Trump receives elaborate welcome in China

China's President Xi Jinping (L) and US President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. (AFP)
Updated 09 November 2017
Follow

Trump receives elaborate welcome in China

BEIJING: President Donald Trump has received an elaborate welcome on his state visit to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) treated Trump to a grand display of Chinese hospitality in the courtyard outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Children waved US and Chinese flags and jumped wildly. A Chinese honor guard played the national anthems of both countries, and Trump and Xi walked along red carpets to review the troops. At one point, Trump started clapping for the kids.
US first lady Melania Trump and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan (puhng LEE’-yoo-en), also attended the ceremony.
The ceremony opens a day of meetings and business events between Trump and Xi that will culminate in a lavish state dinner in Trump’s honor.

North Korea is responding to President Donald Trump’s tough words in Asia by saying the US should oust him from power.
State-run media in North Korea is referring to Trump as a “lunatic old man.” It says the US should force Trump out “to get rid of the abyss of doom.”
It says the US should heed its advice “if it does not want a horrible nuclear disaster and tragic doom.”
Trump is in China, where he is expected to ask President Xi Jinping to do more to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
Before arriving in China on Wednesday, Trump told the South Korean National Assembly that “all responsible nations must join forces to isolate the brutal regime of North Korea.”

President Donald Trump’s visit to China has opened with diplomatic niceties aplenty from Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng), but thorny issues await the two world leaders behind closed doors.
Among them are potential tensions over trade and China’s willingness to put the squeeze on North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.
Before his arrival, Trump issued a stern message to Beijing, using an address to the National Assembly in South Korea to call on nations to confront the North.
White House officials said Trump would make the same pitch to Xi in private when the two sit down together Thursday.
China is North Korea’s largest trading partner and Trump is expected to demand that the nation curtail its dealings with Pyongyang and expel North Korean workers from its borders.

President Donald Trump says his welcome to Beijing was “unforgettable.”
Trump thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) on Twitter on Wednesday. He said: “THANK YOU for an unforgettable afternoon and evening at the Forbidden City in Beijing.” Trump added: “We are looking forward to rejoining you tomorrow morning!“
Trump is on a two-day visit to China. He hopes to press the rising Asian power on trade and North Korea.
The ceremony accompanying the US president’s arrival Wednesday afternoon was elaborate even by China’s lavish standards. Trump and his wife, Melania, were met by Chinese and American dignitaries, soldiers, a band playing martial music and children waving miniature Chinese and American flags.

President Donald Trump’s granddaughter Arabella Kushner has once again played a bridging role in US-China diplomacy.
China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported that Trump played a video of Arabella reciting ancient Chinese poetry and verses from the Confucian text the “Three Character Classic” to Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) after they met at the Forbidden City ancient palace complex in Beijing on Wednesday.
Xi responded that Arabella’s Chinese deserved an “A-plus.”
Earlier this year, a brief video clip of Arabella singing in Chinese circulated to strong approval on the Internet in China. The clip posted by Trump’s daughter Ivanka showed then 5-year-old Arabella singing best wishes for the holiday while playing with a traditional Chinese puppet.
Ivanka Trump and daughter Arabella also made a surprise visit to the Chinese Embassy in Washington in February to participate in Chinese New Year festivities.

President Donald Trump says he’s having a “great time” in China.
Trump commented after he and first lady Melania Trump took in a music-and-dance performance Wednesday in the Forbidden City by young opera students dressed in ornate traditional Chinese costumes.
They were joined by their hosts, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan (puhng LEE’-yoo-en). US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Terry Branstad, the US ambassador to China, are among US officials taking in the performance.
The show is part of an elaborate welcome Xi has planned for Trump that will extend into Thursday.
After the show, the youngsters shouted “Welcome to China! I love you.”

China is pulling out all the stops for Donald Trump’s airport arrival in Beijing.
The ceremony accompanying the US president’s arrival Wednesday afternoon was elaborate even by China’s lavish standards.
Trump and his wife, Melania, were met by Chinese and American dignitaries, soldiers, a band playing martial music and children waving miniature Chinese and American flags.
As Trump’s motorcade pulled away, the children jumped up and down while they waved and chanted.
The US president and first lady appeared pleased, smiling and accepting flower bouquets, with Trump at one point throwing his arms open and appearing to exclaim, “Wow.”

President Donald Trump is touring the sprawling Forbidden City compound in the heart of Beijing.
The 15th century compound was the imperial palace for several dynasties. Access was forbidden to all but the imperial family and those who had business with them.
Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) and their wives walked through the Gate of Supreme Harmony and gazed across a sprawling yet deserted courtyard. They all wore overcoats against the chill. After a guide explained the sites, the couples walked down a flight of stairs and into the courtyard.
They posed for photos, strolled toward the Palace of Supreme Peace and climbed another long flight of stairs.

