Canadian warship in Taiwan Strait ‘undermines peace', says China
BEIJING: A Canadian warship passing through the Taiwan Strait 'undermines peace' in the sensitive waterway, China's military said Monday.
Beijing views self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province and claims jurisdiction over the body of water that separates the island from the Chinese mainland.
The Canadian vessel passed through the strait on Sunday and was the first to do so this year, Taiwan's foreign ministry said, coming days after two US ships made the passage.
Canada's actions 'deliberately stir up trouble and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,' Li Xi, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said in a statement.
The army had dispatched its naval and air forces to monitor and guard the passage of the ship, Li said, adding that the troops will 'resolutely counter all threats and provocations.'
The United States and its allies regularly pass through the 180-kilometer (112-mile) strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering China.
A US destroyer and an ocean survey ship traveled through the strait starting on February 10, drawing criticism from China's military, which said it sent the 'wrong signal and increased security risks.'
Washington's latest passage through the strait was the first since US President Donald Trump took office in January.
Taiwan's defense ministry, meanwhile, said it recorded 41 Chinese aircraft and nine warships near the island in the 24 hours to 6:00 am on Monday.
Beijing has never ruled Taiwan, but it claims the democratic island as part of its territory and has threatened to bring it under its control by force.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
2 hours ago
- Leaders
US-China Trade Deal 'Done': Trump
The US and China have agreed on a trade deal after two days of talks in London between American and Chinese officials. On Wednesday, the US President, Donald Trump, announced that a deal with China had been finalized. 'Our deal with China is done,' he posted on his Truth Social platform. US-China Trade Deal Trump added that the deal, which is subject to approval from China's President Xi Jinping and himself, will grant the US access to the rare earth metals it needs, while the Chinese college students will be able to attend American universities. 'Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities,' he said. 'We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. Relationship is excellent!' Trump noted. Framework Agreement The announcement followed two days of negotiations between American and Chinese officials in London to resolve trade disputes and ease export restrictions, reported Reuters. Both sides agreed on Tuesday on a 'framework deal' that adds crucial details to implement the consensus reached last month in Geneva to ease reciprocal retaliatory tariffs, according to the US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick. 'We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the call between the two presidents,' Lutnik said, referring to a phone call last week between Trump and Xi, which the US President said was a 'very good talk.' Lutnik told reporters that the framework would remove restrictions on Chinese exports of rare earth minerals and magnets and some of the recent US export restrictions 'in a balanced way,' without providing details. Similarly, the Chinese Vice Commerce Minister, Li Chenggang, said in a separate briefing that the US and China had reached a trade framework 'in principle' pending the approval of both presidents. Geneva Talks Last month, the US and China agreed to suspend most of their reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, following two days of talks in Geneva, Switzerland. Both sides announced in a joint statement that they agreed on a 110% tariff reduction for 90 days. Thus, the US would reduce tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China would lower duties on US goods from 125% to 10%, taking effect on May 14, 2025. Short link : Post Views: 126
Saudi Gazette
6 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Canada invites Saudi Crown Prince to attend G7 summit
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has formally extended an invitation to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to attend the G7 summit, according to the Canadian newspaper Global News. Leaders from the world's largest economies are set to gather in Kananaskis in Alberta for three days of talks that will begin on Sunday, June 15. The newspaper reported that the invitation stems from the Kingdom's status as a key player in Middle East diplomacy. "The Kingdom has been supportive of efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel continues to conduct a military offensive against Hamas that has created a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. The Kingdom has also hosted talks involving the United States on finding an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, a conflict that is expected to be among the major topics at the summit," the newspaper reported. Bloomberg has confirmed the Canadian invitation to Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It highlighted that the Kingdom's strategic importance is difficult to ignore, as it is a major player in two of the world's most important conflicts Gaza and the Ukraine-Russia war. Furthermore, Saudi oil production remains, and will remain, a solid foundation for the stability of global energy prices. The Vision 2030 plan has made the Kingdom an attractive investment hub in vital sectors, led by technology and tourism. These are opportunities that Canada hopes to have a share of, according to Bloomberg. The Economic Times reported on Tuesday that diplomatic observers expect the G7 summit to affirm Saudi Arabia as a global player with a constructive role in a world plagued by turmoil and security fragility. "Saudi Arabia's strategic relevance is hard to ignore; its role in supporting cease‑fire pushes in Gaza and hosting US-Russia talks on Ukraine makes it a key actor on two fronts of global conflict. Saudi oil production remains a linchpin in global energy markets, and Riyadh's Vision 2030 is positioning the Kingdom as an investment magnet in sectors from tech to tourism, a dynamic that Ottawa hopes to tap," it said.
Saudi Gazette
8 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Trump says US-China deal 'is done'
SINGAPORE — US President Donald Trump has said a deal with China "is done" after two days of talks between top officials in said that, subject to final approval from President Xi Jinping and himself, the US will get the rare earth metals it needs, while Chinese students can take up their places at American the US and China said they had agreed in principle a framework for de-escalating trade tensions between the world's two biggest month, Washington and Beijing agreed a temporary truce over trade tariffs but each country has since accused the other of breaching the on his Truth Social platform, the president said: "Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me."Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!)."We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. Relationship is excellent!"Chinese exports of rare earth minerals, which are crucial for modern technology, were high on the agenda of the meeting in the talks, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the deal between the two countries should result in restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets being US has criticized China, saying it has been slow to release exports of rare earth metals and magnets which are essential for manufacturing everything from smartphones to electric Washington has restricted China's access to US goods such as semiconductors and other related technologies linked to artificial intelligence (AI)."We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus," Lutnick told reporters."Once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it," he new round of negotiations followed a phone call between Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping last week which the US President described as a "very good talk"."The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5th and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting," China's Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said.A line chart showing US tariffs imposed on Chinese goods imports, and Chinese tariffs on US good imports, since 1 February. As of 1 February, the US had placed 10% on imports from China, which increased to 20% by 3 March, 54% by 2 April, 104% by 8 April, and 145% by 9 April. It then dropped to 30% on 14 May when a 90-day pause was agreed between the two countries. China only imposed 34% tariffs on US imports on 3 April, 84% on 9 April, and 125% on 11 April. It then dropped to 10% on 14 Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imports from a number of countries earlier this year, China was the hardest hit. Beijing responded with its own higher rates on US imports, and this triggered tit-for-tat increases that peaked at 145%.In May, talks held in Switzerland led to a temporary truce that Trump called a "total reset".It brought US tariffs on Chinese products down to 30%, while Beijing slashed levies on US imports to 10% and promised to lift barriers on critical mineral exports. It gave both sides a 90-day deadline to try to reach a trade the US and China have since claimed breaches on non-tariff Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China had failed to rollback restrictions on exports of rare earth said US violations of the agreement included stopping sales of computer chip design software to Chinese companies, warning against using chips made by Chinese tech giant Huawei and canceling visas for Chinese of this week's talks, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that it had approved some applications for rare earth export licenses, although it did not provide details of which countries were said on Friday that Xi had agreed to restart trade in rare earth materials. — BBC
