Tracking U.S. trade deals before Trump’s tariffs take effect
With just one day left until Donald Trump’s 1 August tariff deadline, the U.S. has announced trade deals with several countries, but many remain inc...
Xi Jinping reaffirms China's stance on Taiwan reunification, warning against "separatist acts" as tensions rise with increased military pressure and U.S.-Taiwan ties.
No one can stop China's "reunification" with Taiwan, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year's speech on Tuesday, laying down a clear warning to what Beijing regards as pro-independence forces within and outside of the island of 23 million people.
In the past year, Beijing has stepped up military pressure near Taiwan, sending warships and planes almost daily into the waters and air space around the island in what Taiwanese officials view as a creeping effort to "normalise" China's military presence.
China regards democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory. But Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims and says only its people can decide their future and Beijing ought to respect the choice of the Taiwanese people.
"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification," Xi said in a speech televised on China's state broadcaster CCTV.
In his New Year's speech last year, Xi said China's "reunification" with Taiwan is inevitable, and that people on both sides "should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
Tensions have remained high throughout the year in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, especially after Lai Ching-te, deemed a "separatist" by Beijing, became the island's latest president in May.
Earlier this month, China staged a large massing of naval forces around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas after Lai stopped over in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam on a Pacific trip criticised by Beijing.
China, which never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, conducted two rounds of war games around the island this year, saying they were warnings against "separatist acts" and vowed to take further actions if needed.
U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, allowed by the Taiwan Relations Act, have also continued to strain Beijing's ties with Washington.
China has regularly warned the U.S. against any military ties with Taiwan, and slapped sanctions on military suppliers and their executives.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
With just one day left until Donald Trump’s 1 August tariff deadline, the U.S. has announced trade deals with several countries, but many remain incomplete or lacking firm commitments.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that South Korea’s reciprocal and auto tariff rate will be set at 15%, averting a steeper 25% levy ahead of the 1 August deadline.
Microsoft expects to invest about $30 billion in capital expenditures this quarter, part of an overall record of more than $80 billion planned for fiscal 2025, as its AI-powered cloud services continue to accelerate revenue and market value.
Egypt's military dropped humanitarian aid by parachute over parts of Gaza on 30 July, targeting areas unreachable by road as famine warnings intensify.
The United States and Israel have criticised Canada’s announcement that it will recognise the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, warning the move rewards Hamas and undermines peace efforts.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment