NATO.

I want you to listen to Victoria Nuland from the U.S. State Department explaining the U.S. strategy of laying everything out, all these punitive measures clearly for the Russian president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICTORIA NULAND, U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Department explaining the U.S. strategy So, Putin can see them and so that his people can also understand that this highly unnecessary war will not only be bloody, it will also be extremely painful economically for the average Russian and for the Russian state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So now, it's pretty clear on paper, at least invading Ukraine comes with an incredible price economically and politically, it's just really not an option.

So, is this now a test to the American credibility, and whether the U.S. will follow through on these threats and also keep European allies united?

HERTLING: Well, I think, John, you have to look at the fact that over the last several weeks, and in fact, if you count, CIA Directors Burns' visit to Moscow over the last several months, there has been a continued drumbeat by members of President Biden's cabinet to collaborate and coordinate with the NATO alliances and other E.U. partners.

So, I think that that's been very fascinating to me. It's something we haven't seen in the last couple years under the last administration, where there has been actual planning before one of these conferences took place.

Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin were both at the NATO ministerials and coordinating with our NATO allies. So, I think it's not only the power of what the president is bringing in terms of potential increased sanctions and increased pain that he hopes to bring on on Mr. Putin if he continues with these kinds of efforts.

But it's also a coordinated effort with European allies who see the dangers in the continued threat to Ukraine sovereignty.

VAUSE: OK and there is quite a threat right now, I want you to listen to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Mark Milley on the Russian troop buildup along Ukraine's border, here he is.

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GEN. MARK MILLEY, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: The situation on the Russian side of the border, we've observed a lot of military activity. It's quite serious. And it's different in scale and scope than what we saw back in April. In my view, there's a lot of space here for diplomatic off ramps and

de-escalation. And that's kind of the direction we travel that we and everybody else would want to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: And the good news is there are these diplomatic off frames, but does Putin want to go in that direction, and he's still blaming the West of the crisis, still demanding legal guarantees to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, which is a nonstarter.

HERTLING: President Putin told Mr. Biden today that this was all part of post-exercise contingencies, that's just a bunch of balls. These forces have been there for a very long time and they've been building up in strength.

The difference is that they are literally surrounding three sides of Ukraine's border. And I think it gets to what Mr. Putin has attempted to do in the past. It's an attempt to intimidate and threaten not only Ukraine's borders, but also caused divisiveness within the rest of NATO.

[00:10:04]

HERTLING: Because you got to remember, he's also been playing inside of Belarus, there have been situations where he has contributed to the immigrant crisis in Belarus, which has threatened NATO member Lithuania and Poland borders as well.

So, this is -- this is all part of the continued intimidation campaign by Mr. Putin and the attempt to further divide NATO.

VAUSE: Well, this is what we know at this point about the Russian military presence on Ukraine's border. According to U.S. officials, it's larger, more lethal than preparations for the Russian invasion of Crimea back in 2014. Deploying approximately 100 tactical groups, almost all combat ready ground forces-based West of the Urals, which is the mountain range separating Europe from Asia, significant piece of territory.

If you are still serving as commanding general of U.S. Army Europe, you see this Intelligence, what are you looking for to indicate Putin has decided to deescalate? What are you looking for to indicate he's staying the course?

HERTLING: Well, the indicators would be if forces start drawing away. A hundred BTG'S as the -- as the Russians call them, is a pretty hefty force.

You know, when you talk about it, that's more than the United States and NATO had in Afghanistan at the height of our operations back in 2010, it was about 120,000 soldiers. So, you're talking about a relatively robust force.

But the question is, they have come from the central Urals. They have come from Kursk, there have been airborne forces, that tanks that Mr. Putin has put on the ground are their most modern T-80s.

So, it's an attempt at threatening. He is bringing forces from Central Russia to this border to do exactly what is playing out right now.

And it all has to do with making a show of force, not only for the international audience, but for his domestic audience.

And truthfully, John, you know, there is no good way for this to end on Mr. Putin's part, if he attacks in either large scale or small scale, he is contingent -- he is going to be continuing to be seen as a pariah on the world stage.

