Latest news with #MinistryOfForeignAffairs
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China Urges U.S. to 'Stop Inciting Conflict' in Hegseth Row
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers an address at the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on May 31, 2025. Credit - Mohd Rasfan—Getty Images China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday issued a strong public rebuke of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of touting a 'cold war mentality' after he said China poses a real 'threat' that "could be imminent." In a statement posted online, the ministry urged the country to 'stop inciting conflict' in the "Asia-Pacific." 'China urges the U.S. to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region,' the statement read. The ministry shared its stance after Hegseth addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue defense conference in Singapore on Saturday and issued a warning about China's ambitions in Asia, saying it 'hopes to dominate and control too many parts of this vibrant and vital region.' 'China seeks to intimidate you in your own waters,' Hegseth told the crowd of defense ministers and security officials. 'China's military harasses Taiwan.' 'It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,' Hegseth said, arguing that the other countries in the room should be upgrading their own militaries and boost defense spending to prepare. 'We are not going to sugarcoat it—the threat China poses is real and it could be imminent.' In response, China's foreign ministry said that Taiwan is an 'internal affair" and argued that the U.S. is overstepping its bounds by 'stoking flames' in the South China Sea. 'No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself, who is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific,' China said. The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that Taiwan—which has its own democratically elected government—is a breakaway territory of China that is illegally run by separatists, and they seek to annex it or carry out a 'reunification.' The U.S. does not diplomatically recognize Taiwan, but it serves as a key ally and has made 'available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,' according to Congress. Read More: Why China-Taiwan Relations Are Getting So Tense Tensions have risen between Taiwan and China in recent months, as both the U.S. and China have ramped up their military presence in the South China Sea. However, Hegseth said in his speech in Singapore that President Donald Trump 'does not seek war.' "We do not seek regime change, nor will we instigate or disrespect a proud and historic culture. We will be ready, but we will not be reckless," said Hegseth of the U.S.' intentions. "Instead, we seek peace. But we must ensure that China cannot dominate us—or our allies and partners." Beyond mounting geopolitical tensions, China and the U.S. are in the midst of a trade war as they go back-and-forth regarding tariffs. On May 12, both nations agreed to significantly lower their tariffs for a 90-day period. The U.S. said it would lower import taxes on goods coming from China from 145% down to 30%. While China agreed to lower its tariffs from 125% to 10%. It was agreed that the actions would be put into effect by May 14, but progress has stalled since the marathon trade talks held in Geneva. On May 30, Trump accused China of 'violating' its trade agreement with the U.S. 'Two weeks ago China was in grave economic danger! The very high tariffs I set made it virtually impossible for China to trade into the United States marketplace,' said Trump via Truth Social, claiming that there was 'civil unrest' as a result of the high levies. Read More: Trump Accuses China of 'Violating' Its Trade Agreement With the U.S., Laments Being 'Mr. Nice Guy' In response, China said that the U.S. has 'discriminatory restrictions' in its use of export controls within the chip industry. 'Recently, China has repeatedly raised concerns with the U.S. regarding its abuse of export control measures in the semiconductor sector and other related practices,' China U.S. embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told NBC News. 'China once again urges the U.S. to immediately correct its erroneous actions, cease discriminatory restrictions against China and jointly uphold the consensus reached at the high-level talks in Geneva.' Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Friday said that China isn't America's biggest threat, and that the U.S. should look inward. Speaking at the Reagan National Economic Forum in Simi Valley, Calif., Dimon said: 'China is a potential adversary—they're doing a lot of things well, they have a lot of problems. But what I really worry about is us. Can we get our own act together? Our own values, our own capability, our own management.' Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China warns US not to ‘play with fire' over Taiwan
China has warned the United States against 'playing with fire' over Taiwan in response to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling the Asian power a 'threat to the region' at a high-profile summit in Singapore. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth said China was 'credibly preparing' for military action to shift Asia's power balance, accusing Beijing of rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan. China considers Taiwan, a separately governed island, to be a part of its territory and has vowed reunification by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. Hegseth's remarks provoked a swift rebuke from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stressed that Taiwan remains a domestic matter, warning foreign powers against using the issue as leverage. It described US actions in Asia Pacific as turning the region into a 'powder keg'. 