Three China execs among dead as president condemns Mali attack

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday condemned the ''cruel and savage'' attack by Islamist militants on a hotel in Mali's capital that killed 19 people, including three Chinese executives of a state-run railway firm.

Gunmen shouting Islamic slogans attacked the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako on Friday, before Malian commandos stormed the building and freed 170 hostages.

Xi called on "relevant departments" to strengthen security work "outside of China's borders", the Foreign Ministry cited Xi as saying in a statement on its website.

"China will strengthen cooperation with the international community, resolutely crack down on violent terrorist operations that devastate innocent lives and safeguard world peace and security," Xi said.

The three Chinese people killed were executives with China's state-owned China Railway Construction Corp, the company said in a statement on its website.

"China Railway Construction Corp is deeply saddened by the deaths of the three employees, and we express our deep condolences to the families of the victims and strongly condemn the atrocities committed by the terrorists," it said.

Zhou Tianxiang and Wang Xuanshang, general manager and deputy general manager of the company's international division, and Chang Xuehui, general manager of its West Africa division, were killed, the statement said.

The attack on the hotel was claimed by jihadist group Al Mourabitoun and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and is the latest in a series of deadly raids this year in Mali, which has battled Islamist rebels based in its desert north for years.

China vowed this week to bring to justice those responsible for killing one of its citizens after Islamic State said it had killed a Chinese captive.

Beijing has repeatedly denounced Islamist militants and urged the world to step up coordination in combating Islamic State, though it has been reluctant to get involved on the ground in Syria and Iraq where the group largely operates.

Chinese officials say the country faces a severe threat from Islamist separatists in its western Xinjiang region, where violence has left hundreds dead over the past three years.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Xi endures lonely red-carpet APEC welcome in PH

Philippine President Benigno Aquino promised to be the "perfect host" to all leaders attending a regional summit, but a long and lonely red carpet welcome walk for China's Xi Jinping on Wednesday betrayed their nations' icy ties.

Aquino led the heads of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group along a red carpet laid throughout the summit venue in Manila to a stage where they gathered for an opening ceremony.

Xi and Chile's Michelle Bachelet were in the front row alongside Aquino.

But Aquino conversed only with Bachelet, laughing and chatting amiably, leaving Xi to plod sombrely alone through the sprawling convention centre with nobody to talk with.

The awkward walk, which lasted four minutes and seven seconds, ended when Xi entered the hall for the opening ceremony and an unidentified official approached him.

China and the Philippines are locked in a bitter diplomatic row over rival claims to parts of the South China Sea.

The Philippines had feared Xi may snub the summit because of the dispute.



When asked why Aquino had not moved to talk with Xi and whether it could be interpreted as a snub, Philippine presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma declined to respond directly.

"It was a long walk, your question might be speculative," Coloma said.

But Coloma said the two leaders had before the walk held a "warm and cordial" conversation for two minutes, although this was not captured on video.

When world leaders meet at any event, body language and personal interactions are often closely watched as a means of gauging a bigger picture on diplomatic relations.

When Xi was APEC host last year, a handshake with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe highlighted the longstanding and deep-seated tensions between their two nations.

Xi did not smile or speak, turning away from Abe to face the cameras even before the translator had finished speaking, and looked distinctly unimpressed.

Netizens quickly compared the pair to Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore -- Abe taking the role of the miserable, downtrodden donkey of the AA Milne novels.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Asia-Pacific leaders gather in Philippines under security shadow

MANILA - US President Barack Obama and other Asia-Pacific leaders will arrive in the Philippines Tuesday for a summit meant to foster trade unity but with terrorism and territorial rows in focus.

The two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will begin Wednesday under the global shadow cast by last week's murderous rampage in Paris that killed at least 129 people.

While the 21-member APEC group's mission is to promote trade, the leaders will undoubtedly discuss the tragic events in the French capital and efforts to counter the Islamic State group, which has claimed responsibility for the carnage.

Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Manila from Turkey, where they attended a summit of the Group of 20 top economies that also focused heavily on IS and bringing peace to Syria, where IS controls a vast swathe of territory.