He has been given the notice to knock it off, to back off, and the only way he can get out of this, the so-called off ramps is to withdraw forces from Ukraine's border.

VAUSE: I guess we'll see what he decides to do, (INAUDIBLE) court.

Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, good to see you. Thank you, sir.

HERTLING: It's a pleasure, John, thank you.

VAUSE: Learning new details about the potential threat posed by the Omicron variant, early data suggests it's more transmissible than Delta but so far, symptoms appear to be less severe.

Those findings are preliminary and more definitive conclusions could still be weeks away. According to new research from South Africa, the Pfizer vaccine appears to be much less effective against Omicron. But that fact it was effective at all was considered good news.

Scientists also found those who have recovered from COVID and within vaccinated are likely to be well protected. Same is likely for those who get a booster shot.

Researchers also noted this was a quick study done in a lab with samples from just 12 people, does not reflect actual infection with the virus.

The World Health Organization's Europe chief is warning against COVID vaccine mandates. He says well, the Omicron variant is a cause for concern. Delta is still the biggest problem right now.

Details from CNN Salma Abdelaziz.

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SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We need to keep cool heads when it comes to the Omicron variant. That was the message today from the Europe chief for the World Health Organization.

Speaking to reporters, he said that the Delta variant is still the one mainly driving a surge across the European region and the tools used to drive down that Delta variant will also be the tools needed for the Omicron variant until we know more from scientists. So, what are those tools? Of course, Key among them is mask mandates

Dr. Kluge saying if we could nearly double the amount of masks worn indoors in Europe and Central Asia, about 48 percent of people indoors in those regions now wear masks if that could be increased to about 95 percent, it could save over 160,000 lives by March of next year.

Of course, the other tool is vaccinations across the European region, about one in three people are yet to be vaccinated. That's according to the European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. And the concern is is that many of these people are hard line anti-vaxxers and simply not getting the message despite being eligible for months.

That's why countries like Germany are considering the possibility of vaccine mandates. Austria has already put a vaccine mandate in place but Dr. Kluge warned against mandates.

DR. HANS KLUGE, WHO REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE: Mandates around vaccination are an absolute last resort, and only applicable when all other feasible options to improve vaccination uptake have been exhausted.

They have proven effective in some environments to increase vaccine uptake. But the effectiveness of mandates is very context specific. The effect that mandating vaccination could have on public confidence and public trust, as well as vaccination uptake must be considered.

[00:15:17]

ABDELAZIZ: For now, the World Health Organization encouraging governments to go into local communities, get the message out there, reach out to the unvaccinated pockets and try to convince them, persuade them to be immunized.

The other key tool of course against the Omicron variant is boosters, boosters, boosters here in the U.K. The government has a very ambitious plan to get invitations for a booster shot to every single adult by the end of January.

To do that, the U.K. Health Secretary has said that 10,000 paid vaccinators will be hired, hundreds of British troops will also be involved in this effort.

But all of this of course pre-emptive as we wait to learn more about the severity of the Omicron variant from scientists.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN London.

VAUSE: Daily COVID cases have hit a record high in South Korea, more than 7,000 new infections on Tuesday. The outbreak has been steadily getting worse since last month, and the government began easing pandemic restrictions.

But with hospitals now under stress, the government reimpose stricter rules on Monday. Officials also plan to improve at home COVID treatments to help ease some of the burden on hospitals. When we come back, after 16 long years in office, Germany bidding

farewell to its first female chancellor. We'll look at Angela Merkel's legacy. That's after the break.

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VAUSE: A new era in German politics with a new chancellor and a first time three party coalition government facing a laundry list of problems and challenges.

Tuesday with Angela Merkel's last full day in office, the military honored her last week playing a mix of music chosen by the Chancellor.

Social Democratic incoming Chancellor Olaf Scholz signed the coalition agreement Tuesday with the progressive Greens and the liberal Free Democrats. This will end 16 years of conservative leadership in Germany.

Angela Merkel leaves office without a standout achievement, no one moment of historic greatness. But for Merkel unpretentious, pragmatic and predictable, became the indispensable leader in a global crisis.

