The Group of 20 economies yesterday condemned North Korea for its nuclear test, upheld a vow to fight terrorist financing and expressed concern about surging global demand for energy resources.
"All of the countries represented at the G20 deplore that test and the instability that it threatens on the Korean Peninsula," Australian Treasurer Peter Costello told reporters at a news conference at the end of two days of closed-door meetings of finance ministers and central bankers from 20 of the world's top economies.
In a final communique, the officials reaffirmed their commitment "to take action against money laundering and terrorist and illicit financing."
Though the statement didn't elaborate, it was certainly directed at North Korea and Iran, countries G20 member the US has accused of carrying out such activities.
Officials from 19 countries and the EU, the World Bank and IMF attended the talks in Melbourne, which were marred by large-scale anti-globalization protests on Saturday. There was tight security, but no protests, yesterday.
On Saturday police clashed with rock- and bottle-throwing demonstrators outside the meeting venue.
The skirmishes were orchestrated by a hardcore group of activists using "guerrilla" tactics, a top police official said yesterday.
Ten officers were injured, including one who was bitten by a protester and is now waiting on the results of an HIV-AIDS test, said Christine Nixon, the police commissioner of Victoria state.
"What we saw yesterday was guerrilla tactics," Nixon told a news conference. "These people don't have morals or standards."
Seven people had been arrested and more would soon be detained, Nixon said.
The finance ministers also discussed the global thirst for energy and resources, especially among fast-growing economies.
"Global demand for energy and minerals commodities is set to increase significantly over coming decades driven by a strong world economy, rising incomes and ongoing industrialization in many economies," the statement said.
"We have achieved a consensus that lasting resource security will be best facilitated by open trade and investment," Costello said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
Taiwan’s exports soared to an all-time high of US$61.8 billion last month, surging 49.7 percent from a year earlier, as the global frenzy for artificial intelligence (AI) applications and new consumer electronics powered shipments of high-tech goods, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. It was the first time exports had exceeded the US$60 billion mark, fueled by the global boom in AI development that has significantly boosted Taiwanese companies across the international supply chain, Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) told a media briefing. “There is a consensus among major AI players that the upcycle is still in its early stage,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
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