NUUK: &quot;We don&#39;t want to be Americans,&quot; Greenland&#39;s political parties said after US President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory. The statement late Friday came after Trump repeated that Washington was &ldquo;going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not&rdquo;. &ldquo;We don&#39;t want to be Americans, we don&#39;t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,&rdquo; the leaders of five parties in Greenland&#39;s parliament said. &quot;The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.&quot; Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump&#39;s threats to take control of Greenland, where the United States already has a military base. Trump says controlling the strategic island is crucial for US national security, given the rising military activity of Russia and China in the Arctic. &lsquo;Nice way or the more difficult way&rsquo;&quot;We&#39;re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland. That&#39;s what they&#39;re going to do if we don&#39;t. So we&#39;re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way,&quot; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-greenland-deal-will-happen-easy-or-hard-threatens-iran" style="color:#0073e6;">US president said Friday.</a> Both Russia and China have increased military activity in the region in recent years, but neither has laid any claim to the vast icy island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that an invasion of Greenland would end &ldquo;everything&rdquo;, meaning the transatlantic NATO defense pact and the post-World War II security structure. Trump has made light of the concerns of Denmark, a steadfast US ally that joined the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. &lsquo;Boat land there 500 years ago&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#39;m a fan of Denmark, too, I have to tell you. And you know, they&#39;ve been very nice to me,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;But you know, the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn&rsquo;t mean that they own the land.&rdquo; Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to meet next week with Denmark&#39;s foreign minister and representatives from Greenland.

Americas

Europe

US President Trump says controlling the strategic island is crucial for US national security, given the rising military activity of Russia and China in the Arctic.

'We don't want to be Americans': Greenland's political parties

FILE: An excavator loads a truck with rare earth at the Port of Lianyungang in Lianyungang city, east China's Jiangsu province, 31 October 2010. (AFP)

Asia

Japan embarks Sunday on what it says is the world's first bid to tap deep-sea rare earths at a depth of 6,000 meters, greater than the height of Mount Fuji, to curb dependence on China.

Japan to test deep sea rare earth mining to cut China reliance

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald J Trump said Wednesday that China and Russia fear and respect only a United States rebuilt under his leadership, arguing that American military strength depends primarily on US power rather than NATO alliances. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that &ldquo;the only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT rebuilt U.S.A.,&rdquo; asserting that NATO would lack credibility without American involvement.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008920160808091781&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6049400c4ece6876c01e87f3ab8cf27c57b7517e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 826px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2008920160808091781"></iframe></div></div>He claimed that Russia and China have &ldquo;zero fear of NATO without the United States&rdquo; and questioned whether the alliance would come to Washington&rsquo;s aid in a crisis. Trump credited himself with rebuilding the US military during his first term and said that this effort was central to global stability and deterrence. The president also repeated earlier claims that his leadership prevented Russia from fully overtaking Ukraine and that he played a decisive role in ending multiple international conflicts. Trump said: &quot;Remember, for all of those big NATO fans, they were at 2% GDP, and most weren&rsquo;t paying their bills, UNTIL I CAME ALONG. The USA was, foolishly, paying for them! I, respectfully, got them to 5% GDP, AND THEY PAY, immediately. Everyone said that couldn&rsquo;t be done, but it could, because, beyond all else, they are all my friends. Without my involvement, Russia would have ALL OF UKRAINE right now.&quot; The US president said: &quot;Remember, also, I single-handedly ENDED 8 WARS, and Norway, a NATO Member, foolishly chose not to give me the Noble Peace Prize. But that doesn&rsquo;t matter! What does matter is that I saved Millions of Lives. RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ZERO FEAR OF NATO WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM. EVERYONE IS LUCKY THAT I REBUILT OUR MILITARY IN MY FIRST TERM, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.&quot; &quot;We will always be there for NATO, even if they won&rsquo;t be there for us. The only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT REBUILT U.S.A. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT.&quot; &nbsp;

Says, ‘RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ZERO FEAR OF NATO WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM.’

