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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 9 May 2023
China tells U.S. to ‘reflect deeply’ over downturn in ties

BEIJING (AP) — China’s for- top staff refused to answer
eign minister told the U.S. a call from Defense Secre-
ambassador on Monday tary Lloyd Austin after then-
that Washington is respon- Speaker of the House of
sible for the downturn in Representatives Nancy Pe-
relations between the two losi visited Taiwan last year.
countries and must “reflect China retaliated for the visit
deeply” before ties can re- by staging a naval and air
turn to a healthy track, an force blockade of Taiwan
official said. and cutting off channels
Qin Gang’s comments fol- of communication with the
low a suspension of serious U.S. on issues from environ-
dialogue on a range of is- mental protection to mari-
sues between the world’s time security.
largest economies, increas- At a daily briefing Monday,
ingly at odds over tariffs, Chinese Foreign Ministry
attempts by Washington to spokesperson Wang Wen-
deprive China of cutting- bin described the meeting
edge technology, and between Qin and Burns as
China’s claims to self-gov- “a normal diplomatic ar-
erning Taiwan and large rangement.”
parts of the South and East In a tweet, Burns said he
China Seas. met with Qin and “dis-
China’s Foreign Ministry Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang speaks during the forum titled Chinese Modernization and the cussed challenges in the
quoted Qin as telling Am- World held at The Grand Halls in Shanghai, on April 21, 2023. U.S.-China relationship and
bassador Nicolas Burns Associated Press the necessity of stabilizing
that a “series of erroneous return to rationality,” Qin through support of Taiwan’s Despite the lack of formal ties and expanding high-
words and deeds by the said, repeating his earlier independent identity, Qin diplomatic relations, the level communication.”
U.S.” since a meeting in accusation that the U.S. said. U.S. is Taiwan’s largest sup- In comments to a U.S.
November between U.S. is attempting to suppress China says Taiwan must plier of military hardware think tank last week, Burns
President Joe Biden and and contain China. Beijing come under its rule, by and diplomatic support, said Washington has been
Chinese leader Xi Jinping routinely cites U.S. political force if necessary, while even while it continues to consistent in its approach
“have undermined the and military support of Tai- the United States says the maintain relations with Bei- toward Taiwan and insists
hard-won positive momen- wan as infringing on its sov- relationship between the jing. Biden has been seen that “any resolution of the
tum of Sino-U.S. relations.” ereignty. sides must be resolved as going a step further by (cross-Taiwan Strait) differ-
“The U.S. side should reflect Qin said ties had “grown peaceably. U.S. law re- repeatedly saying that the ences has to be peaceful.”
deeply, meet China half- icy” and the priority was to quires it to treat threats to U.S. would back Taiwan “We hope that the gov-
way, and propel China-U.S. stabilize them “and avoid Taiwan, including a military militarily, and America has ernment here in China will
relations out of the difficul- a downward spiral and un- blockade, as a matter of been upgrading basing ar- commit itself to a peace-
ties and back on the right anticipated events.” “grave concern,” though it rangements with the Philip- ful resolution of the dis-
track,” Qin was quoted as The U.S. should stop “under- remains ambiguous under pines, located just south of pute,” Burns said in an
saying.The United States mining China’s sovereignty, what conditions U.S. forces Taiwan.U.S.-China military online discussion with the
should “correct its under- security, and develop- could be dispatched to contacts have been on Washington-based Stimson
standing of China and ment interests,” particularly defend the island. hold for years, and China’s Center.q

Out-of-control wildfires cause evacuations in western Canada

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) warned that they expect- cy Management Agency, the Peace River Regional miles) to the south, in the
— Fire crews battled wild- ed high winds to cause the said accurate damage District. Teare Creek region, and
fires threatening commu- blazes to grow bigger in the reports were not yet avail- A third fire in British Co- some residents near the
nities in western Canada next few days. able because conditions lumbia was burning out of village of McBride were
on Sunday as cooler tem- Provinicial officials in Alber- made it difficult to assess control 700 kilometers (430 evacuated.q
peratures and a bit of rain ta said the weather fore- the situation. There were of
brought some relief, but of- cast was favorable for the buildings destroyed in the
ficials warned the reprieve next few days, with small town of Fox Lake, including
came only in some areas. amounts of rain and over- 20 homes, a police station
Officials in Alberta said cast conditions. But they and a store.
there were 108 active fires cautioned that hot and dry In northeastern British Co-
in the province and the conditions were predicted lumbia, officials urged
number of evacuees grew to return within a few days. residents to evacuate the
to about 29,000, up from “People have called this areas around two out-of-
approximately 24,000 Sat- season certainly unprec- control wildfires near the Al-
urday, when a province- edented in recent memory berta border, saying there
wide state of emergency because we have so many were reports of some peo-
was declared. fires so spread out,” Christie ple staying behind.
Two out-of-control wild- Tucker with Alberta Wildfire “This is impeding the re-
fires in neighboring Brit- said at a briefing. “It’s been sponse and putting their In this photo provided by the Government of Alberta Fire Service,
ish Columbia also caused an unusual year.” lives and the lives of fire- a burned section of forest in the area near Edson, Alberta,
some people to leave Colin Blair, executive direc- fighters at risk,” said Leon- smolders, Saturday, May 6, 2023.
their homes, and officials tor of the Alberta Emergen- ard Hiebert, chairman of Associated Press