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Iran and Saudi Arabia Strengthened Ties in China; French President Macron Meets Chinese President Xi in Beijing; Violence Continues in Israel's Holiest Site for the Second Day; Zelenskyy Honored in his Poland Visit; French President Macron Meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping; Russia Sustains the Pressure on Bakhmut; Severe Weather Threatens More Than 35 Million People in the U.S. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired April 06, 2023 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: And a warm welcome to our viewers watching us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton.
Ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," we are live in Beijing as French President Macron prepares to meet with China's President Xi.
Plus how China is responding to U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's meeting with the President of Taiwan.
Violence in Jerusalem continues after Israeli police raid the Al-Aqsa mosque for the second time in 24 hours, hundreds arrested and more than a dozen injured.
And severe storms threaten more than 35 million Americans, tornadoes reported in multiple states. We'll have a live forecast, straight ahead.
UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Paula Newton.
NEWTON: Now, we have just learned that Iran and Saudi Arabia have indeed signed an agreement to reopen embassies in each other's countries and to expand their cooperation. Now, the foreign ministers of both countries are meeting at this hour in Beijing, which brokered talks that led to their announced reconciliation in early March. Now, since then, both have been moving rapidly to restore diplomatic relations and officially end seven years of hostilities between them.
For more on all of this, we want to go to CNN's Anna Coren in Hong Kong. And Anna, I know you've been following this, it represents a seismic shift in medias relation -- Mideast relations. But there you have it, this deal being signed not in Europe or in the United States, but in China.
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. China taking a very prominent world -- role, I should say, in world affairs. For more than seven years, Paula, Saudi Arabia and Iran have been regional rivals, and those hostilities have played out through deadly conflicts that we've seen in the Middle East.
But today, as you say, Saudi Arabia and Iran's foreign ministers met in Beijing. They signed a joint statement reestablishing diplomatic ties after China brokered that historic peace deal last month. This was a move that shocked the world, primarily because the United States, which for decades has been the pro -- the peace broker, I should say, in the Middle East was absent.
As one Iranian official said at the time, the era of U.S. involvement in this region is over. This of course, is the highest level bilateral meeting of Saudi Arabia and Iranian officials where they agreed to reopen embassies and consulates in their mutual countries to resume bilateral visits, flights as well as visas. The Saudi king has invited the Iranian president to visit Riyadh. Iran says it will reciprocate.
Now, to give you some background on the breakdown in relations between these two countries, in 2015, Paula, during the Yemen War, relations between the two countries became tense when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen after Iran-backed Houthi rebels took over the capital, Sanya.
Now, the following year as Saudi cut ties with Iran after its embassy in Tehran was stormed in response to the execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric in Riyadh. And in 2019, there was a massive attack on Saudi's ARAMCO oil facilities. Half of its oil output was knocked out. Saudi Arabia blamed Iran, Tehran denied the allegations.
Now, talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, they have been going on for the past two years. But it was China that was able to cement the deal. Let's have a listen to what one Chinese official had to say last month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN (through translator): I think it is a victory for dialogue, a victory for peace, offering significant good news for today's turbulent world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Now, Beijing's involvement shows China's growing leadership role. You know, just last week, the prime minister of Spain was in Beijing. Today, it's the French President, and the president of the European Commission. You know, they will be discussing, among things, China's proposed peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
China, Paula, is quickly assuming a global leadership role that is deeply unsettling for the United States and the West. Back to you.
[03:04:57]
NEWTON: Yeah, and we will wait to see how they react. Anna Coren for us in Hong Kong. Thanks for that update. Now, as Anna was saying, I mean in just a few minutes from now,
president -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to welcome in fact, French president Emmanuel Macron for a state visit. Mr. Macron met with the Chinese premier, meantime, and the head of China's rubber stamp legislature, just a short time ago.
Beijing says, in fact, in another story that the U.S. is provoking China after an historic meeting between Taiwan's president and the U.S. House Speaker in California Wednesday. The White House, meantime, is downplaying the visits' significance. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There is no reason for Beijing to turn this track -- this transit into something that is used as a pretext to overreact. We've been very clear about that. This is something when you look at this transit that the president of Taiwan is doing. This is something that's been part of a long tradition, A long US tradition. And so, again, we're -- we just do not see there should not be a reason for the PCR to overreact here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: OK. And with that, the Taiwanese president ending her visit to the U.S., a bipartisan group of U.S. House lawmakers arrived in Taipei just a few hours ago. In response to Wednesday's meeting, China says it will take so-called effective measures to protect its territorial integrity.
CNN's Steven Jiang is watching all of this for us from Beijing. And I want to get first to their reaction to that meeting between the Taiwanese president and the House Speaker. They keep saying effective measures. How do you expect this to play out?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Paula, you know, that's why there are threats. They're warning so far happened quite vague in stark contrast to what happened last year, when then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Remember, that was immediately followed by a wave of very intense and large scale military exercises around the island. They flew missiles over the island and practicing mock blockade, and dramatically increasing the number of warships and warplanes they dispatched to areas around the island.
But this time, of course, their response, mostly rhetorical and predictable, blasting, Tsai Ing-Wen, the Taiwan president and U.S. politicians, for being troublemakers and the timing of this, just to you know, tying up all the loose ends together, as Anna was saying, it's all connected because of several high profile visits going on here in China, including that visit by French president Macron and you -- European commission President von der Leyen, but also a visit by a former Taiwan president, Ma Ying-jeou, who of course who was the head of the opposition party, KMT, who has long-favored closer warmer ties with Beijing, and there is a Presidential election going on in Taiwan next January.
And historically, when Beijing launched a warmongering rhetoric and military drills around the island ahead of its elections, that tended to backfire. So, I think the leadership here is very much mindful of that, which may explain why the reaction so far have been relatively muted, Paula?
NEWTON: And this happens at a time when the French president, as we said, should later this hour, get his formal welcome from Xi Jinping. I'm curious what you've noticed so far about China's reaction to this French and European visit.
JIANG: Yeah, China has put a lot of stops in this that really pulled out all the stops of Macron. Now, remember, Xi Jinping is not only going to have hours of conversation with the French president, he is at -- also expected to travel down south to Guangzhou to accompany Macron for a stop there, where the French president will deliver a keynote speech at a local university.
So this is quite a lot of pomp and ceremony for the visiting French Head of State. And one reason for that, of course, the Chinese state media and officials you're having emphasizing Europe has strategic autonomy, especially when it comes to this French tradition of doing so. That obviously means autonomy from the U.S.
And the irony here, of course, is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That war launched by China's close ally and Xi Jinping's close friend Putin, has really, in a way, united at Washington and its European allies closer than ever. That's why even though macron very much wants to deepen economic and cultural ties with China.
All eyes will be on the strategic front, especially with von der Leyen's visit here as well, because, remember just a few days ago, Xi says peace plan -- a peace plan that does not include Russia's complete withdraw is a nonstarter and also, Xi says China's interactions, China's actions on this war would very much determine the future of E.U.-China relations.
So this is a very critical juncture for both parties. That's why you know we are really going to pay very close attention to what the two leaders say during their meeting in the coming hours. Paula?
[03:09:55]
NEWTON: Many, including the Ukrainian president, watching this closely to see if it moves the needle at all. Steven, thanks. You will remain on standby for us, and we will be back to you this hour as President Xi, as we said, we'll have that welcoming ceremony for President Macron. It should get underway in about 20 minutes from now. Appreciate it.
Now, as those tensions of course rise, China tries to project its power over the Indo-Pacific with the world's largest navy. The U.S. is focusing instead on deterrence. One part of that is military might fleets of ships and submarines to try and keep the peace.
CNN's Will Ripley has an exclusive behind-the-scenes look aboard one of the U.S. Navy's most advanced submarines. He takes us for a dive along with him. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Our journey begins in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the bustling hub of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, covering almost half the world 100 million square miles, 1,500 aircraft and around 200 ships, including more than half of the Navy's nuclear powered submarines.
Today, we're getting an exclusive look inside the USS Mississippi, one of the most powerful warships on the planet with a crew of around 140 people. Rear Admiral Jeff Jablon, is commander of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force facing new, powerful threats in the hotly contested Indo-Pacific.
(on-camera): Are you concerned about what China's navy is doing , particularly in the South China sea and around Taiwan?
REAR ADMIRAL JEFF JABLON, COMMANDER, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET SUBMARINE FORCE: I am concerned. You know, in today's world, we are facing two nuclear peer adversaries where we've never had that before. The Soviet Union and post Soviet Union-Russia was our peer adversary. We're now facing China, which has expanded and modernized their nuclear capabilities.
RIPLEY (voice-over): The Mississippi is one of 49 fast attack submarines in the U.S. naval fleet. The fleet also has 14 larger submarines carrying nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.
The U.S., U.K., and Australia's newly announced AUKUS partnership will send nuclear-powered submarines to Perth, potentially challenging China's ambitions for the region.
Beijing now has the world's largest navy. But U.S. submarines have the world's most advanced technology, a key advantage in underwater warfare.
UNKNOWN: Mississippi is ready to dive
UNKNOWN: Dive. Dive.
RIPLEY (voice-over): This sub is capable of diving deep and fast, descending hundreds of feet in a matter of seconds --
UNKNOWN: 300 ft.
RIPLEY (voice-over): -- at angles of up to 25 degrees, even standing up can be a challenge. Traveling underwater makes the submarine almost impossible to detect. The nuclear reactor is so quiet the submarine makes less noise than a whale. In the dark depths of the ocean, there's no light to navigate. Team relies on highly sensitive sonar.
JABLON: Well, the ocean environment is very unforgiving. So there are a lot of challenges that prevent a submarine from hearing another submarine or another surface ship, and you've got to be able to understand those different challenges RIPLEY (on-camera): The USS Mississippi, like all of America's nuclear
submarines, can essentially sustain itself under the water for weeks or even months at a time because of the nuclear reactor that powers them. They breathe re-circulated air and purified water. The only thing that they need to actually get resupply with is food for the crew members, and that means that they get used to spending a very long time not only without sunshine and blue skies, but also without regular communication or conversations with their families.
(voice-over): The food on submarines is surprisingly good, but spending months underwater can be tough. No mobile phones allowed. Outside communication only possible on emails. Sailors have to look after each other.
(on-camera): What most surprised you about life and working on a submarine?
STEVEN WONG, CREW MEMBER, USS MISSISSIPPI: Honestly, what surprised me the most was like the people, how close you get with each other. These kind of shared hardships together, you end up with a really strong bond.
RIPLEY (voice-over): The crew relies on that bond, carrying out complicated, dangerous tasks. Inside the torpedo room, technicians practice loading high precision weapons capable of taking out other submarines and ships.
UNKNOWN: In warning
UNKNOWN: Understanding warning
RIPLEY (voice-over): At the back of the sub, Jack o'Brien works with a team of technical engineers.
(on-camera): Do you ever get bored on a sub?
JACK O'BRIEN, CREW MEMBER, USS MISSISSIPPI: No, absolutely not. every day, I come in thinking I know what I'm thinking, I know exactly what's going to happen, what I gotta do.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Rear Admiral Jablon says deterrence is the key objective, even winning a war against an increasingly powerful China would likely result in devastating losses for both sides
JABLON: I'm confident that should we be called upon to fight, and hopefully that will never happen that we would win.
[03:14:58]
RIPLEY (voice-over): Submarines like the USS Mississippi, are constantly preparing for war. Ready at a moment's notice for whatever the future holds.
Will Ripley, CNN, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NEWTON: Now to Jerusalem, where Israeli police stormed one of Islam's
holiest sites, not once but twice on Wednesday.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
Video posted online shows the scene inside the Al-Aska (ph) -- aksa (ph) -- pardon me -- Al-Aqsa mosque during the second raid. Armed Israeli officers deployed stun grenades in order the worshippers to leave immediately.
Now, police said in a statement that dozens of juveniles had thrown fireworks and stones and tried to barricade themselves inside the mosque and that security forces helped the worshippers exit. The U.N. special coordinator for Mideast peace, said he's appalled by the clashes and arrests of some 350 people, actions that also drew widespread condemnation from around the Arab and Muslim world. Jordan has called for an extraordinary meeting of the Arab league. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOSSAM ZAKI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL, ARAB LEAGUE: The Israeli government is bent on inflaming the situation, whenever it has issues in the domestic scene. it reflects immediately on the Palestinians, and that's exactly what's happening now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now the fallout has been immense at a very sensitive time, with Jews celebrating Passover and Muslims marking Ramadan.
CNN's Hadas Gold has details and -- on that and shows us how the confrontation unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): The holy sites of the Old City of Jerusalem that you can see behind me are often the site of tensions, and there were expectations that something could happen once again this Ramadan, especially as it once again overlaps with Passover. But I think the events of overnight and the aggression seen from the Israeli police, that was at a new level, that was a bit unexpected.
(voice-over): Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem early Wednesday, where Palestinians worship during the holy month of Ramadan.
Video put out by the Israeli police shows officers entering the mosque by force as fireworks are launched at them. Videos on social media appeared to show officers striking people with batons. Eyewitnesses telling CNN police also fired stun grenades and rubber bullets.
The police said in a statement that they went in because hundreds of what they called rioters and mosque desecraters, barricaded themselves inside in a violent manner, and quote, "Through fireworks, hurled stones and cause damage." The authorities arrested more than 300 people during the incident.
Palestinian Red Crescent saying at least two dozen Palestinians were injured. Israeli police say two of their officers were also wounded.
(on-camera): The holy sites behind me are known as the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, or Haram Al-Sharif, the third holiest sites in Islam. You can actually hear the call to prayer going on right now, but it's also known as temple mount to Jews, and it's the holiest site in Judaism.
Now, there is a status quo that governs these holy sites and the Israeli police entering the Al-Aqsa mosque, which is this building right here with the black roof behind me, that is considered a violation of the status quo and then not only that mentoring but then -- them entering in the way they did firing stun grenades and rubber bullets that brought it to a whole other level.
(voice-over): Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have denounced Israel for what happened, the Jordanian foreign minister, saying the world must clearly condemn the attack.
