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King Charles paid a brief visit to Canada on Tuesday, expressing his strong support for the country as it faces annexation threats and tariffs from US President Donald Trump.

Charles commended Canada as "strong and free" and underlined its ideals and global leadership during the first speech by a British monarch in nearly 70 years at the opening of Parliament, according to Reuters.

The King, who is undergoing cancer treatment, was accompanied by Queen Camilla and wore the Order of Canada. The visit lasted fewer than 24 hours.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Ottawa on Monday for a two-day state visit aimed at reaffirming Canada’s sovereignty and constitutional ties to the Crown.

They were welcomed by Prime Minister Mark Carney, Governor General Mary Simon, and Indigenous leaders. The tour involves public appearances and a ceremonial tree planting at Rideau Hall, according to BBC.

On Tuesday, the King will deliver the Speech from the Throne in Parliament, the first by a reigning monarch in Canada since 1977, outlining the priorities of the new government.

The visit comes amid tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has suggested Canada would benefit from becoming the 51st US state. Prime Minister Carney has strongly rejected the claim, BBC reported.

The royal presence is seen as a symbolic reaffirmation of Canada’s independence and its constitutional monarchy.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday expressed China’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Kuwait in areas such as energy, investment, green economy, digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He made the remarks during a meeting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, according to Xinhua.

The meeting took place as Premier Li arrived in Kuala Lumpur to attend the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.

France and Vietnam signed key agreements on Monday, including a deal for 20 Airbus planes, as President Emmanuel Macron visited Hanoi to deepen ties and expand France’s influence in the region.

The visit, Macron’s first to Vietnam and the first by a French president in nearly a decade, comes amid rising US-EU trade tensions after US President Donald Trump threatened 50 percent tariffs on EU goods. Vietnam also faces possible US tariffs of up to 46 percent, pressuring it to boost American imports, Firstpost reported.

The agreements covered aviation, nuclear energy, trains, satellites, and vaccines, with Airbus and Sanofi playing key roles. Both countries also promised to strengthen defense cooperation, including cybersecurity, intelligence sharing, and anti-terrorism operations.

Macron restated France's support for unrestricted navigation in the South China Sea, where Vietnam has conflicts with China, according to the Firstpost.

The visit is part of Macron’s Southeast Asia tour, which also includes Indonesia and Singapore.