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☆ UK band The 1975 cancels Indonesia, Taiwan shows after Malaysia LGBT controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 23 (Reuters) - British band The 1975 said on Sunday they have cancelled shows in Taiwan and Muslim-majority Indonesia, a day after Malaysia banned them from performing there after their frontman kissed a bandmate on stage and criticised the country's anti-LGBT laws. "Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows," the pop rock group said in a statement, without elaborating. Malaysia's government halted a music festival in the capital Kuala Lumpur on Saturday and barred The 1975 after what it called "disrespectful actions". Homosexuality is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia. It was not immediately clear why the band cancelled their July 25 show in Taiwan, which has a proud reputation as a bastion of LGBT rights and liberalism, including allowing same-sex marriage in 2019.

Persons: Matty Healy's, Martin Petty, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Malaysia, Rights, Southeast, Southeast Asia LGBT, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Muslim, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jakarta, Aceh province, Southeast Asia

☆ Secretary of State Antony Blinken says US is 'working to put some stability' into relationship with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Kaanita Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN that the US is attempting to strengthen “lines of communication” with China to avoid conflict between the two superpowers. “We are working to put some stability into the relationship, to put a floor under the relationship, to make sure that the competition that we’re in doesn’t veer into conflict,” Blinken told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday. His visit was followed by similar trips by other high-level Biden administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and US climate envoy John Kerry. “I was very clear with my Chinese counterparts,” Blinken told Zakaria, referring to his trip last month. CNN previously reported that one of the key issues that did not get resolved during Blinken’s trip was the restoration of military-to-military communications between US and China.

Persons: Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Janet Yellen, John Kerry, ”, Blinken, Zakaria, Li Shangfu, Li, Lloyd Austin, “ We’ve, Vladimir, Putin Organizations: CNN, Aspen Security, US, Chinese Defense, China’s Equipment Development Department Locations: China, doesn’t, Colorado, Beijing, Moscow, American, Singapore, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Progressives dish on 'chilling effect' on Israel criticism after uproar over Pramila Jayapal's comments: 'We never do anything constructive on this issue'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Rep. Pramila Jayapal's comments on Israel caused an uproar this week in Congress. Even after Jayapal clarified her remarks about Israel, House Democratic leadership issued a statement rebuking her. Separately, 43 House Democrats said in a statement that they were "deeply concerned" about Jayapal's "unacceptable comments." "There's a few issues where any nuance is really discouraged," said another progressive House Democrat who insisted on anonymity to discuss the issue frankly. But Phillips held firm in his belief that it was important to firmly denounce criticism of Israel when it crosses a certain threshold.

Persons: Pramila, Israel, Jayapal, —, Mark Pocan, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, he’s, Leigh Vogel, Bowman, Isaac Herzog, I'm, Ilhan Omar, Minnesota, Rashida, Tlaib, Rashida Tlaib, Dean Phillips, Phillips, Dean Phillips of, Bill Clark, Israel — Organizations: Service, Democratic, Israel, House Democratic, Democrats, Republicans, West Bank, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Democrat, New, New York District, Rep, The Recording Academy, Reps, Dean Phillips of, Jewish Democrat, Michigan Democrats, Palestinian, Jewish, House Democrat, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Getty, Progressives, Israel Democrats Locations: Israel, Wall, Silicon, Washington, Chicago, Gaza, Wisconsin, Alexandria, Cortez of New York, New York, Westchester County, Congress, Palestine, Michigan, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Palestinian, Jewish Diaspora, Cortez, Africa

☆ Factbox: The Chinese groups accused of hacking the US and others
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

July 21 (Reuters) - Chinese hacking teams have been blamed by Western intelligence agencies and cybersecurity groups for digital intrusion campaigns across the world, targeting everything from government and military organisations to corporations and media groups. The Chinese authorities said it was not aware of such hacking and described the accusations as baseless. Palo Alto Networks, a U.S. cybersecurity firm, said its research showed BackdoorDiplomacy had links to the Chinese state and was part of the APT15 hacking group. The Chinese authorities have described such reports as "groundless accusations." APT 27Western intelligence agencies and cybersecurity researchers say Chinese hacking team APT 27 is sponsored by the state and has launched multiple attacks on Western and Taiwanese government agencies.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, China Nicholas Burns, Daniel Kritenbrink, BackdoorDiplomacy, TeamT5, Nancy Pelosi, Pelosi, Mandiant, Fanny Potkin, John Geddie, Jamie Freed Organizations: Microsoft, . Commerce, Wall, Storm, Reuters, Alto Networks, APT, U.S Department Justice, U.S, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, U.S, East Asia, Washington, Western, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, United States, Hong Kong

REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoSummary Countries at odds over which should pay climate financeEU wants China to contribute to climate fundsChina among countries not currently obliged to payBRUSSELS/BEIJING, July 21 (Reuters) - Record-breaking heat in China. The EU, today the biggest contributor of climate finance, has lobbied to expand the pool of donor countries that provide it. Climate finance refers to money that wealthy countries pay toward helping poorer nations reduce CO2 emissions and adapt to a hotter, harsher world. Advocates for the change argue that an expansion needs to happen before a new - and, likely, far bigger - U.N. target for climate finance kicks in after 2025. "It would earn China diplomatic clout, and pressure Western donors to raise their stakes on climate finance," he said.

Persons: Stringer, John Kerry, Janet Yellen, Kerry, Li Qiang, Pa'olelei Luteru, Luteru, Byford Tsang, Kate Abnett, Valerie Volcovici, Katy Daigle, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, BRUSSELS, U.S, Union, Reuters, EU, United Arab Emirates, of Small, WHO, United, Climate Cooperation, Initiative, Bridgetown Initiative, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, EU, BEIJING, COP28, Dubai, Beijing, U.S, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, States, United States, South Korea, U.N, Barbados, Bridgetown, Brussels

☆ 'Many may die' warns UN after end of Black Sea grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Russia quit the Black Sea grain deal on Monday, saying that demands to improve its own food and fertilizer exports had not been met, and that not enough Ukrainian grain had reached the poorest countries. The Black Sea grain deal was brokered a year ago by the United Nations and Turkey to combat a global food crisis worsened by Russia's invasion. The impact of the grain deal in terms of provisions of Ukrainian grain to global markets is "essentially not very significant," he said. Before Russia withdrew from the Black Sea deal on Monday, the U.N. had "brokered a concrete proposal" with the European Commission to connect a Rosselkhozbank subsidiary to SWIFT. "We remain open to explore solutions with the U.N. that would contribute to the resumption of the grain deal," EU envoy to the U.N. Olof Skoog told the council.

Persons: Martin Griffiths, Mikhail Khan, Sergei Vershinin, Rosemary DiCarlo, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Thomas, Dmitry Polyanskiy, Olof Skoog, Michelle Nichols, Sybille de La, Doina Chiacu, Conor Humphries Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Security, United, Security Council, U.S, Russia's Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, European Union, Russia, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, U.S, Chicago, United Nations, Turkey, Afghanistan, Djibouti Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Moscow, Crimea, Russia's, Paris

☆ China is drilling some of the world’s deepest holes in hunt for natural resources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The hole will eventually reach 10,520 meters (34,514 feet) into the ground at the Sichuan Basin in southwest China, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. The region is a major area for gas production and engineers expected to find a natural gas reserve there, the report said. These ultradeep holes stretch greater than Mount Everest measuring from top to bottom, which is about 8,800 meters (28,871 feet) tall. Drilling deep allows scientists to learn more about how the Earth was formed with the crust acting like a geological timeline of or world’s formation. China, the world’s second largest economy and the world’s biggest carbon emitter, has huge energy needs.

Persons: Chen Lili, ”, Xi Jinping, John Kerry, Xi, – Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Xinhua, China National Petroleum Corporation, Sinopec Corp, Reuters, Kerry Locations: Hong Kong, Sichuan, China, Tarim, China’s, Xinjiang, Russia, Soviet, Xinhua, Beijing

☆ Zelenskiy sacks Ukraine's ambassador to UK after criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom Vadym Prystaiko arrives for a radio interview in Westminster, London, Britain, April 8, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson/File photoKYIV, July 21 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Vadym Prystaiko as Ukraine's ambassador to Britain on Friday, days after the envoy publicly criticised the president. A presidential order, which said Prystaiko had also been removed as Ukraine's representative to the International Maritime Organization, gave no reason for the dismissal. Zelenskiy responded by saying Ukraine was always grateful to Britain, a staunch ally. Zelenskiy's order did not say who would replace Prystaiko, 53, an experienced diplomat and former vice prime minister who had held the post as ambassador to Britain for three years.