Shortly after the raid, rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, the militant group Hamas, saying Israel's actions in Jerusalem wouldn't go unanswered. The Israeli military said it had struck Hamas weapons sites in Gaza in response.
Israeli forces entered the mosque again late night Wednesday, stunned grenades deployed as they ordered worshippers out. Police claimed they needed to break up a large group of what they call juveniles who were once more trying to barricade themselves inside. It's a further escalation of tensions and a volatile time.
Hadas Gold, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: I just feel like if, the United States (inaudible) Center for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland. He's also the co- author of a new book, "The One State Reality."
The Palestinian authority, has warned that, quote, "What is happening in Jerusalem is, in their words, a major crime against worshippers", we've had, you know, obviously, other countries also saying that this is not acceptable, but my question to you is what ends it, because we have seen some of the most violent months, that we have seen in years just in the last few months, and there doesn't seem to be an honest broker that can move in here and create any space to calm things down.
[03:19:58]
SHIBLEY TELHAMI, ANWAR SADAT PROFESSOR FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: The Arab league is meeting obviously to consider that Arab states are upset. It's not likely they'll do much other than try to essentially act like you're doing something because the public opinion care, and they don't want this to undermine their own stability in the Arab world. They don't want to anger their own public. The Security Council is going to be considering this but not likely
that much will happen other than trying to defuse the moment. So yes, I mean, obviously, it is potentially consequential. If there is an eruption, like a full scale into (inaudible) uprising, then it's going to draw more violence that's visible, between Israel and the Palestinians could also draw Hamas from Gaza as it has already a little bit this time, but in 2021 that you know expanded to do a much more serious and bloody fighting. So, of course, all of that could happen, but there is nothing that is going to prevent it. And you can basically, um, you know, move from crisis to crisis.
NEWTON: In terms of what Israel can do now to meet some of these challenges. I mean, and you point -- that you point out that not only are things that at a low, was any time talk with Palestinians of which they're basically nothing, there's nothing going on. But that Israelis themselves are politically divided.
TELHAMI: Oh, there's no question. I mean, you know, look, the demonstrations in Israel, the protests have been on a scale I had never witnessed before. You know, and I've been a watcher of this for decades. This is like what you might call an Israeli spring.
And yes, I mean, people feel that their democracy is genuinely threatened and you see it and they didn't accept the Prime Minister's promise to pause because they don't trust them. So, clearly, there's something really profoundly important is happening in Israel.
The problem, for the question about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is that most of it has been focused on inside, you know, the pre-1967 Israel where the democracy is obviously challenged.
But the reality of it is there that Israel controls also five million policies in the West Bank and Gaza, who don't have a voice at all, right? And so, for that reason, I think, you know, the attention has been focused on what is the judicial crisis, the proposal by the prime minister to overhaul the judicial system in a way that would give the government for more power and make it a lot less democratic.
Now, that's threatening enough. But even if you go back to the prior day, and if you were to withdraw the judicial proposals altogether, that's not going to address that question in Jerusalem, the question of the Palestinians who are under military rule.
NEWTON: I do have to leave it there for now, but Shelbi Telhami, thank you so much as we continue to watch these developments in Israel. I appreciate it.
TELHAMI: My pleasure.
NEWTON: Still to come for us, Vladimir Putin says relations with the U.S. are at a low point as he throws blame at Washington over the war in Ukraine, more in his comments straight ahead.
And later, trade, economics and the war in Ukraine, it's all on the table to be discussed during a meeting between the French and Chinese presidents set to begin just moments from now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:25:00]
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NEWTON: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited Warsaw for the first time since Russia invaded, making it clear he considers Poland not only a partner, but a friend forever.
Zelenskyy and Polish President Andrzej Duda signed an agreement that aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian military through the supply of Polish weapons. Now, Duda says Poland is delivering four fighter jets to Ukraine, in addition, before recently given. During the visit, Duda awarded Zelenskyy, Poland's oldest and highest order, calling him a man of outstanding qualities. The Ukrainian president thanked Poland for standing with Ukraine on a, quote, "Truly difficult path." Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): You have not abandoned Ukraine. You stood with us shoulder to shoulder. We're grateful to you. We believe that this is a historical relationship. It is a sign of historic strength between our countries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, Russian president Vladimir Putin, meantime, says relations between his country and the U.S. are now in quote, "a deep crisis."
He made that comment to the new U.S. Ambassador to Moscow as he went on to say that Washington's support for 2014 revolution in Ukraine, but that was to blame for the current conflict. He also heard -- we also heard from President Putin during a meeting of Russia's Security Council, where he alleged without any evidence, that western intelligence services may be involved in terrorist attacks carried out within Russia.