Russia, China have zero fear of Nato without US: Trump 

ISLAMABAD: The European Union&nbsp;and&nbsp;China have&nbsp;called for calm and restraint in Venezuela following the aftermath of the US intervention in the country.&nbsp;The statement, issued by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, is supported by 26 EU member states, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.&nbsp;Kallas shared the statement on her social media account, X, on Monday.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007902058876448897&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=e7b973618ac13baeaa9694f9063a7a18ae1fa8fe&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> In the statement, the EU emphasized that all actors must avoid escalation and work toward a peaceful resolution to the crisis. It reiterated the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter, noting that members of the United Nations Security Council bear a particular responsibility in maintaining the international security framework. Blatant use of forceChina condemned the &ldquo;blatant use of force against Venezuela&rdquo;, which&nbsp;&ldquo;violates international law and basic norms in international relations&rdquo;, said the China Foreign Office Spokesperson in a statement on X. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 775px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008131825722601581&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard&sessionId=f576ada351bffaf2abd0c5d850ae9b1d9fee840d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;It said that the move &ldquo;infringes upon Venezuela&rsquo;s sovereignty and threatens peace and security&rdquo; in Latin America and the Caribbean region.&nbsp;&ldquo;China calls on parties to respect Venezuela&rsquo;s right to independently choosing development path, and work for stability and the return of order in Venezuela&rdquo;, said the statement.&nbsp;The statement added that it supports the UN Security Council &ldquo;in holding an emergency meeting to discuss the U.S. military strikes on Venezuela&rdquo; and supports the &ldquo;Council in playing its due role according to its mandate.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;China is ready to work with the international community to firmly defend the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international justice&rdquo;, concluded the statement.&nbsp;Venezuelan-led transition to democracyThe EU has consistently stated that Venezuelan President Nicol&aacute;s Maduro lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected leader and has advocated for a Venezuelan-led transition to democracy that respects the country&rsquo;s sovereignty. The statement stressed that the Venezuelan people&rsquo;s right to determine their own future must be respected. The EU also highlighted the importance of combating transnational organized crime and drug trafficking while stressing that such challenges must be addressed in full respect of international law, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. Unconditional release of political prisoners&nbsp;Kallas&rsquo; statement noted that the EU is in close contact with the United States, as well as regional and international partners, to support dialogue with all parties, aiming for a negotiated, democratic, inclusive, and peaceful solution led by Venezuelans themselves. The statement underlined that respecting the will of the Venezuelan people is essential for restoring democracy and resolving the ongoing crisis. It also called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners currently detained in Venezuela and confirmed that EU Member States&rsquo; consular authorities are coordinating efforts to protect the safety of EU citizens, including those detained illegally in the country.

China, EU reiterate the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter, noting that members of the United Nations Security Council bear a particular responsibility in maintaining the international security framework

