BEIJING: China&#39;s President Xi Jinping met Taiwan&#39;s opposition party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, telling the visiting delegation he had &quot;full confidence&quot; that Taiwanese and Chinese people would be united. Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Cheng is the party&#39;s first leader to visit China in a decade, but her trip has sparked debate in Taiwan with critics accusing her of being too pro-Beijing. China severed high-level contact with Taiwan in 2016 after Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party won the presidency and rejected Beijing&#39;s claims that the self-ruled island is part of its territory. Xi told Cheng as the two met on Friday that &quot;the general trend of compatriots on both sides of the Strait getting closer, edging nearer and becoming united will not change&quot;. &quot;This is an inevitable part of history. We have full confidence in this,&quot; Xi said during the talks carried by Taiwanese media. He also said China was willing to strengthen dialogue with groups in Taiwan, including the KMT, on the &quot;common political foundation of... opposing Taiwan independence&quot;. The KMT supports closer relations with China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it. Cheng echoed Xi&#39;s stance, telling a press conference after their meeting that by &quot;opposing Taiwan independence, we can avoid war&quot;. She also told Xi earlier that the Taiwan Strait would &quot;no longer be a focal point of potential conflict&quot; and &quot;both sides should transcend political confrontation&quot;. Beijing has sworn to take Taiwan and has not ruled out using force, ramping up military pressure around the self-ruled island in recent years. China conducts near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships near the island and regular large-scale military drills. Taiwanese lawmakers have been at loggerheads over the government&#39;s plan to spend NT$1.25 trillion ($39 billion) on defence, which has been stalled for months in parliament, controlled by Cheng&#39;s KMT party. - Defence spending - Cheng&#39;s trip comes a month before US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing for a summit with Xi. The United States has been piling pressure on Taiwanese opposition lawmakers to back a proposal for defence purchases, including US weapons, to deter a potential Chinese attack. Cheng has railed against the government&#39;s proposal, insisting &quot;Taiwan isn&#39;t an ATM&quot; and instead backed a KMT plan to allocate NT$380 billion ($12 billion) for US weapons with the option for more acquisitions. While KMT party members regularly fly to China for exchanges with officials, its last leader to visit was Hung Hsiu-chu in 2016. Cross-strait relations have worsened in particular since the election of Tsai&#39;s successor, Lai Ching-te, who Beijing considers a separatist. Lai said in a Facebook post on Friday that &quot;China&#39;s... military threats in and around the Taiwan Strait and the island chain have severely undermined regional peace and stability&quot;. Cheng landed in Shanghai on Tuesday evening, saying shortly after her arrival that &quot;the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not doomed to war, as the international community has feared&quot;. The KMT leader also travelled to the eastern city of Nanjing, where she visited the mausoleum of revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen, one of the few Chinese historical figures revered in both Beijing and Taipei.

China

Xi Jinping met Taiwanese Opposition Leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing, voicing confidence in eventual cross-strait unity, while the visit stirred controversy in Taiwan amid rising military tensions and disputes over defence spending.

Chinese, Taiwanese will unite, Xi tells Taiwan opposition leader

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed the need for urgent de-escalation in the Middle East, endorsing a broader diplomatic push centered on a five-point peace initiative jointly advanced by Islamabad and China.&nbsp;Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office said in a statement.&nbsp;&ldquo;The two leaders exchanged views on the latest developments in the regional situation, emphasizing the urgent need for de-escalation and dialogue,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;The discussions come amid intensifying tensions following the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which has expanded across the Gulf, disrupted energy routes and heightened risks to global economic stability.&nbsp;Both sides also reviewed the Pakistan-China five-point initiative aimed at stabilizing the region through coordinated diplomatic efforts.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pak-China Five-Point Initiative for peace in the Gulf and Middle East was also discussed,&rdquo; the Foreign Office said.&nbsp;The initiative calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the launch of peace talks, protection of civilians and critical infrastructure, safeguarding of maritime routes including the Strait of Hormuz, and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter.&nbsp;Officials say the framework reflects growing alignment among regional actors seeking to shift the crisis toward dialogue, as military escalation continues to impact energy markets and security dynamics.&nbsp;Dar and Prince Faisal also reaffirmed longstanding bilateral ties.&nbsp;&ldquo;Both leaders reaffirmed the strong, fraternal Pakistan&ndash;Saudi Arabia relationship and agreed to remain in close contact,&rdquo; the statement added.&nbsp;The exchange highlights continued coordination between Islamabad and Riyadh as diplomatic efforts intensify to contain a conflict that is increasingly affecting both regional stability and global economic flows.

