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Washington: China’s top diplomat is meeting high-level US officials, possibly including President Joe Biden, on a highly watched visit to Washington that could help stabilize the US-China ties by facilitating a summit between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, met Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday afternoon, shortly after he landed for the three-day visit and quickly raised hopes that the relationship can be steadied.

Before going into their closed-door meeting, Wang said China would seek consensus and cooperation to “push the relationship as soon as possible back to the track of healthy, stable and sustainable development.”

Before the meeting, US officials said they would press Wang on the importance of China stepping up its role on the world stage if it wants to be considered a responsible major international player. The US has been disappointed with China over its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine and its relative silence on the Israel-Hamas war.

“China should use whatever ability it has as an influential power to urge calm” in the Middle East, said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. “We know China has relationships with a number of countries in the region, and we would urge them to use those relationships, the lines of communication they have, to urge calm and stability.”

US officials believe the Chinese have considerable leverage with Iran, which is a major backer of Hamas.

In a readout after the meeting, the State Department said the two men addressed “areas of difference” and “areas of cooperation,” while Blinken “reiterated that the United States will continue to stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said, “The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations and issues of common concern in a constructive atmosphere.”

Wang is scheduled to meet again Friday with Blinken as well as national security adviser Jake Sullivan. They are expected to urge China to play a constructive role in both the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars.

It’s not yet clear if Wang will meet with Biden. The diplomatic practice of reciprocity suggests it is likely, since Blinken met with Xi when he visited China in June.

Neither side has confirmed whether Biden and Xi will meet next month on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders gathering in San Francisco. But Wang’s trip indicates the likelihood is extremely high, said Scott Kennedy, senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“His visit is most likely about nailing down the agenda and negotiating potential deliverables,” Kennedy said.

The Chinese president last came to the US in 2017, when former President Donald Trump hosted him at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Biden, who took office in 2021, has yet to host Xi on US soil. The two men last met in Bali, Indonesia, in Nov 2022, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting of leading rich and developing nations.

The US-China relationship began to sour in 2018 when the Trump administration slapped hefty tariffs on $50bn worth of Chinese goods. It deteriorated further over a range of issues, including rights abuses, the South China Sea, Taiwan, technology and the Covid-19 pandemic.

AP

Tel Aviv: Israel has determined that a missile which hit the Egyptian Red Sea town of Taba overnight was fired from Yemen, an Israeli military spokesperson said on Friday morning.

The missile originated in ‘the Red Sea area’, said Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

“In the last few hours, an aerial threat was detected in the Red Sea area. Fighter jets were scrambled to the threat area and the issue is under investigation,” Hagari said.

Egyptian media reports said six people were injured when the missile hit a medical facility in Taba, a resort town adjacent to the Israeli city of Eilat.

A US warship in the Red Sea shot down three missiles fired from Yemen that were heading north, towards Israel on Oct 19.

Saudi Arabia is reported to have shot down another missile fired from Yemen.

The launches are attributed to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed threatened on Sunday that “Israeli ships in the Red Sea will be targeted” if Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue.

At least 233 hostages have been confirmed as kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip by Hamas on Oct 7, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Friday.

Hagari stressed that this number is not final and the military is continuing to investigate new information. 

ANI/TPS

Kathmandu: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on Oct 29 during his four-day visit to Nepal. Secretary-General Guterres is visiting Nepal at the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Prime Minister Dahal extended this invitation while attending the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September and the United Nations Food Summit in Rome, Italy in July.

Prime Minister Dahal’s press advisor, Govinda Acharya, informed that the UN Secretary-General’s initial visit, set for Oct 13-15, was postponed due to the Hamas militants’ attack on Israel and is now rescheduled for Oct 29. During his visit, discussions will focus on concluding Nepal’s ongoing peace process and establishing sustainable peace in the country. Climate change, sustainable development, and the agenda for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) will also be in the spotlight.

Guterres had previously visited Nepal in 2007 in his capacity as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Guterres, who has been serving as the United Nations Secretary-General for a second term since 2017, succeeded Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issuing a press statement on Friday, said the Secretary-General will be accompanied by Jean Pierre Lacroix, Under Secretary General for Peace Operations, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations to Nepal and other officials from the UN Headquarters in New York and the United Nations country team in Nepal.

During his visit, the Secretary-General is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on President Ramchandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. He will also meet with the leaders of major political parties, including Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairperson and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Secretary-General Guterres is scheduled to address a joint session of the federal parliament at 4:00 pm on Oct 31 (Tuesday). 

During his four-day visit, he is scheduled to visit Patan Durbar Square, Pokhara, Annapurna Base Camp, and Lumbini among other places.

Washington: The United States announced a latest $150m for arms and equipment military aid package to bolster Kyiv to fight and succeed against Russia.

The US government in a latest package announces arms and equipment which includes air defense, artillery, anti-tank, and other capabilities, said a press statement from US Department of State.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said in a statement on Thursday, “This new package of arms and equipment includes air defense, artillery, anti-tank, and other capabilities which will further enhance Ukraine’s capacity to defend its territory against Russian offensives while continuing its counter-offensive against Russia’s forces. Ukraine’s forces are fighting bravely to reclaim territory seized by Russia's forces, and this additional support will help them continue making progress. This package provides $150m of arms and equipment authorized under previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine.”

US while reiterating its support for the war torn Ukraine noted that the US and its ally partners will continue to support Ukraine until Russia withdraws its forces from the country.

Quoting the statement, “Russia started this war and could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks, which continue to take the lives of innocent people. Until it does, the United States and the coalition we have built of more than 50 nations will continue to stand with Ukraine, and we will continue to work with Congress to help Ukraine secure its future—a future in which its people rebuild and live safely in a resilient and thriving democracy.”

On Aug 14, the United States government announced security assistance of $200m for Ukraine which continues to defend its territory and protect its people.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a US State Department statement that the package, which is valued at $200m, includes air defense munitions, artillery rounds, anti-armour capabilities, and additional mine-clearing equipment.

Moreover, In July this year, the US government announced a $1.3bn military aid package for Ukraine—during its ongoing conflict with Russia—including air defense systems and attack drones.

According to the US Department of Defence, the package includes four more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), medium-range air defense batteries that have helped Ukraine withstand ongoing Russian barrages of missiles and drones.Notably, it is the same system that is used to protect Washington DC and the area around the US capital.

The package will give Kyiv a total of 12 NASAMS. The US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said last November that the NASAMS had a 100 percent success rate in intercepting Russian attacks, CNN reported.

Lloyd Austin, United States Secretary of Defense on July 18 said following an international meeting of countries providing aid to Ukraine “Make no mistake: We are determined to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom for as long as it takes.”

ANI