China, EU call for calm in Venezuela following US intervention

ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan have called for more &ldquo;visible and verifiable&rdquo; actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent them from using Kabul&rsquo;s territory for terrorism against any other country. This was said in a joint press communiqu&eacute; of the Seventh Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue, shared by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its X account on Monday.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 650px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008047308374683926&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=e7b973618ac13baeaa9694f9063a7a18ae1fa8fe&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div>Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, is visiting China at the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China, Wang Yi, from Jan. 3 to 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;On January 4, 2026, Yi and Dar co-chaired the Seventh Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue in Beijing&rdquo;, the&nbsp;communiqu&eacute; said.&nbsp;The Afghan issue&nbsp;Pakistan and China, &ldquo;agreed to keep in close communication and coordination on the Afghan issue, work with the international community to encourage the Afghan government to build an inclusive political framework, adopt moderate policies, focus on development, pursue good-neighborliness, and play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve stable development and integrate into the international community.&rdquo;&nbsp; The two countries &ldquo;called for more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent terrorist organizations from using the Afghan territory for terrorism against any other country and to endanger any other country.&rdquo; Strategic communication&nbsp;The communiqu&eacute; said, &ldquo;During the dialogue, the two sides agreed to enhance strategic communication, deepen strategic mutual trust, jointly safeguard their common interests, promote the economic and social development of the two countries, and safeguard and advance peace, development, and prosperity of the region and beyond.&rdquo; All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners&ldquo;The two sides reiterated that China and Pakistan are All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners enjoying ironclad friendship and strategic mutual trust,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; added.&nbsp; It further said, &ldquo;The two sides will act on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, implement the Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era (2025-2029) signed by the two governments, and keep the building of the China-Pakistan community with a shared future at the forefront of the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.&rdquo; According to the communiqu&eacute;, Pakistan &ldquo;congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;China congratulated Pakistani leaders on leading the country to achieve macroeconomic stability and to lay a solid foundation for national economic growth centered on Pakistan&rsquo;s National Economic Transformation Plan (2024-2029) (URAAN Pakistan) and for its people to share the fruits of development and prosperity.&rdquo;&nbsp; One-China principle&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle, and reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China&rsquo;s territory. Pakistan firmly supports China on issues concerning Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; said.&nbsp; Meanwhile, it said &ldquo;China reiterated its steadfast support for Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.&rdquo; According to the communiqu&eacute;, &ldquo;China commended the comprehensive measures taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism and protect the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp; It said, &ldquo;China fully recognized the significant contributions and huge sacrifices that Pakistan made in combating terrorism over the years.&rdquo; &ldquo;The two sides reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with zero tolerance, and agreed to further deepen all-round cooperation on counter-terrorism and security, and make concerted efforts to ensure that the China-Pakistan Belt and Road cooperation advances in a secure and smooth manner.&rdquo; &ldquo;Calling on the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, the two sides expressed their firm opposition to double standards on counter-terrorism,&rdquo; the&nbsp;communiqu&eacute;&nbsp;said. On CPECOn CPEC, it said: &ldquo;The two sides agreed to further align their development plans and priorities, and build an upgraded version 2.0 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a pioneering project of the Belt and Road Initiative.&rdquo;&nbsp; According to the communiqu&eacute;, &ldquo;The two sides agreed to focus on the three key sectors of industry, agriculture, and mining, promote the building and operation of the Gwadar Port, ensure the smooth passage of the Karakoram Highway, and enhance Pakistan&rsquo;s capacity for sustainable development.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;The two sides will take the year-round opening of the Khunjerab Pass as an opportunity to deepen two-way trade and people-to-people exchanges.&rdquo;&nbsp; It added: &ldquo;The two sides welcomed third-party participation in CPEC cooperation that conforms with the modalities set by China and Pakistan.&rdquo; &ldquo;The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the financial and banking sectors,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; said. &nbsp; It added: &ldquo;The two sides expressed satisfaction at their expanding space cooperation and for the expected early entrance of Pakistani astronauts into the China Space Station.&rdquo;&nbsp; Jammu and Kashmir dispute&nbsp;According to the communiqu&eacute;, &ldquo;China reiterated that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is left over from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.&rdquo;&nbsp; The two sides expressed readiness to conduct trans-boundary water resources cooperation in accordance with the principle of equality and mutual benefit, it added. China and Pakistan &ldquo;expressed readiness to continue leveraging the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Dialogue and the China-Bangladesh-Pakistan cooperation mechanism to deliver new outcomes.&rdquo; The two countries &ldquo;reaffirmed their readiness to further enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative.&rdquo; &ldquo;China congratulated Pakistan on its outstanding performance during its UN Security Council presidency and expressed full support for Pakistan to work as the rotating president of the SCO from 2026 to 2027,&rdquo; the&nbsp;communiqu&eacute;&nbsp;said. Gaza ceasefire&nbsp;Pakistan and China &ldquo;called for an unconditional, comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people&rsquo;s right to self-determination.&rdquo; &ldquo;The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad next year on mutually convenient dates,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; said.</div>

Foreign Affairs

The two countries call for more ‘visible and verifiable’ actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security.

 Pakistan, China call for more ‘verifiable’ actions against terrorist groups based in Afghanistan 

BEIJING: China called on the United States on Sunday to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Washington carried out a strike on Caracas and captured the leader. &quot;China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela,&quot; the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement, calling the strike a &quot;clear violation of international law&quot;. Russia condemns Russia&#39;s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement concerning developments around Venezuela. &quot;In view of the confirmed reports about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse being in the United States, we strongly urge the US leadership to reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse,&quot; it said. &quot;We highlight the need to create conditions for resolving any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela through dialogue.&quot;

'China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela,' the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement, calling the strike a 'clear violation of international law'; Russia condemned the US intervention,saying it 'strongly urge[s] the US leadership to reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse.'

