Energy News  
TRADE WARS
China warns of 'severe threats' to global order at G20
by Staff Writers
Osaka, Japan (AFP) June 28, 2019

China warned on Friday that protectionism and "bullying" were threatening the world order as President Xi Jinping met other leaders at the G20 summit ahead of high-stakes talks with Donald Trump.

Xi met three of his African counterparts Friday morning on the sidelines of the G20 summit of major world economies, which opened in Osaka amid the US-China trade war, geopolitical tensions, and divisions over climate change.

"All leaders in the meeting stressed that unilateralism, protectionism, and bullying practices are on the rise, posing severe threats to economic globalisation and international order, and severe challenges to the external environment of developing countries," Chinese foreign ministry official Dai Bing told reporters.

Dai said the meeting involved Xi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Senegal President Macky Sall.

Although attributed to the four leaders, China's characterisation of the meeting used wording that Beijing typically wields to criticise the Trump administration, suggesting Xi may take a firm line into his Saturday meeting with the US president.

All eyes will be on whether the two leaders can agree to a truce in a trade dispute that has been damaging for the world economy.

Before arriving in Japan, Trump had said China was eager for a truce because its economy was "going down the tubes" and appeared to threaten another $325 billion in tariffs in addition to the $200 billion Washington has already imposed.

But Trump largely held his tongue Friday as official summit events got under way.

Efforts by the rivals to reach a trade deal fell apart in May, putting a heavy focus on Osaka and Saturday's encounter.

Experts believe there is little chance of a full deal at the G20, saying the best hope is for a truce that would avoid Washington imposing new tariffs and ramping up the conflict.

But even a truce is not guaranteed, with the Wall Street Journal reporting Thursday that Beijing will not agree to any deal unless Washington lifts its ban on Chinese telecoms firm Huawei.

S.America-EU trade talks press on after Macron warning to Brazil
Brussels (AFP) June 28, 2019 - Negotiations between Europe and South America to finalise a blockbuster trade deal will continue Friday, after French President Emmanuel Macron sent a warning shot to Brazil over environmental issues.

Ministers from the South American trade bloc known as Mercosur and top EU officials are hoping to seal what would be one of the world's biggest regional trade agreements but stumbling blocks remain.

"Meetings between the EU and Mercosur continue and each party is working hard to overcome the remaining differences," a source close to the European Commission told AFP, at the talks in Brussels.

Another source on Thursday described the agreement as "still up in the air".

But Macron has threatened to snub the deal if Brazil withdraws from the Paris climate accord that commits signatories to reduce emissions and which Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has threatened to leave.

"If Brazil leaves the Paris accord, we could not sign trade deals with them," Macron said Thursday night in Japan en route to Osaka for the G20 summit, which kicks off on Friday.

"The reason is simple, we are requiring our farmers to stop using pesticides... our businesses to reduce emissions. That has a competitive cost," Macron added.

Activists have already urged the EU to halt the Mercosur trade talks over Brazil's alleged harm to its rainforests and indigenous peoples.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she wanted "straight talk" with Bolsonaro over "dramatic" deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

However, Merkel also said the issue would not hold up the trade deal and believes it would boost Europe's economy and ultimately benefit the rainforests in Brazil.

Discussions between heads of state are expected to be held on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Two decades of EU negotiations with the countries of Mercosur -- grouping Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay -- have repeatedly stalled over the highly sensitive beef market, with cattle farmers in Europe furiously against any deal.

Last week Ireland, Belgium, Poland and France expressed their concerns for farming to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Pro-trade members meanwhile have staunchly backed the pact, which would mark a blow against protectionism, with US President Donald Trump caught in a trade war with China that is destabilising the world economy.

More recently, differences have emerged with Brazil over trading meat, sugar and automobiles.

"The political context is quite charged in Europe. The anti-trade rhetoric is strong in many countries, including pro-trade ones," said an EU diplomat.

The increasingly acrimonious debate resembled the pushback against a highly ambitious trade deal with the United States, known as TTIP, that triggered mass protests in Germany, Austria and France a few years ago.

EU sources said Europeans await progress from the South Americans on geographical indications that protect European products such as cognac and Manchego cheese and especially on the opening up of their auto sector.

The EU would like to see the deal passed before the end of the current commission's term later this year.


Related Links
Global Trade News


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


TRADE WARS
Virtual Facebook currency faces real-world resistance
London (AFP) June 21, 2019
If Facebook's new cryptocurrency should resonate anywhere it should be India, where the social media giant has more than 300 million followers. Many Indians are shut out of banking and face punitive fees for simple transactions, like transferring money to their loved ones. But in India as elsewhere, the US company's ambitions to remake global finance through its "Libra" currency will have to overcome regulatory mistrust, plus the existence of popular homegrown rivals in the market for digital p ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TRADE WARS
EU leaders fail to set 2050 target of zero net carbon emissions

Global warming = more energy use = more warming

Wartsila and Summit sign Bangladesh's biggest ever service agreement to maintain Summit's 464 MW power plants

Canada must double its carbon tax to reach emissions target

TRADE WARS
Researchers introduce novel heat transport theory in quest for efficient thermoelectrics

AI and high-performance computing extend evolution to superconductors

Scientists found a way to increase the capacity of energy sources for portable electronics

Flexible generators turn movement into energy

TRADE WARS
Windmill protesters placed on Dutch terror list

Can sound protect eagles from wind turbine collisions?

UK hits historic coal-free landmark

BayWa r.e. sells its first Australian wind farms to Epic Energy

TRADE WARS
meeco presents new innovative and flexible renewable energy mounting system

Special nanotubes could improve solar power and imaging technology

Perovskite solar cells tested for real-world performance in the lab

Next-gen solar cells spin in new direction

TRADE WARS
Get your fax right: Bungling officials spark Japan nuclear scare

Framatome receives DoE GAIN voucher to support development of Lightbridge Fuel

World's second EPR nuclear reactor starts work in China

GE Hitachi begins vendor review of its BWRX-300 SMR with Canada's nuclear commission

TRADE WARS
Efficiently producing fatty acids and biofuels from glucose

NREL researchers to help ExxonMobil reduce future biofuels emissions

Researchers take two steps toward green fuel

New microorganism for algae biomass to produce alternative fuels

TRADE WARS
Hydrogen-natural gas hydrates harvested by natural gas

Connecting the dots: nitrogen dioxide over Siberian pipelines

Pompeo meets Saudi king for Iran crisis talks

India warships sent to strategic Gulf waters: navy

TRADE WARS
Thousands of big energy reps at UN climate talks: monitor

Barrier Reef corals help scientists calibrate ancient climate records

Climate change affected the people of the Amazon before Europeans arrived

Drought forces Namibia to auction 1,000 wild animals









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.