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar holds telephone conversation with Saudi counterpart, discussing Iran tensions and backing the Pakistan-China five-point peace initiative, while both sides stress urgent de-escalation and continued coordination amid escalating regional crisis.

Islamabad, Riyadh discuss Iran tensions, back Pakistan-China peace initiative

ISLAMABAD: Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty expressed his gratitude to Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for the hospitality shown during the recent meeting of foreign ministers in Islamabad. He also welcomed the Pakistan-China five-point initiative, which aims to promote dialogue and help resolve conflicts, as stated by Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office in a post on X. The conversation highlighted Islamabad&rsquo;s efforts to build support for a diplomatic, negotiation-led approach amid heightened instability in the region.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039620873490227229&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=ae7ddec59798bc7abb6eee7d2c7b3f942873f552&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 746px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Egypt&rsquo;s positive response to the five-point proposal suggests that Pakistan&rsquo;s outreach is resonating with key regional actors seeking de-escalation rather than further confrontation. Both ministers reaffirmed the close fraternal relations between Pakistan and Egypt and agreed to remain in close contact.&nbsp;The exchange underscored the importance both governments attach to sustained engagement as the regional situation continues to evolve. The call also reflects Pakistan&rsquo;s broader diplomatic position as an advocate of dialogue, political settlement and peace while strengthening coordination with influential partners in the Muslim world.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, spoke by telephone with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday night, with both sides reaffirming close bilateral ties and continued diplomatic coordination amid wider regional tensions.

 Pakistan-Egypt FMs reiterate support for peace initiatives

Web Desk/AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said the responsibility for ending hostilities with Afghanistan rests with Kabul, as both sides engage in ongoing talks aimed at easing tensions following weeks of cross-border conflict.&nbsp;Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan is participating in the dialogue process but expects concrete action from Afghan authorities.&nbsp;&ldquo;The burden of real process&hellip; lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using its soil against Pakistan,&rdquo; Andrabi told reporters at a weekly briefing.&nbsp;Talks began in Urumqi, China, after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar traveled to Beijing for discussions with Chinese officials, including Wang Yi.&nbsp;Andrabi described the engagement as preliminary.&nbsp;&ldquo;These are working-level talks&hellip; our delegation has not returned yet,&rdquo; he said, adding that Pakistan is seeking a &ldquo;durable solution.&rdquo;&nbsp;Conflict, pause and renewed diplomacyThe talks come after weeks of heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq following sustained cross-border terrorist attacks.&nbsp;The operation was briefly paused during Eid-ul-Fitr at the request of regional partners before resuming after the truce period ended.&nbsp;Pakistani officials say the campaign targets terrorist infrastructure, including camps, logistics networks and support systems used to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.&nbsp;Pakistan highlights diplomatic outreachAndrabi said Pakistan has simultaneously intensified diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions both regionally and beyond.&nbsp;He noted that Islamabad hosted a second round of four-party consultations with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye, and Egypt, following an earlier meeting in Riyadh.&nbsp;The discussions focused on de-escalation, humanitarian concerns and promoting dialogue amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the Gulf region.&nbsp;&ldquo;The ministers agreed on dialogue as the primary path to prevent conflict and strengthen cooperation,&rdquo; Andrabi said.&nbsp;He added that Pakistan has also engaged in extensive diplomatic outreach through high-level calls and consultations with regional and global leaders.&nbsp;China engagement and regional coordination&nbsp;Andrabi highlighted Dar&rsquo;s recent visit to China as a key development, where both sides discussed Afghanistan and broader regional stability.&nbsp;He said a five-point peace initiative jointly emphasized cessation of hostilities, humanitarian assistance, civilian protection, dialogue and adherence to international law.&nbsp;Pakistan also welcomed steps aimed at maintaining stability in critical global trade routes, including safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, he added.&nbsp;Push for verifiable actionDespite ongoing talks, Pakistan maintains that progress depends on concrete steps by Afghan authorities.&nbsp;&ldquo;We did explore all avenues&hellip; but violence and attacks from Afghanistan did not stop,&rdquo; Andrabi said, referring to past diplomatic engagement efforts.&nbsp;Officials say Islamabad remains committed to dialogue but insists that any sustainable resolution requires guarantees that Afghan territory will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.&nbsp;The talks in China are ongoing, with Pakistani officials framing them as part of a broader effort to balance military action with diplomacy amid a complex and evolving regional security landscape.