Persons: United Kingdom Vadym Prystaiko, Tom Nicholson, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Vadym Prystaiko, Prystaiko, Ben Wallace, Russia's, Zelenskiy, Wallace, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, International Maritime Organization, Sky News, British, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: United Kingdom, Westminster, London, Britain, Kyiv, Ukraine

[1/2] U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua before a meeting in Beijing, China July 17, 2023. REUTERS/Valerie Volcovici/File PhotoBEIJING/SINGAPORE, July 20 (Reuters) - Climate talks this week between China and the United States were buoyed by goodwill, but the world's two biggest carbon polluters achieved more on righting their diplomatic relationship than battling climate change. Kerry said China agreed that a target to keep global temperatures rises within 1.5 Celsius of pre-industrial levels should remain "alive". Kerry and Xie focussed on progress headed toward COP28, the annual U.N. climate summit in November. Questions remain about the longer term, should political winds shift in the United States or the two diplomats leave their posts.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Valerie Volcovici, Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Li Shuo, Li, Xie, Ma Jun, Ma, Premier Li Qiang, Wang Yi, David Stanway, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Democratic, GOOD AS IT, China, Greenpeace, Institute of Environment, Public Affairs, Communist Party, Daily, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, SINGAPORE, United States, Washington, U.S, Taiwan, Kerry, Paris, COP28, America, Premier, Dubai

The protester didn't follow through with his plan to burn the Koran in Stockholm, but he still kicked and partially destroyed one. Iraq told the Swedish ambassador to leave and recalled its own envoy to Stockholm. This led Sadr to declare last August that he was withdrawing from politics, leaving the Iran-backed Shi'ite groups in the driving seat of government. Sadr has mostly laid low since announcing his departure from politics, engaging supporters in religious events rather than calling them to the streets for protests. That has changed after the burning of a Koran in Sweden last month, when Sadr called on supporters to engage in mass demonstrations at the Swedish embassy and other parts of Iraq.

Persons: Sadr, Muqtada al, Mohammed Shia Al, Ahmed Younis, Mohammed Sadeq al, Saddam Hussein, Mohammed Baqir, Saddam, Sudani, Renad Mansour, Tom Perry, Michael Georgy, William Maclean Organizations: U.S, Iraq, Thomson Locations: U.S, Iraq BAGHDAD, Baghdad, Sweden, Stockholm, Iraq, Swedish, Iran, Europe, Sadr, Tehran, Washington

☆ White House regrets Kissinger had better access in Beijing than current US officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Jason Lee/Pool/File PhotoWASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday expressed regret that Henry Kissinger was able to get more of an audience in Beijing than some sitting U.S. officials, after the former top diplomat held talks in China. The White House said it was aware of the trip but that it was a private visit by a citizen. "It's unfortunate that a private citizen can meet with the defense minister and have a communication and the United States can't," said White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. Kirby said that administration officials "look forward to hearing from Secretary Kissinger when he returns, to hear what he heard, what he learned, what he saw." U.S. presidential envoy John Kerry concluded lengthy talks with Beijing on fighting climate change on Wednesday and current Secretary of State Antony Blinken went to Beijing last month.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, Wang Yi, Jason Lee, Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Xi Jinping, Li Shangfu, Lloyd Austin, General Li, John Kirby, they're, miscalculations, Kirby, John Kerry, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Trevor Hunnicutt, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, Foreign, of, People, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S . Defense, White, National Security, Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Washington, U.S, United, Ukraine, Taiwan, New Delhi, Asia, San Francisco

☆ A Speedo vs 'outdated swimwear' analogy has officially entered the US-China tech war conversation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador to the US, said Washington isn't playing fair in its tech race with China. Restrictions on China are like forcing it to wear outdated swimwear while the US wears Speedos, he said. The tech war between the world's two largest economies has been intensifying. On Wednesday, Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador to the US, found the most unexpected analogy to the US-China tech competition by comparing American restrictions on China to different types of swimwear. It also wants to slap further export restrictions on AI chips to China, the Wall Street Journal reported on June 27.

