Tehran denies any talks with U.S., while Trump claims ‘major points of agreement’ with Iran - Monday 23 March
Trump says U.S. found “major points of agreement” with Iran and has paused strikes on Iranian power plants, but Tehran denies any direc...
China and France will hold three high-level dialogues on strategic, economic, financial and cultural issues this year, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after meeting with his French counterpart in Beijing on Thursday.
In a meeting Wang described as "constructive" that included discussions on bilateral and China-EU relations, he said both countries will also put to use the consultation mechanism between both foreign ministries for in-depth communication on common issues.
Wang met French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday morning at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Barrot is in China on a two-day visit that ends on Friday.
"In the face of profound changes in the international landscape, both sides should, as comprehensive strategic partners, demonstrate historical awareness, uphold multilateralism, oppose unilateralism," he told reporters after the meeting.
Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in agriculture, nuclear energy, aviation and aerospace, while exploring innovative industries such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, intelligent connected vehicles, green hydrogen and biomanufacturing.
"We will also encourage more capable and willing Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in France," Wang said.
Wang skirted the trade dispute between both countries but Barrot emphasised seeking a resolution to it.
France opposes any form of trade war and advocates dialogue on trade issues, particularly between the European Union and China, Barrot said, reiterating his country's defense of its cognac industry.
China had in October imposed provisional tariffs ranging from 30.6% to 39% on European brandy imports, days after the European Union voted for tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
The move affected French cognac brands the most, shrinking the value of their exports by nearly a quarter last year.
"I know that our common goal is to reach a rapid solution to this issue, which would allow us to focus our energies and efforts on building partnerships and investments for the future within the framework of a positive agenda," he said.
On the Ukraine war, Barrot pushed China to play a role in convincing Russia to negotiate with serious and good-faith proposals.
France and China's relations will be "all the more productive and all the stronger" if commercial and security interests were taken into account, he added.
Both ministers also commended their countries' joint efforts towards adddressing climate challenges.
"China is resolute in its commitment to advancing international climate governance and addressing climate challenges," Wang said.
France called on China for high-level participation alongside it towards commitments to the oceans.
The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and U.S. media said.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that American forces could target Iranian power plants if the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and Iran, in return, warned that any attack on its energy infrastructure would trigger strikes on regional facilities.
Trump says U.S. found “major points of agreement” with Iran and has paused strikes on Iranian power plants, but Tehran denies any direct talks or negotiations, contradicting U.S. claims - latest on Middle East conflict.
Iran has launched long-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards the joint U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, in what Israeli officials said was a major escalation in the war.
Georgia bid farewell to Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II on Sunday (22 March). He was considered one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the country’s modern history.
As Denmark gears up for a general election on 24 March, opinion polls show a narrow lead for Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, whose numbers have been boosted by her firm stance against U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to annex Greenland to the U.S.
Former French Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin has died at the age of 88, broadcaster BFM reported on Monday, citing party sources. The cause of death was not immediately known.
FinaFinal results from Slovenia’s parliamentary elections indicate a near tie between the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and the liberal Freedom Movement Slovenia (GS), leaving neither side with a clear path to power.
Violent clashes broke out between police and opposition protesters in Tirana on Sunday (22 March) as demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
In UK's capital, four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community organisation in north London were set ablaze, police said on Monday, adding that the incident was being treated as an antisemitic hate crime. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis called the incident "sickening."
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