Philippine authorities, which had already deployed more than 20,000 security forces for the summit, said security had been ratcheted up even higher because of the Paris attacks.

Another sensitive issue this week will be China's recent efforts to assert control over the South China Sea, which is home to some of the world's most important shipping lanes.

The other claimants are APEC members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The Philippines, one of China's most vocal critics in the row, had promised to be a "perfect host" to Xi, who is also due to arrive in Manila on Tuesday.

But, while keeping the dispute off the official agenda, Philippine President Benigno Aquino appears to be taking the opportunity of the APEC summit to firm up alliances aimed at countering China.

On Tuesday, Obama will tour the Philippine Navy's flagship vessel, the US-made Gregorio del Pilar, which is providing APEC security in Manila Bay.

Obama's aides had previously said Obama would tour the boat to showcase American commitment to providing maritime security in the region.

China's building of artificial islands in parts of the South China Sea close to the Philippines had already prompted the US military to deploy a missile destroyer and B-52 bomber planes to the area.

The Philippines, which has one of the weakest militaries in Asia, has in recent years sought to draw longtime ally the United States into the dispute as a protector against China.

Aquino and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang are also set to oversee the signing on Tuesday of a bilateral strategic partnership that will deepen defence ties.

The Philippines and Vietnam have been brought closer in recent years by their shared concerns over China, with the imminent strategic partnership the most significant development.

Any focus on the South China Sea in the Philippines will irk China, which has insisted the APEC forum should stick solely to trade issues.

It has also repeatedly said the United States has no role to play in the dispute.US President Barack Obama and other Asia-Pacific leaders will arrive in the Philippines Tuesday for a summit meant to foster trade unity but with terrorism and territorial rows in focus.

The two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will begin Wednesday under the global shadow cast by last week's murderous rampage in Paris that killed at least 129 people.

While the 21-member APEC group's mission is to promote trade, the leaders will undoubtedly discuss the tragic events in the French capital and efforts to counter the Islamic State group, which has claimed responsibility for the carnage.

Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Manila from Turkey, where they attended a summit of the Group of 20 top economies that also focused heavily on IS and bringing peace to Syria, where IS controls a vast swathe of territory.

Philippine authorities, which had already deployed more than 20,000 security forces for the summit, said security had been ratcheted up even higher because of the Paris attacks.

Another sensitive issue this week will be China's recent efforts to assert control over the South China Sea, which is home to some of the world's most important shipping lanes.

The other claimants are APEC members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The Philippines, one of China's most vocal critics in the row, had promised to be a "perfect host" to Xi, who is also due to arrive in Manila on Tuesday.

But, while keeping the dispute off the official agenda, Philippine President Benigno Aquino appears to be taking the opportunity of the APEC summit to firm up alliances aimed at countering China.

On Tuesday, Obama will tour the Philippine Navy's flagship vessel, the US-made Gregorio del Pilar, which is providing APEC security in Manila Bay.

Obama's aides had previously said Obama would tour the boat to showcase American commitment to providing maritime security in the region.

China's building of artificial islands in parts of the South China Sea close to the Philippines had already prompted the US military to deploy a missile destroyer and B-52 bomber planes to the area.

The Philippines, which has one of the weakest militaries in Asia, has in recent years sought to draw longtime ally the United States into the dispute as a protector against China.

Aquino and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang are also set to oversee the signing on Tuesday of a bilateral strategic partnership that will deepen defence ties.

The Philippines and Vietnam have been brought closer in recent years by their shared concerns over China, with the imminent strategic partnership the most significant development.

Any focus on the South China Sea in the Philippines will irk China, which has insisted the APEC forum should stick solely to trade issues.

It has also repeatedly said the United States has no role to play in the dispute.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

China's top diplomat to visit PH ahead of APEC meet

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group next week, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday, amid tensions between China and the Philippines over the disputed South China Sea.

The APEC meeting will take place in Manila from Nov. 17 to 19. APEC's members include the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Canada, and together account for 57 percent of global production and 46.5 percent of world trade.

China has overlapping claims with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.

A summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations last week, attended by both the United States and China, failed to produce a final statement because the delegations could not agree on whether to mention the South China Sea dispute.

China has been particularly angered by a case lodged by the Philippines with an arbitration court in the Netherlands over the South China Sea. China says it will neither recognize nor participate in the case.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit the Philippines on Tuesday to discuss preparations for Xi's visit and ways to improve Beijing's relations with Manila, China's Foreign Ministry said.

"At present, because of reasons everyone knows about, Sino-Philippine relations are facing difficulties. This is something China does not wish to see," ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing.

"China pays great attention to relations with the Philippines and is willing to appropriately resolve relevant issues on the basis of dialogue and negotiation."

Prior to going to Manila, Xi will attend the G20 summit in Turkey, the foreign ministry added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

US and China announce 'historic' climate accord

BEIJING, China -- The United States and China on Wednesday announced an action plan on greenhouse emissions as part of a "historic" pact that was acclaimed by climate scientists but denounced by US Republicans as a job-killer.

At a Beijing summit, the leaders of the world's two biggest polluters put their stamp on attempts to breathe new life into action against global warming ahead of international talks in Paris next year.

US President Barack Obama said the joint announcement on the two countries' emissions targets was a "historic agreement" and a "major milestone in the US-China relationship".

Chinese President Xi Jinping said: "We agreed to make sure that international climate change negotiations will reach an agreement in Paris."

Attempts to deal with climate change, which scientists warn is approaching a potentially catastrophic point of no return, have long been stymied by the unwillingness of the United States and China to work together on the problem.

But China set a target for its greenhouse gas output to peak "around 2030", which Obama commended as an effort to "slow, peak and reverse the course" of its emissions.

And Obama, who faces scepticism as well as outright denial about climate change in the US Congress, set a goal for the United States to cut its own emissions of greenhouse gases by 26-28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

"We have a special responsibility to lead the worldwide effort against climate change," Obama said at a joint news conference with Xi.

"We hope to encourage all economies to be more ambitious," he added.

China and the US, which together produce around 45 percent of the world's carbon dioxide, will be key to ensuring a global deal on reducing emissions after 2020 is reached next year.

- 'A new day' -

The two countries have long been at loggerheads over global targets, with each saying the other should bear more responsibility for cutting emissions of gases blamed for heating up the atmosphere.

But after the 2009 Copenhagen Summit nearly ended in fiasco, salvaged only by a last-minute deal brokered by Obama and China's then premier, Washington and Beijing have started to move closer towards agreement.

The World Resources Institute, a US-based environmental group, hailed the Obama-Xi pact as a breakthrough.

"It’s a new day to have the leaders of the US and China stand shoulder-to-shoulder and make significant commitments to curb their country's emissions," the institute's president Andrew Steer said in a statement.

"They have both clearly acknowledged the mounting threat of climate change and the urgency of action," he said.

But while it was the first time China agreed to a target date for emissions to peak -- officials have previously only spoken of doing so "as soon as possible" -- the commitment was qualified, leaving considerable room for manoeuvre.

China has trumpeted its efforts to reduce dependence on coal and oil in the past, and is the world's largest hydropower producer, with a growing nuclear sector.

But economic growth remains a vitally important priority and has seen demand for energy soar.

Much of Obama's action on climate change meanwhile has been done with executive orders rather than cooperation from an often confrontational legislature.

The deadline for Obama's new pledge is in more than a decade's time but he only has two years left in his presidency. He faces a Congress now set to be controlled by opposition Republicans in both houses after this month's mid-term elections, which will make passing environmental legislation even more difficult.

In an early portent of the battles to come, the US Senate's new Republican leader was quick to slam Obama's proposed greenhouse gas reductions.

“This unrealistic plan, that the president would dump on his successor, would ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs," Senator Mitch McConnell said.

The European Union pledged last month to reduce emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels.

But efforts to make meaningful progress on climate change will by stymied unless the US sets "a concrete and ambitious" goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, Connie Hedegaard, EU climate commissioner, said in October.

The EU accounts for 11 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 16 percent for the United States and 29 percent for China.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com