Persons: Xie Feng, Washington isn't, Xie, we've, Biden, China's Organizations: Aspen Security, Wall Street, Micron Locations: China, Colorado, Netherlands, Beijing

☆ US seeks soldier's return as trilateral talks over North Korea start
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, July 20 (Reuters) - The United States is actively engaged in ensuring the return of an American soldier who had crossed into North Korea, a U.S. official said on Thursday, ahead of a trilateral meeting with Japan and South Korea on countering North Korean threats. The U.S. is working hard to ascertain information on Private Travis King's wellbeing and engaged in "ensuring his safety and return," U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea Sung Kim said at the opening of the meeting. On Tuesday, King made an unauthorised crossing into North Korea, the same day a U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine visited South Korea for the first time since the 1980s. [1/3]U.S. Army soldier Travis King appears in this unknown location, undated photo obtained by REUTERS/File PhotoNorth Korea test launched two ballistic missiles into the sea early on Wednesday. South Korean government representative Kim Gunn condemned the missile launches and spoke of the strengthening of ties between the three countries.

Persons: Travis, North Korea Sung Kim, King, Travis King, Kim Gunn, Sakura Murakami, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, U.S . Army, REUTERS, . South, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, United States, American, North Korea, Japan, South Korea, U.S, Korea

☆ Xi meets Kissinger the same week US climate envoy Kerry was in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Henry Kissinger, the 100-year-old former US Secretary of State who is in Beijing this week for a surprise visit, met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday – a day after US climate envoy John Kerry wrapped up his trip to restart climate talks with China. Xi met Kissinger at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a diplomatic complex in western Beijing where China’s leaders often receive foreign dignitaries, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The meeting comes after Kissinger met with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who has been under US sanction since 2018 over China’s purchase of Russian weapons. Kissinger’s meeting with Xi is indicative of how highly he is regarded by China’s leadership. His previously unannounced visit overlapped with Kerry’s high-profile visit to Beijing, which saw US and China resume climate talks that had been frozen for nearly a year.

Persons: CNN — Henry Kissinger, Xi Jinping, John Kerry, Xi, Kissinger, Wang Yi, Li Shangfu, Kerry, Joe Biden’s, ”, Nixon Organizations: CNN, CCTV, Wang Yi and Defense, China’s, State, Beijing “, Communist Locations: Beijing, China, Diaoyutai State, Communist China

The planned recipient of the colorful batik top was Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, who has not been seen in nearly a month and is set to miss at least one other important meeting, in South Africa, next week. It is not clear whether even then Borrell would meet Qin as initially planned, the official said. The former aide to President Xi Jinping was appointed foreign minister in December after serving less than two years as ambassador to the United States. Qin's absence has also been widely discussed in the diplomatic community, with some saying it is another example of China's lack of transparency. Some diplomats have even started to speculate on who may replace Qin, with three telling Reuters the ranking vice foreign minister, Ma Zhaoxu could be a candidate.

Persons: Qin Gang, Qin, Yun Sun, Mao Ning, Wang Yi, Josep Borrell, Wen, Xi Jinping, Antony Blinken, Ma Zhaoxu, Ma, Wang, Xie Feng, Xie, Laurie Chen, Martin Quin Pollard, Yew, Tian, Kate Lamb, Gabriela Baczynska, Andrew MacAskill, John Geddie, Robert Birsel Organizations: China Program, Stimson, Reuters, EU, Australian National University, Qin, Baidu, London School of Economics, United, Aspen Security Conference, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, JAKARTA, China, Indonesia, Jakarta, South Africa, Washington, Johannesburg, Britain, United States, Beijing, Sri Lankan, United Nations, Brussels, London

WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday voiced mounting concern over Army Private Travis King, who dashed into North Korea two days ago, saying Pyongyang had a history of mistreating captured Americans. But North Korea had yet to offer any response, officials said. American officials remained stumped about why King ran across the border into North Korea. Asked whether King might have sympathized with North Korea, Wormuth said: "I don't think we have any information that points to that clearly." Last week, North Korea launched its newest solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which it said had the longest flight time ever.

