Minister of Culture discusses cooperation with Chinese Ambassador
He added: "We discussed modalities of cooperation between China and Lebanon in cultural matters and the dialogue of civilizations, especially since the two countries share an ancient civilization, which facilitates the implementation of joint projects. I also briefed the minister on the ongoing work in Dbayeh, where the new conservatory is under construction."
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Ya Libnan
4 days ago
- Ya Libnan
Alaska Summit: If Trump surrenders Ukraine, Beijing's next stop is Taipei
Taiwanese and Ukrainian flags. The Trump–Putin summit risks greenlighting China's move on Taiwan Russia made it clear on Wednesday that its position on ending the war in Ukraine hasn't changed since President Vladimir Putin laid out his demands last year: the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from key regions and the abandonment of Kyiv's NATO ambitions. Yet on Friday in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin will meet for the first U.S.–Russian summit since 2021. Trump has floated the idea of swapping land between Russia and Ukraine as the path to peace. But if Putin is holding firm to his maximalist demands and Ukraine refuses to surrender territory, what is the point of this summit? If Trump agrees to Putin's terms, it would be nothing short of a capitulation — a sellout of Ukraine's sovereignty and a dangerous precedent for the rest of Europe. Such an agreement would legitimize territorial conquest through war, reward aggression, and undermine the credibility of any security guarantees Washington offers its allies. And the stakes go beyond Europe. China is watching closely. Any gains Putin secures in Alaska will send a powerful signal to Beijing that military aggression pays — emboldening Chinese leaders to move against Taiwan. A Trump–Putin land-for-peace deal would not just weaken Ukraine, it could ignite a new era of territorial conquest from Eastern Europe to the Pacific. A summit without realistic middle ground is theater, not diplomacy. Unless Trump is prepared to stand firm against Putin's ultimatums and defend Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, this meeting is already a failure in the making — and could set the stage for the next global crisis.
Nahar Net
4 days ago
- Nahar Net
US-Russia summit marks Putin's first trip to West since Ukraine war
by Naharnet Newsdesk 13 August 2025, 17:31 For most of his quarter-century rule, President Vladimir Putin visited Paris, London, Vienna and New York. Since Moscow invaded Ukraine, however, his destinations have been places like Minsk, Pyongyang, Hanoi and Beijing, as the West sought to turn Russia into a pariah. Russia has countered Western attempts to isolate it by bolstering its ties with ex-Soviet allies and other developing countries. Putin's travel also has been limited by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in 2023 that has prompted him to avoid visits to places that recognize the court's authority. The U.S. isn't a member of the court and thus doesn't have an obligation to arrest him. The trip to Alaska will be Putin's first to the United States since 2015, when he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York. It's also his first visit to a Western country since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Here's a look at some foreign trips Putin has made since the start of the war in February 2022: 2022 June 28-29, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — Putin's visit to the two ex-Soviet nations was his first after launching the Ukraine war. In Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Putin attended a summit of the Caspian Sea nations to discuss regional cooperation. July 19, Iran — Putin met with leaders of Iran and Turkey, focusing on the situation in Syria. Sept. 15-16, Uzbekistan — In Tashkent, he held a summit of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a group dominated by China and Russia. Putin met on the sidelines of the summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, their first encounter since the war began. Oct. 13-14, Kazakhstan — Putin attended a conference aimed at promoting peace and security in Asia. Nov. 23, Armenia — Visiting Yerevan, Putin attended a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated group of nations that once were part of the former Soviet Union. Dec. 9, Kyrgyzstan — Putin attended a Bishkek meeting of the Eurasian Economic Council, an economic alliance of several ex-Soviet nations. Dec. 19, Belarus — Putin met in Minsk with President Alexander Lukashenko, Russia's neighbor and staunch ally that was a staging area for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. 2023 Oct. 12-13, Kyrgyzstan – Putin returned to Bishkek for a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a grouping of ex-Soviet nations. Oct. 17-18, China — Putin attended a forum of China's Belt and Road Initiative in a trip that underscored Beijing's support for Moscow. Nov. 9, Kazakhstan -- A visit by Putin to Astana, Kazakhstan, was part of his efforts to cement ties with the ex-Soviet neighbor and major economic partner. Nov. 23, Belarus — Putin attended a summit in Minsk of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security grouping of several ex-Soviet nations. Dec. 6, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — The Kremlin leader made a working visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in a lightning tour intended to raise Moscow's profile as a Middle East power broker. 2024 May 16-17, China — Putin visited Beijing to emphasize Russia and China's burgeoning strategic ties and his own personal relationship with Xi as they sought to present an alternative to U.S. global influence. May 23-24, Belarus -- Putin visited Belarus in another of several foreign tours to kick off his fifth term in office. May 26-28, Uzbekistan -– On a visit to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Putin signed an accord for Moscow to build the Central Asian country's first nuclear power plant. June 18-19, North Korea -– Putin made his first visit in 24 years to Pyongyang, where he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, a pact stipulating mutual military assistance if either country is attacked. North Korea later sent its troops to Russia to help fight an incursion by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region. June 19-20, Vietnam — After North Korea, Putin visited Vietnam and signed a dozen deals with President To Lam, seeking to bolster ties with a Soviet-era ally. July 3-4, Kazakhstan – Putin and Xi joined the leaders of other countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, for an annual meeting of the security group created by Moscow and Beijing to counter Western alliances. Aug. 18-19, Azerbaijan – Putin made a state visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, where he met President Ilham Aliyev to secure trade routes and retain Moscow's clout in the South Caucasus. Sept. 2-3, Mongolia — Putin made an official visit to Mongolia, where he got a red-carpet welcome as the country — a member of the International Criminal Court — ignored calls to arrest him on a warrant for alleged war crimes stemming from Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Oct. 11, Turkmenistan – Putin visited Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where he met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of an international forum and discussed the situation in the Middle East. Nov. 28, Kazakhstan — Putin traveled to Astana for a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security grouping of several ex-Soviet nations. Dec. 6, Belarus — In Minsk, Putin and Lukashenko signed a security pact that for the first time put Belarus under Russia's nuclear umbrella, including the potential use of Russian tactical nuclear weapons to respond to an aggression. 2025 June 27, Belarus -– Putin traveled to Minsk for a summit of the Eurasian Economic Council, an economic alliance of several ex-Soviet nations.
