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WORLD NEWS Friday 16 September 2022
China slams U.S. Senate bill supporting Taiwan’s defense

By DAVID RISING Beijing and Washington
Associated Press were already high over Tai-
BANGKOK (AP) — China’s wan following the visit of
Foreign Ministry accused U.S. House Speaker Nancy
the United States of vio- Pelosi to Taipei last month.
lating its commitment to That prompted China to
the “One China” principle fire missiles into the Taiwan
and interfering in internal Strait and mobilize large
Chinese affairs Thursday, numbers of ships and war-
after the U.S. Senate For- planes for exercises around
eign Relations committee the island. China sees high-
approved a new bill that level foreign visits to the is-
could significantly increase land as interference in its
American defense support affairs and de facto recog-
for the island of Taiwan. nition of Taiwanese sover-
Chinese Foreign Ministry eignty, and there has been
spokesperson Mao Ning a steady stream of high-
told reporters in Beijing that level U.S. visitors since Pelo-
China had “lodged serious si’s visit. The Biden adminis-
complaints” with Wash- tration has insisted that the
ington over the legislation, United States’ “One China”
which still needs U.S. House In this Taiwan Presidential Office photo, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a meeting policy has not changed.q
and President Joe Biden’s with Taiwanese President President Tsai Ing-wen, right, in Taipei, Taiwan, on Aug. 3, 2022. Despite a lack of formal
approval to become law. Associated Press diplomatic ties with Taiwan,
“The one-China principle is the U.S. is its strongest po-
the political foundation of after a civil war in 1949 and respond militarily were the and that China should not litical backer and source
China-U.S. relations,” she have no official relations, island attacked. see it as a threat. of defensive arms, and dur-
said. “If the bill continues with China cutting off even The Taiwan Policy Act of “The bill we are approving ing her visit Pelosi said she
to be deliberated, pushed informal contacts following 2022, approved by the today makes clear the Unit- wants to help the island de-
forward or even signed into the election of indepen- committee on Wednes- ed States does not seek war fend itself.
law, it will greatly shake the dence-leaning Taiwanese day, sets out to “support or increased tensions with In a statement, Taiwan’s
political foundation of Chi- President Tsai Ing-wen in the security of Taiwan and Beijing. Just the opposite,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs
na-U.S. relations and cause 2016. its right of self determina- he said in a statement. “We said it would continue to
extremely serious conse- Under its “One China” pol- tion,” providing billions of are carefully and strategi- maintain close communi-
quences to China-U.S. rela- icy, the United States rec- dollars in defense funding cally lowering the existen- cation with the U.S. govern-
tions and peace and stabil- ognizes the government in to enhance its “counter in- tial threats facing Taiwan ment on the bill, with the
ity across the Taiwan Strait.” Beijing while allowing for tervention capabilities.” by raising the cost of taking hope “it could become
China claims the self-gov- informal relations and de- Democratic Sen. Bob the island by force so that law and make further prog-
erning democracy of Tai- fense ties with Taipei. Menendez, who coau- it becomes too high a risk ress in deepening U.S-Tai-
wan as its own territory, It takes a stance of “strate- thored the bipartisan bill and unachievable.” wan’s friendly relationship,
and has not ruled out re- gic ambiguity” toward the with Republican Sen. Lind- The committee’s approval and ensure the freedom,
taking the island by force defense of Taiwan leaving sey Graham, stressed that of the bill comes at a time peace and stability of the
if necessary. The sides split it open whether it would its focus is on deterrence when tensions between Indo-Pacific area.”q

Woman arrested in S. Korea after bodies found in New Zealand

By NICK PERRY and KIM Korean court warrant is- the Seoul High Court to rule
TONG-HYUNG sued after New Zealand whether she would be sent
Associated Press requested her provisional to New Zealand.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — arrest as part of an extra- New Zealand police said
A woman was arrested in dition process, according the South Korean warrant
South Korea on Thursday to South Korea’s National was in connection with two
on two murder charges Police Agency and Justice charges of murder, and
from New Zealand, where Ministry. they have asked South Ko-
the bodies of two long- The unidentified woman rean authorities to keep the
dead children were found covered her face with the woman in jail until she is ex-
last month in abandoned hood of her coat as officers tradited.
suitcases, authorities said. escorted her outside an Ul- “To have someone in cus-
Authorities didn’t immedi- san police station and put tody overseas within such
ately say if the 42-year-old her in a car headed for the a short period of time has
suspect was the dead chil- capital, Seoul, where she all been down to the as-
dren’s mother. was expected to be ques- sistance of the Korean A woman sits on a car as she leaves Ulsan Jungbu police station
New Zealand police had tioned by prosecutors. authorities and the coor- in Ulsan, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, for the Seoul
Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
earlier told their South Ko- New Zealand authorities dination by our New Zea- Associated Press
rean counterparts that the must submit the formal re- land Police Interpol staff,”
mother might be living in quest for her extradition to Detective Inspector Tofilau continuing both in New Authorities in New Zealand
South Korea. the South Korean Justice Fa’amanuia Vaaelua said Zealand and abroad. typically don’t comment
South Korean police de- Ministry within 45 days. The in a statement. Vaaelua said police on pending court cases
tained the woman in the ministry will then decide He said the investigation weren’t going to com- in order to avoid the pos-
southeastern port city of whether to proceed with had been “very challeng- ment further as the matter sibility of influencing the
Ulsan, based on a South an extradition review at ing” and that inquiries were was now before the courts. outcome.q