Persons: Travis King, mistreating, Christine Wormuth, Washington, Wormuth, Otto Warmbier, John Kirby, King, Sabrina Singh, Army's, Singh, North Korea Sung Kim, Kim, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un, Jake Sullivan, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Oatis, Daniel Wallis, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S . Army, United, Aspen Security, White House, National Security, Army, Pentagon, Incheon International Airport, U.S, Reuters, South Korean, Thomson Locations: United States, North Korea, Pyongyang, United Nations, Colorado, U.S, South Korea, Japan, Incheon, Dallas , Texas, Korea

☆ China's Washington envoy warns of retaliation against further US tech curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 19 (Reuters) - China does not want a trade or tech war but will definitely respond if the United States imposes more curbs on its chip sector, China's ambassador to Washington said on Wednesday. Xie referred to reports that Washington is considering an outbound investment review mechanism, and further prohibition on the export of AI chips to China. "China, definitely ... will make our response. We don't want ... a trade war, technological war, we want to say goodbye to the Iron Curtain as well as the Silicon Curtain." She said the order would enacted in a transparent way, through a rule-making process that would allow public input.

Persons: Xie Feng, Xie, There's, Biden, Janet Yellen, David Brunnstrom, Grant McCool Organizations: Aspen Security, China, Labor Day, Micron Technology, Cybersecurity Administration, Micron, Treasury, Thomson Locations: China, United States, Washington, U.S

A global pattern of heat waves that have scorched parts of Europe, Asia and the United States this week have thrown that challenge into sharp relief. The World Meteorological Organization warned on Tuesday of increased risk of deaths linked to excessively high temperatures. In South Korea, deluges of rain have pummelled central and southern regions since last week. In recent days, temperatures in Xinjiang and other parts of Asia, as well as Europe and the United States have shattered records. On Tuesday, Beijing logged its 27th day of temperatures of more than 35C, setting a new local record for the most number of high-temperature days in a year.

Persons: Aly, Kerry, John Kerry, Hawaii's Big, Storm Calvin, Yoon Suk Yeol, Han Duck, ” Han, Han Zheng, Han, Wang Yi, Premier Li Qiang, Xie Zhenhua, Ryan Woo, Valerie Vocovici, Hyonhee, John Geddie, Stephen Coates Organizations: heatwave, REUTERS, Hawaii U.S, World Meteorological Organization, National Weather Service, Meteorological, Premier, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, South Korea, Greece, Hawaii, Beijing, BEIJING, SEOUL, Athens, U.S, Europe, Asia, United States, Cheongju, North Gyeongsang, Seoul, China's, Xinjiang, Turpan, Taiwan, Dubai

☆ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry hints at potential Xi-Biden meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, John Kerry, said U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping could meet later in 2023. BEIJING — John Kerry, special presidential envoy for climate, said Wednesday that U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping could meet later this year. Kerry was referring to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Summit — set to be held in San Francisco in November. There's a potential for Xi to visit the U.S. for the summit, and meet with Biden during that time. Han did not specifically mention such a Xi-Biden meeting in his opening remarks.

Persons: John Kerry, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, BEIJING — John Kerry, Kerry, Han Zheng, There's, Xi, Han, Biden Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, Biden Locations: BEIJING, San Francisco, China, Asia

☆ China will cut carbon emissions at its own pace, Xi says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —China will follow its own path to cut carbon emissions, leader Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday, as US climate envoy John Kerry called for faster action to confront the climate crisis in a high-profile visit to Beijing. Xi told a national conference on environmental protection that China’s commitment to its duel carbon goals – reaching a carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 – is “unwavering,” according to state news agency Xinhua. In the meeting with Li, Kerry stressed the “need for China to decarbonize the power sector, cut methane emissions, and reduce deforestation,” a spokesperson for the US State Department said in a statement. China and other fast developing nations have long argued that the world’s richest countries, especially those in the West, were able to become wealthy while churning out huge carbon emissions for decades. The US has said climate cooperation with China should be a standalone issue, separate from their disputes.

