Ahead of youth month, Brand South Africa has partnered with the Sunday Times Generation Next to host this year’s youth marketing conference. The conference looks at youth brand preference and consumer behavior and explores how the youth can drive growth in local brands. This partnership is in line with Brand South Africa’s domestic objective of promoting and championing programmes that enhance the Nation Brand. 

International politics surrounding Taiwan is quietly changing thanks to a rejuvenation in Japan–Taiwanese relations. But revitalised bilateral ties are likely to spell trouble for already rocky Sino–Japan relations. [...] The Tsai Ing-wen administration has been especially eager to expand such ties with Japan because of its anxiety over Taiwan’s economic dependence on mainland China.

After meeting with the President of the Republic of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, the Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, said that relations between the two countries “have regained their traditional strength” following the State visit by the Argentine leader. He also committed to making “every effort” to ensure an agreement is reached between the European Union and MERCOSUR.

China and Italy will strengthen their cooperation in multilateral bodies, their leaders agreed during a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Italian counterpart Sergio Matterella on Wednesday. [...] The two leaders witnessed the signing of 13 cooperation agreements, which covered technology and innovation, medical science, cultural exchanges, aerospace, electronics and energy.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence moved Monday to assuage E.U. fears about the strength of Washington's support for the union and its commitment to European security through the NATO military alliance. In meetings in Brussels, Pence said he was acting on behalf of President Donald Trump "to express the strong commitment of the United States to continued cooperation and partnership with the European Union." 

With British Prime Minister May set to arrive in Ankara today to meet her Turkish counterpart, Binali Yıldırım, experts highlighted the importance of her visit, especially right after her trip to the U.S. Commenting on the visit, diplomatic sources in Ankara stated, "Prime Minister May's visit will reflect the fact that Turkey is an indispensable partner and a close ally for the U.K. on many issues of global importance, including trade, security and defense."

For the first in 13 years, the President of Kyrgyzstan made a visit to India this month. President Almazbek Atambayev paid a four-day State visit from 18 to 21. Atambayev had taken over as President in 2011 and his term expires on 1 December next year. [...] Kyrgyzstan is located in a strategically and geo-politically important region which is crucial for the stability and security of India.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to three Latin American countries will boost the comprehensive partnership of cooperation between China and Latin America [...] This is Xi's third visit to Latin America since he took office in 2013, hailing the flourishing momentum of the development of China-Latin America ties in past years.