There were many during her time in office, she faced them all with a steadfast leadership committed to bringing Governments together to find solutions.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama recently thanked her for taking the high ground for so many years.

More now on Angela Merkel and her place in history from CNN's Frederik Pleitgen.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A farewell with the highest military honors after more than 16 years in office, Angela Merkel received the so called Grand Tattoo ceremony of Germany's armed forces, a changing of the guard in German politics.

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ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR: It is now up to the next government to find answers to the challenges that lie ahead of us and to shape our future. For that day, Olaf Scholz, I wish you and the German government led by you all the very best, good fortune and best of success.

I am convinced that we can continue to shape the future well if we don't succumb to discontent, envy and pessimism, then, like I said elsewhere for years ago, get to work with joy in our heart.

PLEITGEN: It's the end of a political career that was never easy for Angela Merkel often belittled in the male dominated world of German conservative politics.

My girl is what legendary German Chancellor Helmut Kohl called Angela Merkel as she rose through the party ranks.

Ralph Bollmann who wrote the authoritative Merkel biography says many rivals mistakenly failed to take her seriously enough.

RALPH BOLLMANN, AUTHOR, "ANGELA MERKEL: DIE KANZLERIN UND IHRE ZEIT": When they realized that a woman from the East is able to play this game of power. It was too late for them.

PLEITGEN: When Angela Merkel became Germany's first female chancellor in 2005, her style was completely different than previous Chancellors. Calm, quiet and reserved.

But what Merkel lacked and fiery rhetoric, she made up for as a crisis manager both during the Lehman collapse in 2008 and the Greek debt crisis in 2012. She took bold action to prop up the German economy an ailing E.U. member states possibly saving the single currency, the euro.

MERKEL: Europe will fail if the Euro fails and Europe will win if the Euro wins.

PLEITGEN: Arguably, Angela Merkel's biggest hour came in 2015 as hundreds of thousands of refugees, mostly displaced by the Syrian Civil War were literally on the E.U.'s doorstep seeking shelter.

Angela Merkel led the E.U. as it opened its gates taking in well over a million people.

MERKEL: We have achieved so much, we'll manage this and wherever something gets in the way, we will overcome it.

PLEITGEN: But integration of the refugees proved more difficult giving rise to nationalist forces in Germany.

While Angela Merkel did manage to win a fourth term in 2017, her popularity was waning and she announced she would not seek a fifth one.

Still, the challenges kept coming with the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president in 2016. And Trump's alienation of many of the U.S.'s allies.

Merkel, a quantum chemist often appeared stunned by some of the U.S. President's remarks.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have -- I have German in my blood. I'll be there.

PLEITGEN: Angela Merkel lead Germany through the coronavirus pandemic, but her party support collapse in the final months of her chancellorship.

Her Christian Democratic Party lost the 2021 elections, paving the way for a Social Democratic led government, which will take power after Angela Merkel's final political goodbye.

Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN European Affairs commentator Dominic Thomas is with us now for more on Merkel and her successor and it's what, 22 plus six in the morning where you are in Vaxjo, Sweden. So, there'll be credits for you in heaven for getting up early. Thanks, Dom.

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Thank you.

VAUSE: OK, so her time as Chancellor, it was not without mistakes. It was not without missteps. And it seems, are we now seeing the consequences playing out from one of them, which could have been the Nord Stream 2, the all Russian own pipeline, which will deliver Russian natural gas directly to Germany.

The critics say it will give Putin a lot more leverage over Europe, could undermine the U.S. through a tough economic sanctions of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. What's the take?

THOMAS: Yes, so this is obviously an issue that we're going to be following in the days, weeks and months coming along.

And I think from the Russian perspective, of course, the question of militarization, NATO, the Ukraine is of tremendous concern. And as of course it is, for the West to see increasing trade build up around Ukraine in an area in which this is simply an outgrowth of Putin's more aggressive policies in the region.