We go live now to London, where our Claire Sebastian has been watching all of these developments. I can't imagine what the U.S. ambassador was expecting in terms of handing over their credentials and seeing what the president's reaction would be. I mean, President Putin really couldn't resist taking a shot.
CLAIRE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I went and she wasn't particularly surprised, Paula, given the state of the U.S.-Russian relations, and the fact that this was a good opportunity for Putin to do this without an opportunity for the U.S. or any of the other ambassadors to respond.
He also, by the way, singled out the E.U., saying that they had initiated a geopolitical confrontation with Russia so he didn't hold back in this event. But it is true that the Russian rhetoric sort of blaming the U.S. for the conflict in Ukraine, calling -- saying that the western weapons deliveries have fomented the conflict has stepped up in recent weeks.
We even heard from the foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, who said that the reason why the war is at this, what he called, hot stage is because Ukrainian Nazis, as he put it, are using American weapons. So this is certainly a narrative that is stepping up in Russia.
On the accusation from President Putin that western intelligence he says there is reason to believe is involved in terror attacks within Russia, the U.S. has come out and really flatly denied that take a listen to the White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby on that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, NATIONAL SECURITY COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: Some early days of this war, we have been providing intelligence and information support to the Ukrainian armed forces to enable them to better defend themselves. We do not enable, nor do we encourage the Ukrainians to strike outside of Ukraine, and I really just gonna leave it at that.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SEBASTIAN: So that, of course, came just three days after we saw the death of a prominent Russian military blogger, Vladlen Tatarski, and an explosion in St. Petersburg. Russia had already accused Ukraine of being behind that, of course, president Putin taking that one step further.
(LIVE VIDEO FEED)
NEWTON: Claire, thanks so much for that update. And we now return to China. In fact, at any moment now, French president Emmanuel Macron will meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping. And Mr Macron's trip, as many goals of course, one stabilizing trade and diplomatic ties with Beijing. But another will likely be petitioning the Chinese leader to use his influence with Moscow to push for peace in Ukraine. We are looking at pictures right now as we await the welcoming ceremony between President Macron and Xi Jinping.
We go to Beijing now. Our Beijing Bureau Chief, Steven Jiang, is standing by for us. This is the kind of scene that China wants, certainly their country and the world to see. And yet that man right there, Emmanuel Macron, putting a lot on the line to try and move the needle on Ukraine will or will not happen.
[03:30:00]
JIANG: Yeah, that is going to be a challenge. We don't know what he's going to say to Xi Jinping. Obviously, before the trip he has left the door open, right? He didn't say no when he was asked whether or not China could be a peace broker in this war in Ukraine. But keep in mind, China still refuse -- refuses to call this war a Russian invasion.
They -- their officials -- their state media is still parroting a lot of Moscow's sub-talking points and that's the challenge here because China's self-acclaimed neutrality is being viewed very suspiciously and even in a very negative light in many European capitals from Paris to Brussels to many other seats of governments.
I think that is one thing Macron will have to -- have to find out from Xi Jinping himself where he really stands after that 12-point Peace Plan, which has been described as nothing more than 12 points of reiteration of longstanding principles with not much of a concrete plan to end this war.
But of course, Xi Jinping could offer Macron a policy -- a foreign policy win at a time when the French President obviously is facing a lot of domestic pressure because of his controversial pension reform.
For example, Xi Jinping could pledge to him that he would not arm Russia, for example, and also, he could just finally picked up the phone and call Ukraine President Zelenskyy, somebody Xi Jinping has not talked to since the invasion even though Xi Jinping has met with his close partner and friend Putin numerous times, including during the very recent state visit to Moscow, Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah. And obviously, Steven, is -- I know how closely you follow these, you know, these developments. China really post-Covid here, really wanted to go on the world stage and being seen as a world leader. And you see, Xi Jinping right there really leaning into that. We just had this deal again, the foreign ministers from both Saudi Arabia and Iran in Beijing also at this hour. And there you have him walking with the President of France. These are two Security Council members at the U.N. here to discuss diplomacy -- possible diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia.
JIANG: That's right. They want to be seen as a global advocate for the developing world at the very least, and they want to offer this alternative global order not led by the United States. That is actually one of the main things that unite Xi Jinping and Putin.
But obviously, this is a tricky balance they have to strike because the irony here, of course, even though European countries don't always see eye to eye with Washington, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, if anything, has really united the U.S. and its European allies more than ever.
That is something, obviously, in a way, putting China in a very awkward position, given its increasingly tight and close relationship with Putin and with the Russian government. But one thing that worth -- that's worth noting, of course, is Putin is not coming here by himself. He was accompanied by European Commission President von Der Leyen and she of course, has been very vocal. She considers China a central part of EU's foreign policy.
And she has -- she has also made clear how China deals with the war in Ukraine. What very much determined the future direction of E.U. China relations, but she also made clear that any Peace Plan that has not completely withdrawn Russian troops from Ukraine is a non-starter. And that -- that's obviously something Xi Jinping has never said.
