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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 19 april 2017

Few major Western leaders to attend Chinese summit

GERRY SHIH the U.S. and its allies, in-
Associated Press cluding Japan, Britain and
BEIJING (AP) — Leaders Australia. China has sought
of 28 countries are set to to frame Xi’s vision for the
attend a Chinese summit China-led development
next month showcasing program as an inclusive,
President Xi Jinping’s sig- mutually beneficial project
nature foreign policy initia- rather than a statement of
tive, but few will hail from geopolitical ambitions that
major Western countries. should arouse Western sus-
Chinese Foreign Minister picions. The program aims
Wang Yi said Tuesday that to build roads, railways,
Vladimir Putin of Russia, Re- ports and other infrastruc-
cep Tayyip Erdogan of Tur- ture along the ancient Silk
key and Spain’s Mariano Road’s maritime and over-
Rajoy are among those land routes with close to
slated to appear next $100 billion in funding.
month in Beijing to discuss The program is closely
Xi’s “One Belt, One Road” linked to the Asian In-
program to stitch together frastructure Investment
the Eurasian continent with Bank, China’s version of a
infrastructure investment. global financial institution
The May 14-15 summit is Workers install wires on a ‘Golden Bridge of Silk Road’ structure on a platform outside the National that faced similar Western
seen as a measure of Chi- Convention Center, the venue which will hold the Belt and Road Forum for International Coopera- skepticism upon its forma-
na’s international prestige tion, in Beijing, April 18, 2017. tion last year. In the year
at a time when Xi has po- (AP Photo/Andy Wong) since, the bank has suc-
sitioned China as a rising ceeded in attracting U.S.
outward-looking regional United States’ traditional domestic election sched- liticized,” Wang told report- allies as members, includ-
power, and as questions global leadership. ules, not because they ers in Beijing, in response ing Germany, Canada and
have arisen over President Wang said leaders from snubbed China. “This is a to a question asking if Chi- Britain, although Washing-
Donald Trump’s commit- France and Germany will positive, cooperative con- na felt insulted by the ab- ton continues to maintain
ment to maintaining the not attend due to their ference, it shouldn’t be po- sence of top leaders from its distance.q
UN says 16 staff members freed by South Sudan refugees

S. MWANAMILONGO said earlier that the South earlier that two of the hos- dent Salva Kiir that erupted When war broke out, Kiir,
Associated Press Sudanese refugees took tages were expatriates. in the capital, Juba. an ethnic Dinka, accused
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — 13 staff members hostage, The South Sudanese refu- The hostage-taking fol- Machar,
The United Nations said late demanding they be sent to gees “are all disarmed, lowed the repatriation to his political rival and an
Tuesday that 16 staff mem- another East African coun- but they demand asylum South Sudan on Friday of ethnic Nuer, of leading an
bers taken hostage by un- try to avoid their forced re- in Uganda, Kenya or Ethio- eight fighters from Mach- attempted military coup in
armed South Sudanese turn to South Sudan. Nego- pia.” ar’s Sudanese People’s Lib- the capital that later esca-
refugees at a U.N. camp in tiations had continued into The refugees are among a eration Movement. lated into a full-blown re-
eastern Congo have been the evening. group of 530 who had fled The presence of the South bellion.
released unharmed. The U.N. peacekeeping South Sudan last year and Sudanese rebels worries A peace deal signed in
The U.N. peacekeep- department said later there have been staying at the Congolese civilians in the August 2015 amid interna-
ing department said in a were 16 hostages. U.N. camp in Munigi, north North Kivu province, who tional pressure has been vi-
statement released at U.N. “All staff have returned of the provincial capital have been plagued for de- olated repeatedly by both
headquarters in New York safely to their homes,” it Goma. cades by violence as mili- sides. Machar,
that “the camp is quiet said. Most are part of the oppo- tias vie for control over the who had been reinstated
and under full control” of “No casualties have been sition movement of South mineral-rich region. as Kiir’s deputy under the
peacekeepers at the Mu- reported. The mission is in- Sudan’s former vice presi- South Sudan fell into civil agreement, fled into exile
nigi base in North Kivu prov- vestigating the incident.” dent, Riek Machar, and war in December 2013, just after fighting resumed in
ince. Daniel Ruiz, the head of the fled fighting with South Su- two years after it won in- Juba in July 2016.q
The U.N. Mission in Congo North Kivu U.N. bureau, said dan forces loyal to Presi- dependence from Sudan.