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WORLD NEWS Monday 13 June 2022
China accuses U.S. of trying to 'hijack' support in Asia

Associated Press how far it would be willing
SINGAPORE (AP) — China's to go to defend Taiwan in
defense minister accused the face of a Chinese inva-
the United States on Sun- sion. At the same time, it
day of trying to "hijack" the does not support Taiwan-
support of countries in the ese independence.
Asia-Pacific region to turn President Joe Biden raised
them against Beijing, say- eyebrows and China's
ing Washington is seeking pique last month saying
to advance its own inter- that the U.S. would inter-
ests "under the guise of mul- vene militarily if Taiwan
tilateralism." were attacked, though the
Defense Minister Gen. Wei White House later said the
Fenghe lashed out at U.S. comments did not reflect a
Secretary of Defense Lloyd policy shift.
Austin, rejecting his "smear- Austin on Saturday ac-
ing accusation" the day cused China of threatening
before at the Shangri-La to change the status quo
Dialogue that China was on Taiwan with a "steady in-
causing instability with its crease in provocative and
claim to the self-governing destabilizing military activ-
island of Taiwan and its in- ity" near the island.
creased military activity in Wei fired back Sunday that
the area. China's Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe speaks at a plenary session during the 19th Interna- the U.S. was not adhering
Austin had stressed the tional Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia's annual defense and security to its "one-China" policy,
need for multilateral part- forum, in Singapore, Sunday, June 12, 2022. saying "it keeps playing the
nerships with nations in the Associated Press Taiwan card against Chi-
Indo-Pacific, which Wei na."
suggested was an attempt ing ground this past week U.S. Secretary of State maritime claims and Wei He said China's "greatest
to back China into a cor- on a naval port expansion Antony Blinken last month said it was up to the coun- wish" was "peaceful reuni-
ner. project in Cambodia that said China represented tries in the region to find fication" with Taiwan, but
"No country should impose could give Beijing a foot- the "most serious long-term their own solutions. also made clear Beijing
its will on others or bully hold in the Gulf of Thailand. challenge to the interna- "China calls for turning the was willing to do whatever
others under the guise of Last year U.S. officials ac- tional order" for the United South China Sea into a sea it took to realize its goals.
multilateralism," he said. " cused China of testing a States, with its claims to Tai- of peace, friendship and "China will definitely realize
The strategy is an attempt hypersonic missile, a weap- wan and efforts to domi- cooperation," he said. "This its reunification," he said.
to build an exclusive small on harder for missile de- nate the strategic South is the shared wish and re- "China's reunification is a
group in the name of a free fense systems to counter, China Sea. sponsibility of countries in great cause of the Chinese
and open Indo-Pacific to but China insisted it had The U.S. and its allies have the region." nation, and it is a historical
hijack countries in our re- been a "routine test of a responded with so-called Taiwan and China split dur- trend that no one and no
gion and target one specif- spacecraft." freedom of navigation pa- ing a civil war in 1949, but force can stop."
ic country — it is a strategy Answering a question trols in the South China Sea China claims the island as He added that China
to create conflict and con- about the test on Sunday, and Taiwan Strait, some- its own territory, and has would "resolutely crush any
frontation to contain and Wei came the closest so times encountering a push- not ruled out the use of mili- attempt to pursue Taiwan
encircle others." far to acknowledging it back from China's military. tary force to take it, while independence."
China has been rapidly was, indeed, a hypersonic Wei accused the U.S. of maintaining it is a domestic "We will not hesitate to fight,
modernizing its military and missile, saying, "As for hy- "meddling in the affairs of political issue. we will fight at all costs and
seeking to expand its in- personic weapons, many our region" with the patrols, Washington follows a "one- we will fight to the very
fluence and ambitions in countries are developing and "flexing the muscles by China" policy, which rec- end," he said. "This is the
the region, recently sign- weapons and I think there's sending warships and war- ognizes Beijing but allows only choice for China."
ing a security agreement no surprise that China is do- planes on a rampage in informal relations and de- Wei and Austin met one-
with the Solomon Islands ing so." the South China Sea." fense ties with Taipei. It pro- on-one on Saturday, and
that many fear could lead "China will develop its mili- China has squared off with vides arms to Taiwan and Taiwan featured promi-
to a Chinese naval base tary," he added. "I think it's the Philippines and Viet- follows a "strategic am- nently in their discussions,
in the Pacific, and break- natural." nam, among others, over biguity" approach about according to the U.S.q

Hot air brings Spain its 1st withering

heat wave of year

MADRID (AP) — Spain´s The Aemet weather agen- of Seville, Cordoba and
weather service says a cy said the hottest areas Badajoz.
mass of hot air from North would be in central and Meteorologists said the
Africa brought the coun- southwestern Spain. The temperature in Madrid
try's first major heat wave heat wave is expected to could hit 38 degrees Cel-
of the year Sunday, with last at least until Wednes- sius (100.4 F), well above
temperatures expected to day, the agency said. average for early June. The
reach 43 degrees Celsius The 43-degree (109.4-de- forecasted high in coastal People drink from a public fountain in downtown Madrid,
(109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) gree) weather was fore- Barcelona was 32 degrees Spain, Sunday, June 12, 2022.
in some places. cast for the southern cities Celsius (89.6 F).q Associated Press