MTV Lebanon
5 days ago
- MTV Lebanon
US, China Extend Tariff Truce by 90 Days, Averting Surge in Duties
The United States and China have extended a tariff truce for another 90 days, staving off triple-digit duties on each other's goods as U.S. retailers get ready to ramp up inventories ahead of the critical end-of-year holiday season. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform on Monday that he had signed an executive order suspending the imposition of higher tariffs until 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT) on November 10, with all other elements of the truce to remain in place. China's Commerce Ministry issued a parallel pause on extra tariffs early on Tuesday, also postponing for 90 days the addition of U.S. firms it had targeted in April to trade and investment restriction lists. "The United States continues to have discussions with the PRC to address the lack of trade reciprocity in our economic relationship and our resulting national and economic security concerns," Trump's executive order stated, using the acronym for the People's Republic of China. The tariff truce between Beijing and Washington had been due to expire on Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT). The extension until early November buys crucial time for the seasonal autumn surge of imports for the Christmas season, including electronics, apparel and toys at lower tariff rates. The new order prevents U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from shooting up to 145%, while Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods were set to hit 125% - rates that would have resulted in a virtual trade embargo between the two countries. It locks in place - at least for now - a 30% tariff on Chinese imports, with Chinese duties on U.S. imports at 10%. There was relief on the streets of China's capital, where officials are grappling with the challenge Trump's trade policy poses to the economy's long-standing, export-oriented growth model. "I don't think either China or the United States wants to see their relationship continue to deteriorate," said Wang Mingyue, a 39-year-old professional working in robotics. "That's why both are taking the current approach, but the game and confrontation may not be over yet - so there's still risk." Markets showed optimism for a breakthrough between the two superpowers, with Asian stocks rising and currencies mostly steady, after treading water for weeks. Trump told CNBC last week that the U.S. and China were getting very close to a trade agreement and he would meet Xi before the end of the year if a deal was struck. The two sides announced a truce in their trade dispute in May after talks in Geneva, Switzerland, agreeing to a 90-day period to allow further talks. They met again in Stockholm, Sweden, in late July, and U.S. negotiators returned to Washington with a recommendation that Trump extend the deadline. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said repeatedly that the triple-digit import duties both sides slapped on each other's goods in the spring were untenable and had essentially imposed a trade embargo between the world's two largest economies. "It wouldn't be a Trump-style negotiation if it didn't go right down to the wire," said Kelly Ann Shaw, a senior White House trade official during Trump's first term and now with law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. She said Trump had likely pressed China for further concessions before agreeing to the extension. Trump pushed for additional concessions on Sunday, urging China to quadruple its soybean purchases, although analysts questioned the feasibility of any such deal. Trump did not repeat the demand on Monday. "What is he going to offer in exchange?" said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing. "China says: 'you should allow us to buy more high-tech goods,' but the U.S. is reluctant." Xu said Trump's refusal to ease his 20% tariff on Chinese goods over fentanyl flows suggested both sides believed they could continue to withstand the trade shock. "If (Trump) escalates, he will struggle to gain an upper hand over China, which has many cards to play," Xu said. China's exports to the U.S. fell an annual 21.7% last month, according to the country's latest trade data, while shipments to Southeast Asia rose 16.6% over the same period as manufacturers sought to pivot to new markets and capitalise on a separate reprieve that allowed trans-shipment to the U.S. Separate U.S. data released last week showed the trade deficit with China shrank to its lowest in more than 21 years in June. Still, analysts expect the world's two largest economies to reach an agreement before long, as their deep interdependence makes pursuing alternative markets unattractive over the long term. Ryan Majerus, a former U.S. trade official now with the King & Spalding law firm, said the news would give both sides more time to work through long-standing trade concerns. 'This will undoubtedly lower anxiety on both sides as talks continue, and as the U.S. and China work toward a framework deal in the fall," he said. Washington has also been pressing Beijing to stop buying Russian oil to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine, with Trump threatening to impose secondary tariffs on China.