Pakistan intensified its diplomatic efforts last week to address ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and Iran, engaging in high-level meetings, bilateral talks, and regional consultations.

Pakistan says Afghanistan must act as talks seek end hostilities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Tuesday reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to further strengthen the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and proposed a five-point initiative to review the situation in the Gulf and Middle East region as Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Ishar Dar meet in Beijing, said the Foreign Office in a statement. Both sides reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to further strengthening the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, according to the Foreign Office statement. According to it, particular emphasis was placed on &ldquo;advancing high-quality development, deepening economic and strategic cooperation, including under CPEC 2.0,&rdquo; and enhancing high-level exchanges and collaboration across all domains. Dar is on an official one-day visit to China at the invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi, where both leaders will review bilateral ties and discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest, said the Foreign Office earlier.&nbsp;This is Dar&rsquo;s second trip to Beijing this year and comes shortly after he chaired a quadrilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye, and Egypt to explore ways to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to the Foreign Office Statement earlier, the Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China, Wang Yi, and his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, met in Beijing. The two sides put forward the five-point initiative to review the situation in the Gulf and the Middle East region. &#39;Immediate Cessation of Hostilities&#39;Both sides called for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. The statement added that the humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas&nbsp;&#39;Start of peace talks as soon as possible&#39;China and Pakistan called for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence, and security of Iran and the Gulf states, which should be safeguarded. &ldquo;Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable option to resolve conflicts,&quot; the statement added. The statement reaffirmed support for the involved parties to start talks, with all sides committed to peacefully resolving disputes and avoiding the use or threat of force during negotiations.&nbsp;&#39;Security of nonmilitary targets&#39;According to the statement, the principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed. &ldquo;China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants,&quot; added the statement.&nbsp;&#39;Security of shipping lanes&#39;The statement said that the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters are a crucial global shipping route for goods and energy. It called on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz while allowing the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships and restoring normal passage through the Strait &ldquo;as soon as possible.&rdquo; &#39;Primacy of the United Nations Charter&#39;It called for efforts to practice &ldquo;true multilateralism,&rdquo; to jointly strengthen the primacy of the UN, and to support the conclusion of an agreement to establish a comprehensive peace framework and realize lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.&nbsp;All-weather strategic cooperative partnersPrior to Dar landing in Beijing, responding to a question regarding the Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar&#39;s ongoing visit to China, the China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning called the bilateral relations between the two &ldquo;all-weather strategic cooperative partners&rdquo; that support each other. &ldquo;The two countries share similar positions and maintain close communication on major international and regional issues,&rdquo; she said. The spokesperson said that she believes that the foreign ministers of the two countries will strengthen strategic communication and coordination on international and regional issues of common concern, such as the situation in Iran. &lsquo;Pakistan ready to host US-Iran talks&rsquo;This is Dar&rsquo;s second trip to Beijing this year and comes shortly after he chaired a quadrilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye, and Egypt to explore ways to end the ongoing Middle East conflict.&nbsp;The crisis began late last month following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which were followed by retaliatory actions. The situation has since heightened tensions across the Gulf and affected global energy markets, contributing to rising oil prices and inflation.&nbsp;Dar said the participating foreign ministers expressed full support for the possibility of US-Iran talks being held in Islamabad and agreed to establish a committee of senior officials to work out the next steps.&nbsp;He emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only practical path to avoid further conflict and ensure regional peace.&nbsp;In recent days, Dar and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have also held several discussions with Iranian leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while maintaining coordination with the United States.&nbsp;Dar added that Pakistan welcomes the trust shown by both Iran and the US and would be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the near future.&nbsp;&#39;Diplomacy a gradual process&#39;Echoing this stance, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said that diplomacy takes time but remains essential to easing tensions. &ldquo;Diplomacy is a gradual process. It takes patience, but we hope to move things forward faster in the interest of the broader region,&rdquo; he said in an interview with Fox News, expressing optimism about de-escalation efforts.