And it's doubtful he will say that explicitly now, so that is why it's going to be very interesting to see what Macron and von Der Leyen could say to Xi Jinping that could move the needle, as you said. But at this point, I don't think many people are very optimistic. But of course, the point of this trip is also to show European unity as Macron came here together with von Der Leyen because one of China's strategies for a long time when it comes to dealing with the European EU members, of course, is divide and conquer. Paula.
NEWTON: Yeah. And as we watch these two men again, Emmanuel Macron getting his official welcome there in Beijing from the Chinese President. This is also about economic ties and Europe itself is trying to fend off any kind of recession, wanting to really have a robust trading relationship with China. Many large countries -- companies, pardon me --just Airbus, just to name one, that is looking to do more business with China. Clearly, China itself as well wants this engagement from Europe in terms of it being a market.
JIANG: Yeah, that's right. The lure of the huge -- this massive Chinese market of more than one billion consumers is always there. It's one of the reasons some of the European -- major European economies like Germany has been unrelenting when it comes to pursuing their business interests here, and France is no exception as well. That's why Macron is bringing with him a large business delegation, along with a lot of prominent cultural figures, as well to deepen cultural and people to people ties.
[03:35:03]
But even in the economic front, though, it's getting increasingly tricky because part of the lessons I think E.U. countries, including France has learned is to be mindful of the economic vulnerabilities when they are so close to -- so dependent on one country on certain things when it come -- when it came to Russia, it was energy, right?
So, that's why -- that's one lesson they took away from the war. So, I think that's why von der Leyen herself has mentioned even though Europe does not want to decouple with China, there is this -- there is this intention of de-risking, and that is a part of the bigger equation.
And also remember that this is also getting entangled in the whole rising tensions between the United States and China. For example, some of the European chipmakers are now caught in the U.S. restrictions on technology transfer. So, this is a very delicate balance for each side to strike, even though the lure of the market is definitely still very much here. Paula.
NEWTON: And Steven, I also want to ask you as we continue to watch this welcoming ceremony here. How important are the optics of what we're looking at right now for the domestic audience as far as Xi is concerned?
JIANG: Oh, very important because obviously, this is another example for officials and state media here to portray their most powerful leader in decades, Xi Jinping, as this global statesman, you know, where he is receiving all these foreign heads of state here and also broker peace deals where the United States had failed.
And also, of course, this whole narrative of China's increasingly important global leadership role, as you mentioned. All of this is being portrayed in state media in a breathless fashion. And of course, a lot of this says especially important, given the rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Even though China has always said they don't want to replace the U.S. as the next superpower that leads the world order, but the reality, of course, as I mentioned, they do want to be portrayed being seen as this champion of the developing world and the champion of alternative world order not led by Germany, as they say. Paula.
NEWTON: We continue to take in these pictures. Good luck with the weather there. It seems like a crisp, fine day for this kind of welcoming ceremony. Steven Jiang, I know that you're gonna stay on top of this over the next few hours as this visit continues. Thanks so much though for taking us through that welcoming ceremony. I appreciate it.
And we will be right back with more news in a moment.
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[03:59:56]
NEWTON: Ukrainian troops are fighting back as Russia keeps up the pressure on the city of Bakhmut.
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Ukraine said on Wednesday, its troops repelled 15 Russian attacks over the last day. Ukrainian soldier told CNN that heavy battles are underway in the city center and that all roads in and out of Bakhmut were under Russian fire. Meantime, President Zelenskyy is now suggesting that a pull out from Bakhmut is in fact possible, but only to prevent his troops from being encircled.
Western officials believe Ukraine is preparing for a counter offensive, but is already carrying out deep strikes on Russian targets in the south. Now, much of the grinding war in Ukraine is being fought from dark and muddy trenches that seem to be a throwback to Bygone War.
CNN's Ben Wedeman traveled Eastern Ukraine to show us what Ukrainian soldiers are facing.
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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the trenches, the deeper you dig, the better. The frontlines in the open plains of eastern Ukraine are a zigzag of earth works. In this area, positions have been static for a while. Olexii (ph), from the first tank brigade, has been here for six months. Sometimes it's quiet, he says, and sometimes it's loud. Sometimes
they, the Russians, try to break through. So far, they haven't succeeded.
(on camera): OK. You might wanna get down. Okay. We are told that Russian lines are just one kilometer from here. We're hearing occasional shelling. But nothing coming on this position, yet.
This soldier, also named Olexii (ph), peers through binoculars across no man's land, but only briefly to avoid drawing sniper fire. To be honest, at first, I was scared, he says. But humans can get used to everything. They're yet to get used to one threat hovering overhead.
