China warns Trump against tariff escalation, threatens response to supply chain deals
Beijing has warned the Trump administration against restoring steep U.S. tariffs next month and signalled it will retaliate against countries that cut...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that his country’s forces had captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine — a development that could further strain the fragile international efforts toward peace.
Posting on X alongside video footage of one of the alleged fighters, Zelenskyy warned that Kyiv has “information suggesting there are many more Chinese citizens” involved. He stopped short of claiming they were acting on Beijing’s orders.
“Russia’s involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war,” Zelenskyy said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Beijing, a close diplomatic ally of Moscow, has not publicly acknowledged any direct support for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now entering its third year. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not responded to Kyiv’s claims, and Reuters could not independently verify the allegations.
Ukrainian security official Andriy Kovalenko described the captured men as mercenaries but provided no further details.
Zelenskyy also contrasted the development with earlier reports of North Korean forces fighting in Russia’s western Kursk region, noting, “The Chinese are fighting on the territory of Ukraine.”
At a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said six Chinese fighters had been engaged by Ukrainian troops in total, and he hoped the incident would lead the U.S. to reassess its stance.
“We really hope that after this situation, Americans will talk more with Ukrainians, and then with Russians,” Zelenskyy said.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called the reports “disturbing” but said Washington had not independently confirmed the capture. She reiterated concerns about China’s role in supplying dual-use goods to Russia, describing Beijing as a major enabler of Moscow’s war effort.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry summoned China’s chargé d'affaires in Kyiv to demand an explanation. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine “condemns the presence of Chinese nationals among Russian combatants” and expects clarification from Beijing.
China and Russia signed a “no-limits” partnership just days before Moscow’s February 2022 invasion. Beijing has since positioned itself as a potential broker in the conflict but has maintained strategic ambiguity over its exact role.
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 magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
China has warned Myanmar's Kachin rebels it will block rare-earth imports from their territory unless they halt an offensive on a key junta stronghold, raising fears over the global supply of critical minerals.
China has consolidated its rare-earth sector into two state-owned giants, tightened export quotas, and introduced new supply-chain tracking systems as part of a sweeping push to reinforce its global dominance in critical mineral processing.
Beijing has warned the Trump administration against restoring steep U.S. tariffs next month and signalled it will retaliate against countries that cut China out of supply chains through bilateral deals with Washington.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 8th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told President Donald Trump he had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, handing Trump a nomination letter during a meeting at The White House. The two leaders met for the first time since the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
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