However, I think no matter what Vladimir Putin does, in terms of sort of spinning a narrative about the sort of bygone nostalgic era of sort of Soviet greatness, nothing is of greater concern to him than domestic policies and the way in which sanctions could potentially play out.

So, that's right, it's an absolutely a very complicated situation here where he absolutely wants this Nord Stream pipeline deal to be signed and up and running.

But at the same time, it gives him tremendous leverage. And we're in a situation here that is precarious, volatile, and highly dangerous. And it's going to be an interesting for us to watch how this plays out.

VAUSE: Well, just as far as the legacy goes, there seems to be this excessive narrative for the 2015 decision to allow that million refugees into Germany as being a stain on her record, could just easily be seen as an incredible humanitarian act, which showed political and moral courage rarely found among political leaders these days?

[00:25:04]

THOMAS: Yes, and you're right. It's not found among leaders. And this question is a really, really crucial one. Not only did she respond in this humanitarian way, as you just mentioned, but she then spent the next few years literally staring down the AfD, the far-right Alternative for Germany party that in 2017 elections have made immigration the number one issue.

And by the time she ran for the like, the final time in 2021, this issue had moved to the back burners. And I think she played a major role in that. And this is very different than just say looking at the context in France today, where the presidential elections yet again, are going to be shaped by discussions around immigration and identity.

And so, I think that Merkel's gestures in Germany push those issues away for the time being, at least.

VAUSE: At a ceremony last week, Merkel had some words of advice for her replacement, here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERKEL (through translator): It is now up to the next government to find answers to the challenges that lie ahead of us and to shape our future. For that, Dear Olaf Scholz, I wish you and the German government led by you all the very best, good fortune and best of success.

I'm convinced that we can continue to shape the future well if we don't succumb to discontent, envy and pessimism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Steady as she goes, you know, this Chancellor may be throwing different political party. But he's been described, at least by the Irish Times (INAUDIBLE) this outstanding headline, the new Merkel variant.

So, in other words, what, we can all expect the expected?

THOMAS: I think, yes and no. I mean, what's remarkable is that this transition has been so orderly. And of course, moving forward, the politics of consensus are continued to shape German politics, particularly with this larger kind of coalition.

But I think it's an unfair assessment. This is a government that in so many ways is a much more 21st century German government in terms of its priorities, climate change, addressing German infrastructure, it's a more diverse cabinet, it's a cabinet that better reflects a broader spectrum of the German population.

So, I think that assessment is a little bit limited. The challenge, of course, for Scholz moving forward, it's going to be addressing those particular promises that he's made, while at the same time, finding ways to not get embroiled in international politics. And as you mentioned earlier with Nordstrom, Russia, and so on, it's going to be complicated.

But arguably, the biggest challenge that lies ahead for Scholz here is going to be managing the three party coalition that is made up of some very significant personalities from the Green Party and from the FDP.

And as we watch them move along, implement policy, and so on and head towards the 2025 election cycle, is going to see just how strong that coalition is, and what its track record is as these autonomous parties then go to seek election as we move forward.

VAUSE: And just one note to finish up on here, which is quite interesting, because she leaves as a second longest serving German Chancellor of the German Federal Republic, and it's a week or so shy of the record set by Helmut Kohl.

Could they have sort of manipulated in a way that she could have stayed on just a little bit longer if she wanted to, maybe you know, beat that record, even though that would be extremely out of character for a woman who wants to compare herself to an energy saving lamp.

THOMAS: So, what's interesting, I think, you know, with the German political context is you don't really -- you don't vote for leaders, you vote for political parties.

But I think Merkel became the exception to that, when one voted for her, people were voting for a kind of stability moving forward.

However, when she hesitated to run in 2017, you could see that the sort of the Merkel era, and that the Merkel brand was gradually being weakened, and that the story over the next few years was really a story of erosion of her and her popularity.

Clearly, she would have done better than the candidate that run for her party. But I think that unlike Helmut Kohl, the pre -- her predecessor that you mentioned, she was never able to find a successor. She was never able to find an heir. And I think that the problem is really a greater problem that has to do with her party.

We've clearly moved away in Germany from the big two-party sort of era of politics towards greater and more fragmented kinds of coalitions and I think that her particular party the CDU, failed to renew itself and appeared to electoral -- to the electorate as a kind of, you know, outdated political party.

And to a certain extent, the issues that galvanize the electorate around Scholz and around that coalition, were not really the issues that were a priority to Merkel and I think her era was coming to an end.

VAUSE: Yes, you know, it will be odd not to see her on that world stage and all these meetings G7, G20 as that steady person -- the grown-up in the room.

Dominic, thank you so much for being with us. Dominic Thomas in Vaxjo, Sweden.

THOMAS: Thank you.

VAUSE: Still to come, Australia joining the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter games, calling out China for human rights abuses.

We'll have the latest from Olympic officials in just a moment. JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Australia has signed onto the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing. The announcement came Tuesday from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, citing China's real human rights abuses as the driving factor.

[00:32:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MORRISON, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: The human rights abuses in Xinjiang and many other issues that Australia has consistently raised, we have been very pleased and verry happy to talk to Chinese government about these issues, and there's been no obstacle to that appearing on our side.

But the Chinese government has consistently not -- not accepted those opportunities for us to move about these issues. So it is not surprising, therefore, that Australian government officials would therefore not be going to China for those games. Australian athletes will, though.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: In response, the International Olympic Committee says, "While the games aspire to be politically neutral, the IOC represents the decision by the U.S. to launch a boycott while still allowing athletes to participate."

CNN's Kristi Lu Stout following development live for us this hour from Hong Kong. So this now means that the number of countries that are part of this boycott are two.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: Yes, it's two. The number of other countries are actively weighing in. It is a significant move. You have another country effectively joining America's official snub of the Beijing Winter Olympic games.

But so far, China's response to Australia has been rather measured. On Wednesday, we had the Australian prime minister announce this diplomatic boycott, saying that it was due to difficulties in reopening the diplomatic channel with China to discuss reported human rights abuses in China. As well as China's punitive tariffs on Australian goods.

The Australian Olympic Committee said that this diplomatic boycott will not have an impact on the estimated 40 Australian athletes to take part in the Beijing Olympic Games, which will kick off in about two months' time.

And we have already heard a response from China from the Chinese embassy in Australia. They welcome and wish good luck to the Australian athletes as they prepare to compete in Beijing and they also offered this. Let's bring up the statement for you.

According to the Chinese embassy in Australia, they say, "The blame for the current predicament of China-Australia relations lies squarely on the Australian side. China once again urges the Australian side to take practical measures to create favorable conditions for improving bilateral relations," unquote.

Earlier this week, that was when the United States formally announced its diplomatic boycott, and China responded quite angrily. It said that America will, quote, "pay the price." It warned of resolute countermeasures.

But on Tuesday when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman was asked whether or not China was worried about a domino effect taking place after America's announcement of a diplomatic boycott. We had this spokesman effectively shrugged his shoulders and say nobody cares. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZHAO LIJIAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY (through translator): As we stated on various occasions, it is the athletes instead of politicians clambering for boycott out of selfish political gains that should be in the spotlight. In fact, no one would care whether these people come or not. And it has no impact whatsoever on the Olympics to be successfully held by Beijing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: So, the statement there of nobody cares from Beijing, even though on Monday the words "United States Olympic boycott" were actively censored on social media in China.

[00:35:08]

Back to you.

VAUSE: So they do care. Kristie Lu Stout for us there, live in Hong Kong. Thank you.

Some of the worst flooding in decades is affecting close to a million people in South Sudan. The waters have destroyed homes and led to food shortages and outbreak of disease.

Hundreds of schools have been left underwater by the flooding, as well. Chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward has this exclusive report from South Sudan and looks at why global warming is likely to blame.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: South Sudan is a country that has been mired in a vicious civil war for many years. It ended just a few years ago. Developments put on pause here developments put on pause here for such a long time and aid agencies, and, you know -- and the government here have just started the process of rebuilding some of these schools, opening 50 schools in the last couple of years.