President Donald Trump will push China on trade and North Korea during a two-day visit in which he will alternately cajole, flatter and scold the rising Asian power.
White House aides view Trump’s visit to China as the centerpiece of his lengthy tour of the region. Trump is mired in consistently low approval ratings at home and will encounter a newly emboldened Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng), who recently consolidated power in his country.
Before arriving in Beijing, Trump used a speech to South Korea’s National Assembly to send China a stern message.
He called on China to stop supporting North Korea, China’s largest trading partner.
Trump said “all responsible nations” must unite to isolate North Korea for its aggressive development of nuclear weapons.


Australia approves extradition of former US Marine over alleged training of Chinese military pilots

Updated 57 min 37 sec ago
Follow

Australia approves extradition of former US Marine over alleged training of Chinese military pilots

  • Australia’s Attorney General Mark Dreyfus approved the extradition on Monday
  • Daniel Duggan has been in a maximum-security prison since he was arrested in 2022

NEWCASTLE, Australia: Former US Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan will be extradited from Australia to the United States over allegations that he illegally trained Chinese aviators.
Australia’s Attorney General Mark Dreyfus approved the extradition on Monday, ending the Boston-born 55-year-old’s nearly two-year attempt to avoid being returned to the US
Duggan, who served in the Marines for 12 years before immigrating to Australia and giving up his US citizenship, has been in a maximum-security prison since he was arrested in 2022 at his family home in the state of New South Wales. He is the father of six children.
Dreyfus confirmed in a statement on Monday he had approved the extradition but did not say when Duggan would be transferred to the US
“Duggan was given the opportunity to provide representations as to why he should not be surrendered to the United States. In arriving at my decision, I took into consideration all material in front of me,” Dreyfus said in the statement.
In May, a Sydney judge ruled Duggan could be extradited to the US, leaving an appeal to the attorney general as Duggan’s last hope of remaining in Australia.
In a 2016 indictment from the US District Court in Washington, D.C., unsealed in late 2022, prosecutors said Duggan conspired with others to provide training to Chinese military pilots in 2010 and 2012, and possibly at other times, without applying for an appropriate license.
Prosecutors say he received payments totaling around 88,000 Australian dollars ($61,000) and international travel from another conspirator for what was sometimes described as “personal development training.”
If convicted, Duggan faces up to 60 years in prison. He denies the allegations.
“We feel abandoned by the Australian government and deeply disappointed that they have completely failed in their duty to protect an Australian family,” his wife, Saffrine Duggan, said in a statement on Monday. “We are now considering our options.”


South Korean opposition threatens to impeach Han over martial law counsel

Updated 23 December 2024
Follow

South Korean opposition threatens to impeach Han over martial law counsel

  • Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took over from the suspended Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached on Dec. 14
  • Yoon accused of hampering the Constitutional Court trial by repeatedly refusing to accept court documents

SEOUL: South Korea’s main opposition party threatened on Monday to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo if he failed to proclaim a law to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law.
Prime Minister Han has taken over from the suspended Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14 and faces a Constitutional Court review on whether to oust him.
With a majority in parliament, the opposition Democratic Party passed a bill this month to appoint a special counsel to pursue charges of insurrection, among others, against the conservative Yoon and to investigate his wife over a luxury bag scandal and other allegations.
The party, which has accused Han of aiding Yoon’s martial law attempt and reported him to police, said it would “immediately initiate impeachment proceedings” against the acting president if the legislation was not promulgated by Tuesday.
“The delays show that the prime minister has no intention of complying with the constitution, and it is tantamount to admitting that he is acting as a proxy for the insurgent,” Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae told a party meeting, referring to Yoon.
Han is a technocrat who has held leadership roles in South Korean politics for 30 years under conservative and liberal presidents. Yoon appointed him prime minister in 2022.
Han’s office could not immediately be reached for comment. He has previously said he had tried to block Yoon’s martial law declaration, but apologized for failing to do so.
Park also accused Yoon of hampering the Constitutional Court trial by repeatedly refusing to accept court documents.
“Any delay in the investigation and impeachment trials is an extension of the insurrection and an act of plotting a second one,” Park said.
A joint investigative team including police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials has made a second attempt to call Yoon in for questioning on Dec. 25, though it was unclear whether he would appear.
Woo Jong-soo, investigation chief of the national police agency, told parliament on Monday that police had tried to raid Yoon’s office twice but the presidential security service denied them entry. Woo said his team sent a request to preserve evidence, including a secure phone server.


