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WORLD NEWS Thursday 6 July 2023

China accuses the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a

powder keg

BEIJING (AP) — China’s
Defense Ministry accused
the United States of turning
Taiwan into a powder keg
on Wednesday with its lat-
est sales of $440 million in
military equipment to the
self-governing island de-
mocracy.
The U.S. State Department
approved of the sale of 30
mm ammunition and relat-
ed equipment, along with
spare parts for Taiwan’s ve-
hicles, small arms, combat
weapon systems, and logis-
tical support items. Chinese
Defense Ministry spokesper-
son Col. Tan Kefei respond-
ed that “the U.S. ignores
China’s core concerns,
crudely interferes in China’s The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics,
internal affairs, and delib- in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022.
erately escalates tensions Associated Press
across the Taiwan Strait.” seek independence is wish- the island in deference to island’s 23 million people
China claims Taiwan as its ful thinking and is doomed Beijing. Nonetheless, U.S. and wear down its military
own territory, to be con- to failure, he said, using law requires a credible de- capabilities. During a tran-
quered by force if neces- standard Chinese terminol- fense for Taiwan and for sit stop in the U.S. by Tai-
sary, and Tan said “stern ogy, adding that the Peo- the U.S. to treat all threats wanese President Tsai Ing-
representations” had been ple’s Liberation Army was to the island as matters of wen in April, during which
lodged with the U.S. always ready and would ‘’grave concern.” she met with U.S. House
“This is tantamount to ac- maintain peace and stabil- China regularly sends war- Speaker Kevin McCarthy,
celerating the transforma- ity in the Taiwan Strait. ships and planes across the China staged three days of
tion of Taiwan into a ‘pow- The U.S. maintains a “One center line in the Taiwan large-scale drills around the
der keg’ and pushing the China” policy under which Strait that provides a buf- island, simulating a block-
Taiwanese people into the it does not recognize Tai- fer between the sides, as ade. China opposes any
abyss of disaster,” he said wan’s formal indepen- well as into Taiwan’s air de- exchanges at the official
in a statement on the minis- dence and has no formal fense identification zone, in level between Taiwan and
try’s website. Using force to diplomatic relations with an effort to intimidate the other governments.q

Colombian rebel group says it will stop attacks on

military

By MANUEL RUEDA BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — group said it will stop at- areas.
Associated Press Colombia’s largest rebel tacks on the nation’s mili- In June, the ELN and Co-
tary as it prepares for a lombia’s government
ceasefire with the govern- agreed to take actions
ment that could bring both that will lead to a bilateral
sides closer to ending five ceasefire on Aug. 3.
decades of war. The ceasefire is supposed
In a statement published to last six months, and is
Tuesday, the National Lib- meant to facilitate peace
eration Army’s Central talks that began at the end
Command ordered its of last year, and are ex-
units across the country to pected to last at least until
“cease all offensive ac- 2025.
tions” against the military The ELN has grown signifi-
on July 6, including espio- cantly since 2017, when
nage. it occupied areas of the
However the group known country that were vacat-
as the ELN said its fighters ed by the Revolutionary
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel applauds as Colombia’s
President Gustavo Petro, left, and ELN commander Antonio will continue to use their Armed Forces of Colombia
Garcia, shake hands during a bilateral ceasefire agreement weapons to defend them- following its peace deal
signing ceremony between Petro’s government and the selves from any attack with the government. The
Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla, at El Laguito staged by the military or group known as the FARC
in Havana, Cuba, June 9, 2023. other armed groups that has been Colombia’s big-
Associated Press operate in Colombia’s rural gest guerrilla army.q