'The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,' it had called on allies in the Asia Pacific region, including key security ally Australia, to spend more on defence after warning of the 'real and potentially imminent' threat from China. Calling the US a 'true destabilising' force in the Asia Pacific, Beijing accused Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and aggravating regional tensions. Beijing accused Hegseth of 'vilifying China with defamatory allegations' and promoting a 'Cold War mentality'. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a threat,' the ministry said, adding that it had lodged a formal protest with the US over what it described as 'inflammatory rhetoric'.China and the Philippines contest sovereignty over some islands and atolls in the South China Sea, with growing maritime run-ins between their coastguards as both vie to patrol the waters. Beijing also rejected US claims about threats to maritime navigation, insisting it has consistently promoted dialogue to resolve regional disputes and safeguarded its territorial rights within the bounds of international law. 'The US is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,' the statement read. China's Defence Minister Dong Jun skipped the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, with Beijing sending a delegation of lower-ranking representatives instead. It was the first time since 2019 that China has not dispatched its defence minister to the high-level dialogue on regional defence, except when the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tensions are already high between China and the US – the world's two biggest economic powers – over Trump's ongoing trade war and tariff threats.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
China warns US not to ‘play with fire' over Taiwan
China has warned the United States against 'playing with fire' over Taiwan in response to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling the Asian power a 'threat to the region' at a high-profile summit in Singapore. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth said China was 'credibly preparing' for military action to shift Asia's power balance, accusing Beijing of rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan. China considers Taiwan, a separately governed island, to be a part of its territory and has vowed reunification by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. Hegseth's remarks provoked a swift rebuke from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stressed that Taiwan remains a domestic matter, warning foreign powers against using the issue as leverage. It described US actions in Asia Pacific as turning the region into a 'powder keg'. 'The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,' it said. Hegseth had called on allies in the Asia Pacific region, including key security ally Australia, to spend more on defence after warning of the 'real and potentially imminent' threat from China. Calling the US a 'true destabilising' force in the Asia Pacific, Beijing accused Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and aggravating regional tensions. Beijing accused Hegseth of 'vilifying China with defamatory allegations' and promoting a 'Cold War mentality'. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a threat,' the ministry said, adding that it had lodged a formal protest with the US over what it described as 'inflammatory rhetoric'. China and the Philippines contest sovereignty over some islands and atolls in the South China Sea, with growing maritime run-ins between their coastguards as both vie to patrol the waters. Beijing also rejected US claims about threats to maritime navigation, insisting it has consistently promoted dialogue to resolve regional disputes and safeguarded its territorial rights within the bounds of international law. 'The US is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,' the statement read. China's Defence Minister Dong Jun skipped the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, with Beijing sending a delegation of lower-ranking representatives instead. It was the first time since 2019 that China has not dispatched its defence minister to the high-level dialogue on regional defence, except when the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tensions are already high between China and the US – the world's two biggest economic powers – over Trump's ongoing trade war and tariff threats.
Zawya
2 days ago
- General
- Zawya
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Expresses Solidarity with Nigeria and Conveys Condolences Over Victims of Flood
The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with the Federal Republic of Nigeria following floods that submerged the town of Mokwa in Niger State, in the north of the country, resulting in dozens of deaths and substantial damage to property. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Nigeria over this tragedy. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Zawya
3 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Morocco: His Majesty the King Congratulates Croatian President on National Day
HM King Mohammed VI sent a message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, on his country's national day. In this message, HM the King expresses to President Milanovic His warmest congratulations and best wishes for further progress and prosperity to the Croatian people. The Sovereign expresses His deep satisfaction with the close relations rooted in friendship and mutual esteem between the two countries, reiterating His firm determination to continue working with the Croatian President to strengthen the fruitful cooperation and extend it to all sectors, for the mutual benefit of the two friendly peoples. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