Both sides reaffirm strategic partnership, propose a five-point peace plan addressing Middle East tensions, urging ceasefire, dialogue, civilian protection, secure shipping routes, and UN-led multilateral diplomacy

Pakistan, China call for ceasefire, propose five-point Middle East plan

ISLAMABAD: India will effectively block the sale of many Chinese internet-connected closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras starting April 1, as a new government certification system is fully implemented and manufacturers without approval are excluded from the market, according to Indian media. The move is expected to hit major Chinese brands such as Hikvision, Dahua and TP-Link, and marks one of New Delhi&rsquo;s sharpest technology-security steps against imported surveillance equipment, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday. The mechanism behind the clampdown is India&rsquo;s Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) framework for CCTV cameras, introduced under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology&rsquo;s March 6, 2024, security notification.&nbsp; STQC&rsquo;s published rules say CCTV cameras submitted for certification must be tested and certified against the government&rsquo;s &ldquo;Essential Requirement(s) for Security of CCTV.&rdquo;&nbsp; Media reports said approval is being denied to several Chinese vendors and to products built around Chinese-origin chipsets or firmware, making their continued sale in India impossible once the deadline takes effect. The policy is framed in the official rules as a cybersecurity and supply-chain security measure rather than a nationality-based ban. But its commercial effect is unmistakable: companies that cannot secure certification will be excluded from one of the world&rsquo;s largest surveillance markets. According to India Today, the new rules make STQC approval mandatory for internet-connected CCTV products from April 1, effectively blocking Chinese camera giants from selling such devices in India. The Economic Times said Indian brands now control more than 80% of the domestic CCTV market as of February, with local manufacturers and non-Chinese supply chains gaining ground as Chinese firms lose access.

India

The move is expected to hit major Chinese brands and marks one of New Delhi’s sharpest steps in technology-security against imported surveillance equipment.

India’s new security rules shut Chinese CCTV brands out of market

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will undertake an official visit to China on Tuesday, March 31, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Foreign Office said Monday. The statement said the upcoming visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments, as well as bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. Despite medical advice to rest following a hairline shoulder fracture, Dar&rsquo;s decision to travel underscores the priority Pakistan places on its relationship with China, the statement noted. &lsquo;Pakistan ready to host US-Iran talks&rsquo;The meeting comes days after Dar chaired a quadrilateral meeting alongside foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt to discuss ways to bring an end to the Middle East war. The conflict, triggered late last month by joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions, has escalated tensions across the Gulf and disrupted global energy markets, keeping oil prices and inflation under pressure. Dar said the foreign ministers &quot;expressed their full support&quot; for potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad and agreed to form a committee of senior officials to coordinate follow-up modalities.&nbsp;&quot;The foreign ministers advocated dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable pathway to prevent conflict and to promote regional peace and harmony,&quot; he told reporters. In the past days, Dar and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have held several calls with Iranian leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while actively coordinating with the US administration. &quot;In this context, Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks,&quot; he said, adding that Pakistan would be &quot;honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days.&quot;

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Tianjin, northern China, on July 16, 2025. (File photo: Xinhua)

Says the upcoming visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments, as well as bilateral and global issues of mutual interest.

Pakistani FM to undertake day-long visit to China on Tuesday: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday regarding the situation in the Middle East, said a post on the minister&rsquo;s X account. Yi conveyed China&rsquo;s &ldquo;appreciation and support to Pakistan&rdquo; for its role as a mediator in the conflict, according to the post on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2037473118588178909&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=fd25b5b85ace2f874ce6272131a6b0e4c68e6067&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2037473118588178909"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;It was a pleasure to speak today with my friend, Wang Yi,&rdquo; Dar added that both sides&nbsp;&ldquo;reaffirmed the need to restore peace&rdquo; and &ldquo;stability in the Middle East and the wider region.&rdquo; Dar also mentioned that during the conversation, both parties agreed to put efforts into &ldquo;an immediate end to hostilities, resumption of peace talks, protection of non-combatants, security of shipping lanes, and adherence to the UN Charter.&rdquo; &ldquo;We also agreed to continue our endeavors for the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomacy,&rdquo; the deputy prime minister concluded.&nbsp;

Ishaq Dar and Wang Yi discuss Middle East tensions, reaffirming support for peace talks, protection of civilians and shipping lanes, and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

China appreciates, supports Pakistan’s role in Middle East conflict: Chinese FM

Americas

Middle East

Tehran submits its response to a US proposal through intermediaries, with Pakistan relaying messages between both sides as indirect talks continue and regional partners support efforts to reach a possible end to the conflict.