And now all of that has once again been put on pause. Take a look. It's pretty deep in here.

(voice-over): Teacher Cole Ghani (ph) shows us what remains of the local school.

(on camera): Where were you teaching in here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So here, I'm teaching English.

WARD (voice-over): The classrooms are all deserted now, overrun by the fetid stagnant waters.

(on camera): Is the water getting any lower?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. It's still increasing, the water.

WARD: But this water also is filthy. It's dangerous. There's disease in it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, there's diseases in there. They're also drinking inside this water also.

WARD (voice-over): This is where most of his students have fled to. A narrow strip of dry land, now home to some 6,000 people.

Books are brought in by canoe. Classes are taught under a white tarpaulin.

According to UNICEF, more than 500 schools have been hit by the floods. There are real fears that the next generation of this conflict-scarred nation may be lost.

(on camera) A country like South Sudan simply hasn't been, you know, contributing to even a fraction of global missions. There's roughly 125 miles of paved road in this country and yet, according to the U.N., it's countries particularly in the African continent that are disproportionately playing such a high price.

And it is only going to be a higher and higher price if more action isn't taken. Particularly, in terms of the infrastructure, the pumps that are needed, the diggers to help try to build up those dikes, to fortify those dikes, and to really help South Sudan strengthen its defenses against the effects of climate change.

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VAUSE: Chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward there, reporting in from South Sudan.

In just a few hours another billionaire blasts off into space. Coming up, the fat (ph) Japanese fashion tycoon about to lift off from Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. Good thinking.

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[00:40:26] VAUSE: A Japanese fashion tycoon will soon become the latest space traveling billionaire. Yusaku Maezawa is scheduled to blast from Kazakhstan about two hours from now. Destination, the International Space Station.

Along for the ride will be a videographer and Russian cosmonaut. The nearly two-week-long journey will be the first self-funded tourism mission to the space station in a decade.

For more now, CNN's Blake Essig joins us live from Tokyo.

So I guess the Japanese billionairess, it's their turn to head up into space, and maybe not come back.

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, why not, John? I mean, space is for the billionaires at this point. And here in just a few hours, Japan's Yusaku Maezawa will join Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson as the latest billionaire to launch into space.

The fashion tycoon that "Forbes" says is worth about $1.9 billion will take off from the Cosmodome in Kazakhstan and travel to the International Space Station for a 12-day mission on board a Russian spacecraft.

Of course, as you said, Maezawa isn't going alone. He'll be accompanied by a Russian cosmonaut and a film producer who the billionaire is taking to document the journey and share it on YouTube.

This trip was organized by a Virginia-based company called Space Adventures. The 46-year-old says that the purpose of his trip is to share the experience of going to space as a commoner. And give the perspective that is different from an experienced astronaut.

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YUSAKU MAEZAWA, JAPANESE ENTREPRENEUR (voice-over): I never thought I would be able to go to space. But I have always had a love for stars and celestial bodies. I cannot express how happy I feel for this opportunity. And it feels like my dream has finally come true.

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ESSIG: Now, recent videos on his YouTube channel show him trying on a spacesuit, struggling to learn Russian, and training as he prepared for his journey to space.

And according to NASA, the trip to the International Space Station will take about six hours. After docking, Maezawa will have to wait another two hours before hatches between the orbiting laboratory and spaceship will open, allowing those on board to join the astronauts that are already on the space station.

Now, this won't be the eccentric Japanese billionaire's only trip to space. I know that was something you're worried about, John. Maezawa has already booked out an another SpaceX rocket to fly around the moon as early as 2023. Maezawa has further made headlines earlier this year when he began accepting applications from ordinary everyday people from all over the world to join him on that SpaceX flight, with the billionaire footing the bill.

Unfortunately, it is too late to apply. The application period ended months ago. And now a total of eight people out of tens of thousands who applied will eventually be selected -- John.

VAUSE: Remember that deadline. Getting an application in on time. Oh, well. Blake, thank you. Blake Essig there, live for us in Tokyo.

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. WORLD SPORT starts after the break. And then I will be back at the top of the hour. Hope to see you then.

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