China, Russia call on US to 'immediately release' Venezuela's Maduro

BEIJING: China kicked off a second day of live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island&#39;s key ports and assaults on maritime targets. The two-day war games, code-named &quot;Justice Mission 2025&quot;, started on Monday and were slammed by Taipei as &quot;military intimidation&quot; by Beijing. China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy. AFP journalists in Pingtan &mdash; a Chinese island that is the closest point to Taiwan&#39;s main island &mdash; saw a volley of rockets blasting into the air on Tuesday morning at around 9 am (0100 GMT), leaving trails of white smoke. At least 10 rockets were launched, seconds apart from one another, each sending a booming sound reverberating throughout Pingtan as they soared across the sky. Tourists rushed towards wooden barricades overlooking the sea, whipping out their phones to snap photos and videos of the rockets. Shortly after, the People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement: &quot;At 9:00 am, December 30, the ground forces of the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted long-range live fire drills in the waters to the north of the Taiwan Island and achieved desired effects.&quot; The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States &mdash; Taiwan&#39;s main security backer &mdash; and comments from Japan&#39;s prime minister that the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo. Beijing warned on Monday that &quot;external forces&quot; arming Taipei would &quot;push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war,&quot; but did not mention any countries by name. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that any attempts to stop China&#39;s unification with Taiwan were &quot;doomed to fail.&quot; &#39;Live-fire training&#39; China said on Tuesday morning it had deployed destroyers, frigates, fighters, and bombers &quot;to conduct drills on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, simulated strikes, assault on maritime targets, as well as anti-air and anti-submarine operations.&quot; The statement from the PLA&#39;s Eastern Theater Command said the exercises in the waters to the north and south of the Taiwan Island &quot;tested capabilities of sea-air coordination and integrated blockade and control.&quot; On Monday, military spokesperson Shi Yi said the drills were &quot;a stern warning against &#39;Taiwan Independence&#39; separatist forces, and ... a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China&#39;s sovereignty and national unity.&quot; State broadcaster CCTV reported that a core theme of the exercises was a &quot;blockade&quot; of key Taiwanese ports, including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south. Chinese authorities published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where the war games would take place. They are due to finish at 6 pm (1000 GMT) on Tuesday. Taiwan stated that China&#39;s designated exercise zones, some of which are located within 12 nautical miles of its coast, have impacted international shipping and aviation routes. The island&#39;s government condemned China&#39;s &quot;disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries&quot;, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said. Its defense ministry said on Tuesday it had detected 130 Chinese military aircraft near the island in 24 hours, as well as 14 Chinese navy ships and eight unspecified government vessels in the 24 hours ending 6:00 am (2200 GMT on Monday). &#39;Stern warning&#39; Beijing&#39;s military released a poster about Tuesday&#39;s drills showing muscular arms &mdash; tattooed in Chinese flags &mdash; gripping hammers and beating the north and south of the Taiwan island. China&#39;s military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April &mdash; surprise maneuvers condemned by Taipei. Beijing said this month it would take &quot;resolute and forceful measures&quot; to safeguard its territory after Taiwan said the United States had approved a major $11 billion arms sale. It announced fresh sanctions on 20 American defense companies last week, although they appeared to have little or no business in China. On Monday afternoon, AFP reporters in Pingtan saw two fighter jets soaring across the sky and a Chinese military vessel in the distance.

Latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the US and comments from Japan's prime minister that the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo; Beijing warns that "external forces" arming Taipei will "push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war," but did not mention any countries by name.