All you need to know about Day 27 of US-Israeli war on Iran

PARIS: China and the US held what both sides described Monday as constructive talks aimed at addressing volatile trade ties that have been upended by President Donald Trump&#39;s tariffs and the Middle East war. The talks in the French capital &quot;were constructive and they show the stability of the relationship&quot;, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told journalists. Chinese state media described the Sunday talks between Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng as &quot;candid, in-depth and constructive&quot;. He said the exchange would inject &quot;greater certainty and stability&quot; into bilateral trade ties and the global economy, according to Xinhua. The Paris meeting was widely seen as setting the stage for Trump to visit China for a summit with its President Xi Jinping. The trip was initially planned from March 31 to April 2, but US officials confirmed Monday that it was likely to be delayed due to Washington&#39;s war on Iran. Beijing said Monday it was in talks with Washington over the visit by Trump, who has pressured NATO allies including China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, Trump had suggested he could delay a meeting with Xi if Beijing does not assist in reopening the strait. The waterway, critical to oil transportation, has been effectively closed by Iran in retaliation over the US and Israeli war against Tehran. Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry said on Monday that Beijing and Washington &quot;are maintaining communication regarding President Trump&#39;s visit to China&quot;. &quot;Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,&quot; spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference. Lin did not address Trump&#39;s recent pressure on NATO allies and China to assist in Hormuz. The &quot;tense situation&quot; in the strait has &quot;disrupted international trade routes for goods and energy&quot;, Lin said when asked about Trump&#39;s comments. Probes and tariffsThe Paris talks follow a turbulent year in US-China economic ties since Trump returned to the presidency. The United States announced new trade investigations last week into excess industrial capacity, targeting 60 economies including China and other key partners. The prospect has fuelled the possibility of further tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down Trump&#39;s global duties. The probes will look into &quot;failures to take action on forced labour&quot; and whether these burden or restrict US commerce, according to US officials. Greer said his team gave the Chinese &quot;a preview of what we&#39;re doing on US trade policy as we adjust to the Supreme Court&quot;. &quot;The president&#39;s trade policy hasn&#39;t changed, our tools may change, and we&#39;re conducting these investigations,&quot; he added. &quot;We don&#39;t want to prejudge them, and we had a good conversation with our counterparts about that process.&quot; Beijing said on Monday that it &quot;lodged representations&quot; and urged Washington to &quot;correct its erroneous&quot; trade practices. &quot;We urge the US side to immediately correct its erroneous ways, meet China halfway... and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations,&quot; Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry said in a statement. The latest round of investigations &quot;is extremely unilateral, arbitrary and discriminatory&quot;, it said, accusing Washington of &quot;attempting to construct trade barriers&quot;. Li also reiterated on Monday that China firmly opposed such &quot;unilateral&quot; probes, Xinhua reported. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent since the war began, with Hormuz choked off and Iran&#39;s attacks on energy and shipping industry targets in its Gulf neighbours. Experts say that China, which maintains large oil reserves, is better equipped than many other nations to deal with the impact of the war. But it has reason to be concerned about the consequences of the situation in the Middle East on trade. China&#39;s official trade data for January and February, before the war in Iran began, showed that the country&#39;s economy is largely buoyed by exports and international trade.

 US President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch with the Trump Kennedy Center Board Members in the East Room of the White House on March 16, 2026, in Washington, DC (AFP)

Washington and Beijing say dialogue remains ongoing after high-level discussions in Paris, as tensions persist over tariffs and trade probes. Meanwhile, uncertainty grows over a potential Trump-Xi summit amid the Middle East conflict and Hormuz disruption.

Articles tagged with "China"