US President Donald Trump yesterday struck a conciliatory tone with fellow world leaders at one of the most high-stakes G20 meetings in years, despite deep divisions on trade and climate change.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appealed for unity, with a long-running trade dispute between China and the US threatening to overshadow the event in Osaka.
The appeal seemed to have chimed with arguably the club’s most volatile member, as Trump dialed down his rhetoric against traditional US allies.
Photo: Reuters
Fresh from describing Germany as a “delinquent” for not paying enough into the NATO budget, he was effusive when meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“She’s a fantastic person, a fantastic woman and I’m glad to have her as a friend,” he said.
Merkel appeared well during the talks, a day after a second public shaking attack raised fears about her health. German officials have said that she is not ill.
Trump also hailed Abe for sending “many automobile companies” to the US, apparently heartened by a document Abe gave him showing investment in the US.
World leaders mingled and greeted each other during the family photograph, with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker whispering extensively into Trump’s ear.
Trump entered with Russian President Vladimir Putin, chatting amicably, and Putin patted his US counterpart gently on the back as they parted ways.
The pair met later for the first face-to-face talks since Helsinki in July last year with Trump hailing a “very, very good relationship.”
The meeting came after Putin in an interview with the Financial Times said that the “liberal idea has become obsolete,” a view that met with strong pushback from European Council President Donald Tusk.
“What I find really obsolete are authoritarianism, personality cults, the rule of oligarchs,” Tusk said.
Putin later received a broadside from British Prime Minister Theresa May, who said that normal relations would not be restored until Moscow ends its “irresponsible and destabilizing” activity.
It was their first formal face-to-face since the poisoning in the English city of Salisbury of former spy Sergei Skripal last year that plunged ties into a deep freeze.
Despite warm first encounters, the meeting could be one of the most explosive in years, with clashes possible over trade, Iran and climate change.
“We are seeing rising tension over trade and geopolitics, which are downside risks,” a Japanese official said on the sidelines.
The most eagerly anticipated event is to be today, when Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) hold their first face-to-face talks since the last G20, to thrash out a truce in their trade dispute.
Experts believe there is little chance of a full deal immediately, saying that the best hope is for a truce that would avoid Washington imposing new tariffs and ramping up the conflict.
However, even a truce is not guaranteed, with the Wall Street Journal on Thursday reporting that Beijing would not agree to any deal unless Washington lifts its ban on Huawei Technologies Co (華為).
Trump yesterday made a push to discuss US concerns about the Chinese telecom.
“We actually sell Huawei many of its parts,” Trump said at his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “So we’re going to be discussing that and also how India fits in, and we’ll be discussing Huawei.”
Also looming over the talks were tensions in the Middle East, but here Trump also seemed to step back, saying there was “no rush” to solve the crisis that has sparked fears of a military conflict.
Additional reporting by Reuters
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
COVETED PRIZE: The US president would be a peace prize laureate should he persuade Xi Jinping to abandon military aggression against Taiwan, William Lai said US President Donald Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize should he be able to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to abandon the use of force against Taiwan, President William Lai (賴清德) told a conservative US radio show and podcast in an interview. The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer, despite the absence of formal ties, but since Trump took office earlier this year he has not announced any new arms sales to the nation. Trump could meet Xi at the APEC summit in South Korea on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Lai, speaking on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
RSS