India, Kuwait upgrade ties to strategic partnership on Modi visit

Updated 23 December 2024
Follow

India, Kuwait upgrade ties to strategic partnership on Modi visit

  • Modi awarded Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer for strengthening Kuwait-India relations
  • India, Kuwait leaders discussed cooperation in pharmaceuticals, IT, security

NEW DELHI: India and Kuwait upgraded bilateral ties to a strategic partnership on Sunday as their leaders eye stronger cooperation in “key sectors” ranging from pharmaceuticals to security.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a strategic partnership agreement with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during his trip to the Gulf state, the first visit by an Indian leader in 43 years.

“We have elevated our partnership to a strategic one and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish even more in the times to come,” Modi said in a statement.

“We discussed cooperation in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, fintech, infrastructure and security.”

During the trip, the Kuwaiti emir presented Modi with the Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer for his efforts in strengthening Kuwait-India relations.

The order is the highest civilian honor in Kuwait and is bestowed upon leaders and heads of state.

The emir said India was a “valued partner” in the country and the Gulf region and that he “looked forward” to India playing a greater role in the realization of Kuwait Vision 2035, according to a statement issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

The newly upgraded ties will open up “further cooperation in sectors such as defense … with the Kuwaiti armed forces,” especially the navy, said Kabir Taneja, a deputy director and fellow with the strategic studies program at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.

Their closer cooperation in major sectors will also “further India’s economy-first agenda,” he added.  

“Pharmaceuticals, for example, is a point of strength of Indian manufacturing and can contribute to further building the sector in states such as Kuwait,” Taneja told Arab News.

India’s pharmaceutical exports have been growing in recent years, and the country was the third-largest drugmaker by volume in 2023.

Delhi is also among Kuwait’s top trade partners, with bilateral trade valued at around $10.4 billion in 2023-24.

Taneja said India-Kuwait ties are also likely to strengthen through the Indian diaspora, the largest expatriate community in the Gulf state.

Over 1 million Indian nationals live and work in Kuwait, making up about 21 percent of its 4.3 million population and 30 percent of its workforce.

“(The) Indian diaspora has been part of the Kuwaiti story for a long time,” Taneja said, adding that strengthening ties between the two countries will allow India, through its diaspora, to unlock “deeper economic cooperation potential.”


Philippine military says will acquire US Typhon missile system

Updated 23 December 2024
Follow

Philippine military says will acquire US Typhon missile system

  • The US Army deployed the mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines earlier this year
  • It decided to leave it there despite criticism by Beijing that it was destabilizing to Asia

MANILA: The Philippine military said Monday it plans to acquire the US Typhon missile system to protect its maritime interests, some of which overlap with regional power China.
The US Army deployed the mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines earlier this year for annual joint military exercises with its longtime ally, but decided to leave it there despite criticism by Beijing that it was destabilizing to Asia.
Since then, it has been used by Philippine forces to train for its operation.
“It is planned to be acquired because we see its feasibility and its functionality in our concept of archipelagic defense implementation,” Philippine Army chief Lt. General Roy Galido told a news conference.
“I’m happy to report to our fellow countrymen that your army is developing this capability for the interest of protecting our sovereignty,” he said, adding the total number to be acquired would depend on “economics.”
As a rule, it takes at least two or more years for the Philippine military to acquire a new weapons system from the planning stage, Galido said, adding it was not yet budgeted for 2025.
The land-based “mid-range capability” missile launcher, developed by US firm Lockheed Martin for the US Army, has a range of 480 kilometers, though a longer-range version is in development.
The presence of the US missile system on Philippine soil had angered Beijing, whose forces have engaged in escalating confrontations in recent months with the Philippines over disputed reefs and waters in the South China Sea.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun warned in June that the Typhon deployment was “severely damaging regional security and stability.”


Seven dead in small plane crash in western Mexico

Updated 23 December 2024
Follow

Seven dead in small plane crash in western Mexico

  • The aircraft, a Cessna 207, was flying from La Parota in the neighboring state of Michoacan

MEXICO CITY: At least seven people died when a light aircraft crashed Sunday in a heavily forested area of Jalisco in western Mexico, local authorities reported.
The aircraft, a Cessna 207, was flying from La Parota in the neighboring state of Michoacan.
Jalisco Civil Protection said via its social media that the crash site was in an area that was difficult to access.
Initial authorities on the scene “reported a preliminary count of seven people dead,” who haven’t been identified yet, according to the agency.
“A fire was extinguished and risk mitigation was carried out to prevent possible additional damage,” it added.
Authorities said they were awaiting the arrival of forensic investigators to remove the bodies and rule out the presence of additional victims.