China conducts second day of military drills around Taiwan

GENEVA: China has launched a complaint with the World Trade Organization over Indian measures on trade of solar cells and modules as well as information technology goods, the global trade body said Tuesday.&nbsp;The WTO said that Beijing had requested that it initiate so-called dispute consultations with India, charging it was breaching international trade rules.&nbsp;Beijing is challenging certain subsidies granted to India&#39;s solar sector as well as tariffs imposed by India on products such as phones or equipment for manufacturing flat screen display devices, according to the complaint dated on December 19 and circulated to WTO members on Tuesday.&nbsp;&quot;China said the measures in question include India&#39;s tariff treatment and certain measures that China said are contingent upon the use of domestic inputs and otherwise discriminate against Chinese imports,&quot; the WTO explained.&nbsp;In the request, China charged that the Indian measures were &quot;inconsistent with various provisions of the WTO&#39;s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures&quot;.&nbsp;WTO consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation.&nbsp;After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.

Economy

China filed a complaint at the WTO against India over solar sector subsidies and tariffs on IT goods, alleging violations of global trade rules and seeking dispute consultations to resolve the issue without formal litigation.

China launches WTO complaint over India solar, IT trade measures

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel in New Delhi has warned that India faces its &ldquo;greatest strategic challenge since 1971&rdquo; from developments in neighboring Bangladesh, pointing to the growing influence of Pakistan and China in Dhaka&rsquo;s political and security landscape, according to Indian media.&nbsp;The report, based on the 9th report of India&rsquo;s parliamentary standing committee on external affairs, says Bangladesh&rsquo;s evolving politics, weakening institutional structures, and resurgence of Islamist forces are reshaping the country&rsquo;s foreign alignment. It identifies the expanding footprints of China and Pakistan as core concerns for India&rsquo;s regional interests.&nbsp;The panel described the situation as a deeper, long-term strategic test with implications for India&rsquo;s national security and its policy in South Asia. It said the combination of internal shifts in Bangladesh and external influence could dilute India&rsquo;s traditional role in Dhaka and &ldquo;risk losing strategic space &hellip; not to war, but to irrelevance.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the report, youth-led nationalist sentiment and &ldquo;renewed Islamist activity&rdquo; in Bangladesh, coupled with stronger ties with China and Pakistan, are among the factors causing concern for Indian policymakers.&nbsp;Indian authorities acknowledged to the committee that they are monitoring developments in Bangladesh &ldquo;on a priority basis&rdquo; and have continued diplomatic engagement with Dhaka&rsquo;s interim government amid the ongoing transition.&nbsp;The committee urged New Delhi to bolster cultural, economic, and political outreach to Bangladesh to counterbalance the influence of rival powers and maintain regional stability. It also recommended enhanced engagement through platforms such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. However, it noted obstacles to renewed cooperation unless broader security concerns are addressed.&nbsp;The report&rsquo;s release comes amid debates over Bangladesh&rsquo;s geopolitical orientation, with some Indian commentators warning of shifting public sentiment in Dhaka and increased strategic cooperation with Islamabad and Beijing.

Bangladesh

India

The report says Bangladesh’s evolving politics, weakening institutional structures, and resurgence of Islamist forces are reshaping the country’s foreign alignment.

India risks losing 'strategic space' in Bangladesh amid growing Pakistan, China influence: Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China are conducting the two-week joint Warrior-IX counterterrorism exercise from Nov. 28 to Dec. 14 to enhance interoperability, showcase troop professionalism, and reinforce both armies&rsquo; commitment to peace and stability, the Pakistan military said. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the exercise is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Pabbi, Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The drills are designed to strengthen military-to-military cooperation and improve operational coordination in counterterrorism operations. On Dec. 11, a Distinguished Visitors Day (DVD) was held, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong as the chief guest, along with senior Chinese dignitaries. From the Pakistan Army, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Syed Aamer Raza attended as the guest of honor. During the visit, officials were briefed on the exercise&rsquo;s objectives, scope, and conduct.&nbsp; &ldquo;They witnessed various counterterrorism drills and appreciated the professionalism, operational competence, and high morale demonstrated by participating troops from both sides,&rdquo; the ISPR statement said. The exercise underscores the strong defense collaboration between Pakistan and China, reflecting a shared commitment to regional peace and stability, the statement added.

Security

Pakistan and China are conducting the two-week joint Warrior-IX counterterrorism exercise from Nov. 28 to Dec. 14, enhancing interoperability, showcasing troop professionalism, and reaffirming both armies’ commitment to peace and stability

Articles tagged with "China"