All right and we've now taken cover because the soldiers say there's a drone flying over in the area, which they tell us occasionally drop grenades on their trenches, but not this time.
To the rear Sergeant Oleg (ph) checks that his Soviet-era T-64 tanks are in good working order. It's like an old car, easy to repair, Oleg (ph) tells me. With new cars, you have to take them to the mechanic. These are like a simple tractor.
But these tractors may soon be replaced by newer models. He says some of his comrades are in Poland being trained to use German-made leopard tanks. Spring has arrived in these parts, and with it growing anticipation of a Ukrainian offensive, new, more modern weapons than these old hulks could make all the difference.
Back in the trenches, all is quiet. But as we leave, a drone appears above us. Then our ride out arrives, 30 seconds, okay. Then artillery -- no time to waste.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, eastern Ukraine.
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NEWTON: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been called the Trump of the South. Now, thanks to his jewelry, this jewelry, he has another thing in common with the ex-American president. Bolsonaro's under investigation. We'll explain.
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NEWTON: More than 35 million people in the U.S. are still under threat of severe storms. After yet another day of extreme weather in the United States, at least five people were killed after a possible tornado tore through southeastern Missouri, early Wednesday. Now, the state's governor says U.S. President Joe Biden called him and offered to do, quote, "Anything he could do to help."
Now, when you take a look at this dramatic video, isn't that chilling as a tornado whipped through a field in Iowa. There were more than 320 storm reports across the United States on Tuesday and Wednesday alone.
CNN Meteorologist Britley Ritz is in the Weather Center and you've really been following all of this. Not over yet. What's to come?
BRITLEY RITZ, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately, no. We still have the threat for severe weather, once again, across parts of Texas and right on up into the mid-Atlantic. Thankfully, everything is sub-severe at the moment. Quite a bit of activity back into East Texas and ride on up into parts of the Tennessee valley. No watches, no warnings in place when it comes down to tornadoes or severe thunderstorms.
We're really focusing in on the flooding threat as we press into the next, oh, 12 to 24 hours. So, here it is, that flood or the severe weather threat showing you the areas in green where we have that threat for hail. We've had numerous hail reports across South Texas over the early morning hours and then damaging winds. We're talking winds of excess 65 miles per hour and then the flooding threat. You'll see areas in yellow where we have that greatest threat for flooding here.
Focusing on that, where we have about, oh, let's say 2 to 4 inches of rain expected. The time frame throughout the rest of your Thursday and into Friday, especially across the south, right along the gulf where we are expecting some of the heavier rain. And that goes all the way into Friday afternoon, and it pushes on up into parts of the Carolinas, where that flood threat will then be concentrated. Flood watches in place from Nashville, all the way down into East Texas and these go through the rest of your Thursday. Paula.
NEWTON: Britley Ritz, for us, very busy there in the Weather Center, and we will continue to have updates for you. Thank you so much.
Now, Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is always facing legal trouble on multiple fronts. He arrived at a federal police station in Brasilia, Wednesday, to answer questions about millions of dollars in jewelry he received from Saudi Arabia when he was in office.
And that's not the only investigation underway. But as Stefano Pozzebon explains, like his friend Donald Trump in the United States, Bolsonaro's not letting legal trouble interfere with his future presidential ambitions.
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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): A Trump ally and a former president, Jair Bolsonaro, summoned by federal police as part of a criminal investigation into his actions while in office. After a three-month stay in the United States, where he was hailed by Donald Trump himself.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Very, very popular in Brazil, the former president of Brazil, President Bolsonaro.
POZZEBON (voice-over): He has returned home last week, met with cheers from supporters on the plane and outside the airport.
UNKNOWN (through translator): I'm so happy with Bolsonaro's return.
POZZEBON (voice-over): When asked who would be elected president in 2026, his son, Eduardo, said this, if we have integrity in our elections for sure, I guess, Bolsonaro. Or maybe even before."
But his political future hangs in the balance as Bolsonaro is the subject of 16 different investigations from keeping and not declaring $3.2 million worth of luxury jewelry gifted to him and his wife as heads of state by Saudi Arabia, to much more consequential allegations like whether he incited the January 8 riots in Brasilia.
Bolsonaro says he has done nothing wrong and no charges have been filed against him. Bolsonaro, nicknamed Trump of the Tropics, knows how to rile up his base.
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JAIR BOLSONARO, FORMER PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL (through translator): There are certain themes in Brazil that cannot be spoken. One of them is the vaccine. They keep saying, science, science, science. But what I say is, freedom, freedom, freedom.
POZZEBON (voice-over): But also like Trump, legal rules now stand in the way of a possible comeback.
(on camera): What do you think would be not being able to run for presidency for the Bolsonaro brand?
UNKNOWN: His allies try to argue that Bolsonaro wouldn't be too hurt if that happened, because people would see that it was an injustice from the Supreme Court or from the electoral court. That's something that comes out of every -- every populist playbook.
