China yesterday questioned whether the US genuinely seeks to repair ties damaged by a dispute over a spy balloon as the two nations’ top diplomats head to a security conference in Germany, where they might meet on the sidelines.
Chinese Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Wang Yi (王毅) is to attend the conference as part of a visit to several European countries.
Starting his trip, he on Wednesday had talks with French President Emmanuel Macron about the war in Ukraine.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Macron’s office said that in a closed-doors meeting, they discussed the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the world’s most vulnerable nations regarding food security..
They expressed “the same objective of contributing to peace in line with international law,” it said.
Wang was yesterday scheduled to participate in a session of a French-Chinese strategic dialogue with Macron’s top diplomatic adviser to discuss bilateral projects.
In the coming days, Wang is to travel to Italy, Hungary, Russia and Germany.
He is expected to speak at the Munich Security Conference, which starts today.
Wang’s tour is seen as part of China’s efforts to restore ties with European nations at a time of rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies — China and the US — following the US military shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon earlier this month.
The trip comes amid China’s persistent efforts to push back against Western pressure on trade, technology, human rights and its claims to a broad swath of the western Pacific.
China’s refusal to condemn the invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago, and join others in imposing sanctions on Russia as the war heads into a second year, has further frayed ties with the West and fueled an emerging divide with much of Europe.
In December last year, Wang defended what he said was his country’s position of impartiality on the war in Ukraine and signaled that China would deepen ties with Russia this year.
Speaking ahead of the trip, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) said Wang Yi would have “in-depth strategic communication” aiming to “promote new developments in bilateral relations, enhance strategic mutual trust between China and Europe, and exchange views on major international issues.”
In Munich, Wang Yi is expected to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Wang Wenbin yesterday said the balloon saga “tests the US’ sincerity and capability to properly handle crises and stabilize relations with China.”
The remarks came after Beijing rebuffed US attempts to arrange a telephone call between the two countries’ top defense officials.
The Pentagon asked for a call between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe (魏鳳和) right after the balloon was shot down on Feb. 4, but China “declined our request,” Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said in a statement last week.
“The US cannot ask for communication and dialogue on the one hand while sharpening differences and escalating crises on the other,” Wang Wenbin said yesterday.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old