Persons: Xi Jinping, John Kerry, Xi, –, ”, Kerry, Li Qiang, Wang Yi, Li, Nancy Pelosi’s, Wang, Han Zheng Organizations: CNN, Xinhua, China’s, US State Department, Taiwan –, Reuters Locations: China, Beijing, Washington, United States, Taiwan

Mr. Kerry emerged late Wednesday from the lengthy negotiations in Beijing with no new agreements. In fact, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, insisted in a speech that China would pursue its goals to phase out carbon dioxide pollution at its own pace and in its own way. Still, Mr. Kerry appeared buoyed that the world’s two biggest polluters had restarted discussions, which had been frozen for a year because of strained relations over Taiwan, trade and other issues. He insisted he was not disappointed in the outcome, noting that just talking marked progress. “We had very frank conversations but we came here to break new ground,” Mr. Kerry said, adding, “It is clear that we are going to need a little more work.”

Persons: John Kerry, Biden’s, Kerry, Xi Jinping, Mr, ” Locations: Beijing, China, Taiwan

☆ China Rebuffed U.S. Calls for Tougher Climate Action
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, traveled to Beijing this week in hopes of persuading officials there to start reducing China’s carbon emissions on a faster timeline. But after three days of talks, Kerry emerged today without any new agreements. In fact, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, insisted in a speech that China would pursue its goals to phase out carbon dioxide pollution at its own pace and in its own way. Xi’s comments — which reiterated his plan to make China carbon neutral by 2060, but rejected outside influence — suggested that tensions between the U.S. and China were making it difficult to work together on a crisis that threatens the planet. Still, Kerry insisted he was not disappointed in the outcome, noting that just talking showed progress.

Persons: Biden’s, John Kerry, Kerry, Xi Jinping, —, ” Organizations: U.S Locations: Beijing, China

HONG KONG, July 19 (Reuters) - China's appointment of a top intelligence official to run Hong Kong's national security regime underscores its determination to tighten its grip on the financial hub, according to diplomats and analysts. Dong will bolster security oversight of Hong Kong, rocked for months in 2019 by pro-democracy protests that posed a crisis for Beijing's Communist Party leadership. Under the security law, China's national security office has sweeping investigative and surveillance powers, and enjoys immunity from city laws. Dong's appointment comes as Hong Kong prepares to bolster its national security regimen with a new law, called Article 23, that Hong Kong officials say will encompass espionage and treason among other offences not covered in the 2020 legislation. Additional reporting by Hong Kong newsroom and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dong Jingwei, Dong, Xi Jinping's, Tian, Robert Birsel Organizations: Hong, Beijing's Communist Party, Ministry of State Security, U.S, Hong Kong, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, British, Beijing, Hong Kong, China, United States, Britain, Australia

[1/2] U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, at right walks next to U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns as they arrive for meetings at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Ng Han Guan/Pool via REUTERSBEIJING, July 19 (Reuters) - Climate change is a "universal threat" that should be handled separately from broader diplomatic issues, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on Wednesday after two days of what he called constructive but complex talks. Acknowledging the diplomatic difficulties between the two sides in recent years, Kerry said climate should be treated as a "free-standing" challenge that requires the collective efforts of the world's largest economies to resolve. Kerry told reporters earlier that his talks with Chinese officials this week have been constructive but complicated, with the two sides still dealing with political "externalities", including Taiwan.

Persons: John Kerry, China Nicholas Burns, Ng Han Guan, Han Zheng, Kerry, Wang Yi, Premier Li Qiang, Xie Zhenhua, Han, Nancy Pelosi, It's, Valerie Volcovici, David Stanway, Stephen Coates Organizations: of, People, REUTERS, Premier, . House, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Beijing, REUTERS BEIJING, Europe, Asia, United States, Dubai, Paris, Taiwan

Earlier this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said contributions from Beijing could boost U.N. climate funds. It has, however, signalled a willingness to offer climate finance to developing countries through different instruments, like a South-South Climate Cooperation fund it launched in 2015. And the United States hopes that China will unveil its domestic plans to tackle the issue before the next U.N. climate conference in December. Global emissions levels have only risen since. The United States tends to look at overall national emissions, ignoring both historical emissions and the per-capita breakdown.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Donald Trump's, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Kerry, Xie, David Stanway, Katy Daigle, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: European Union, Treasury, Climate Cooperation, Technological, Biden, Kerry, Microvast Holdings, Global, European, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, United, Beijing, U.S, U.N, Rio de Janeiro, United States, Xinjiang, Paris, Glasgow, 1.5C, European Union, COP28, Dubai, Singapore

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