POZZEBON: For some of his supporters, what Bolsonaro represents has already outgrown the politician.
UNKNOWN (through translator): If it's not him, there will be another one. There will be thousands, millions.
POZZEBON (voice-over): He could pass the baton to one of his sons or the former first lady. Bolsonoro's own Liberal Party is very known as a possible candidate, if her husband is barred from running, a challenge for anyone trying to fill his shoes.
UNKNOWN: There's no one else to challenge him in the exact same outfit that he uses right now.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Brasilia.
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NEWTON: There's some news, just in to CNN. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been diagnosed with leukemia. Now, that's according to an Italian newspaper. Two spokespeople from the flamboyant media tycoon did not deny the reports, when asked. One of them said they're not authorized to share his health information. The former Italian leader was hospitalized on Wednesday with breathing problems. And of course, we will bring you more information on that story as soon as we get it. We'll be right back.
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NEWTON: So, if you have a golfer in the house, you already know this. It's just hours away from the tee off time for the Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia, and all eyes again on Tiger Woods and it's been two years since the car wreck in California that seriously damaged one of his legs.
Brian Katrek is a Top Tier Host Analyst Course Reporter and play by play anchor for championship golf on numerous media outlets, and that includes Turner Sports. CNN's Don Riddell asked him how he expects Woods to play and what Woods might be expecting of himself.
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BRIAN KATREK, PGA ANALYST: You know, it was a little eerie to me early in the week, Don. He was -- he was downplaying his game a little bit. It didn't even come up. He talked about so many other issues involving the game that we kind of glazed over the fact that he's hitting it really well right now. He's walking really well right now. He's better than the last time we saw him. He focused a lot about making the cut last year and how he felt good about that. Obviously, that's a goal for him, but I -- he didn't talk more about that.
I am maybe a little higher on Tiger than I should be. I'm wondering what he's going to show us. He made the cut in Los Angeles in his last start. That's a tough golf course, looked good doing it, outdrove Rory, outdrove Justin. I'm kind of excited about what we might see.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT CORRESPONDENT: That's really interesting. This time last year, when he was much more banged up than he is now, he said, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win it.
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He was asked this year, well, what are your expectations? And he kind of dodged the question. He never addressed it at all. So, I don't know what to make of that.
KATREK: I think he doesn't want. I think he's perfectly fine with the focus being on everybody else right now. He's fine flying under the radar. There's still a lot of prep going on behind the scenes, as you know, to get him ready for rounds, and then in between rounds to get him finished with that one and ready for the next one, physically all of the work on his on his lower right leg.
But I think it's better. He looks better. It means he's been able to practice more. There have been no real issues since we saw him last in Los Angeles, and he looked good in Los Angeles. I'm just saying. I think that's exactly where he'd like it to be, too.
RIDDELL: So, we know Tiger Woods. We know what he's capable of, and we know what he can do on this golf course. But can he beat Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, three guys who are just running away with it at the top of the world rankings. What are these guys doing that nobody else is, right now?
KATREK: I think they're focused on each other. They're all driving each other, which it takes you back to something Jack Nicklaus said. Jack Nicklaus didn't have someone his entire career pushing him. He had Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer pushing him early in his career and a little bit of Gary Player and he had -- he had some Tom Weiss -- he had some Tom Watson. He had individuals, but he didn't have this run that we see right now.
Same for Tiger, he had individuals that were pushing him from time to time. But these three guys, the end of last year, the beginning of this year, putting on a whale of a show. Go back to Rory and Scotty, and Rory took the FedEx Cup away from Scottie Scheffler with Scotty having a big lead, you know. They're all getting after each other. Jon Rahm is as hot as anybody right now, pots the best of the three of them. Rory drives at the best of the three of them. Scheffler's iron game is the best of the three of them. And I think they're driving each other right now. I think that's why you're seeing them way in front of everybody else.
RIDDELL: If Rory wins, he gets to join the very small and very exclusive club of guys who have won all four majors. If Scottie Scheffler wins, he becomes as what -- only the fourth player to successfully defend the title here, the other three, also, legends of the game. Which would be the biggest story, do you think?
KATREK: I think at this point, it's Rory. Rory completing the career grand slam, especially for outspoken -- as outspoken as he has been on other issues, he's put more time into. It's been a long gap since his last major championship.
What that might lead to and honestly go back and you look at what -- Tiger wins here in 2019. We saw Phil win a major championship over the age of 50. These guys know their windows are a little bit more expanded, but they also have seen their window closed.
So, it would be very exciting, I think, because we'd see Rory back at the top of the game again, with plenty of time left on his calendar, as well. Nobody's promised anything, but that would be very exciting for Rory right now.
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NEWTON: All right, I'm Paula Newton. Thanks for joining me.
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