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The Latest: Xi tells SKorea he is against US missile system

Sep 6, 2016 | 4:09 PM

HANGZHOU, China — The Latest on the G-20 summit in China (all times local):

10:30 a.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his South Korean counterpart that China is opposed to the deployment of a powerful U.S. anti-missile system in her country.

During their bilateral meeting on Monday’s final day of the G-20 meeting, Xi warned that “mishandling the issue is not conducive to strategic stability in the region, and could intensify disputes.”

China has responded angrily to Seoul’s decision to base the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, system south of the South Korean capital, Seoul.

While Seoul and Washington say the system is intended solely to defend against North Korea’s missile threat, Beijing says it will allow the U.S. military to peer deeply into northeastern China.

Beijing’s reaction has also stoked public outrage, threatening everything from tourism exchanges to appearances by K-pop stars in China.

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9 a.m.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his country is determined to provide its great friend and ally Britain with “all the support and assistance” it needs as it negotiates its exit from the EU.

Turnbull spoke ahead of a formal meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May on the sidelines of the G-20 economic summit in China.

May said she was grateful to Turnbull who had offered to discuss a free-trade agreement with Britain shortly after she became leader in July after the British people narrowly voted to leave the EU in a referendum.

May said she didn’t want Britain to become inward looking. “We want to be even more outward looking around the whole of the world, and Australia, with our long standing ties and our close relationship, will be one of the first countries we will be looking to.”

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1:45 a.m.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayypip Erdogan have met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit to discuss both Syria and improving their countries’ frayed relations.

Russian news agencies on Sunday cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that both countries’ delegations met and then the meeting continued between the leaders one-on-one with their foreign ministers present.

Russia and Turkey suffered a roughly seven-month rupture in relations after Turkey shot down a Russian bomber on its border with Syria in November just as tensions mounted over Syria, where Moscow and Ankara back opposing sides in the conflict. Relations began improving in late June after Erdogan apologized for the plane’s downing.

Russian and Turkish officials discussed the outlook for lifting Russia’s ban on Turkish food imports as part of their rapprochement process on Sunday, Peskov said.

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10:50 p.m.

French President Francois Hollande says he wants other world leaders to better regulate the global economy to protect workers and the environment.

In a Facebook post laying out his goals at the Group of 20 summit in China, Hollande said Sunday that “France’s role is to contribute to regulating the planet.”

The socialist leader, whose country is known for its extensive labour rules, continued, “Our country refuses a globalization without rules, where social models are pit against each other and dragged downward, where inequalities grow and intellectual property rights, and therefore cultural diversity, are threatened.”

Hollande argued against trade deals that don’t respect worker rights. He hailed the U.S. and China for approving the Paris climate accord and said he would champion “green” treasury bonds at the G-20 to support environmentally sustainable investment.

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7:35 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she sees the possibility of a “positive outcome” to negotiations between Turkey and the European Union on a visa waiver for Turks, but that it will still take weeks of work.

The offer to scrap visas for Turks entering the EU was one incentive for Turkey to agree to a deal to curb the flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea. But it’s conditional on, among other things, Turkey modifying its definition of terrorism and what constitutes a terror act to ensure that journalists and academics aren’t arrested. Ankara has refused to make changes.

Merkel said after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Sunday at the G-20 summit that they didn’t discuss a precise time frame but “we agreed that there is still work to do.”

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6:40 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she’s hopeful after meeting the Turkish president that Turkey will soon lift a ban on German lawmakers visiting their country’s military personnel at a Turkish air base.

Merkel met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Sunday at the Group of 20 summit in China. German-Turkish relations have been strained since the German Parliament voted in June to label as genocide the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago.

Turkey has refused to allow German lawmakers to visit personnel stationed at its Incirlik air base with aircraft supporting the campaign against the Islamic State group.

German news agency dpa reported that Merkel said she expects “positive news” on that front in the coming days. On Friday, the German government stressed the parliamentary resolution isn’t legally binding.

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6:40 p.m.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States will not rush into a deal with Russia to try to end Syria’s civil war.

Kerry has been negotiating with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in China on the sidelines of the G-20 summit. They are discussing a cease-fire between Syria’s government and moderate rebels, and a possible U.S.-Russian military partnership against extremist groups.

Kerry says they’ve worked out many technical issues but others are unresolved.

Kerry says he and Lavrov plan to meet again Monday. He says the U.S. will take the time needed to ensure the agreement has the best chance for success.

Several previous U.S.-Russia deals on Syria have failed to halt the violence.

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3:55 p.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has officially opened a two-day summit of the world’s major economies, saying the Group of 20 should adopt new measures to generate growth momentum and avoid protectionism.

The 11th G-20 economic forum takes place in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

Xi shook hands and posed for photos Sunday afternoon with leaders including President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin with a G-20 backdrop. The leaders then travelled up several flights of stairs to a summit conference room.

In opening remarks, Xi said the world economy is recovering but faces multiple challenges in finance, trade and investment.

He said the summit will discuss innovation-driven growth and more efficient global economic and financial governance.

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3:35 p.m.

In their first meeting together, British Prime Minister Theresa May has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that she wants a “frank and open relationship” with Moscow despite their differences.

Bilateral relations have been strained in recent years by the fighting in Ukraine, Russia’s backing of Syrian President Bashar Assad and the poisoning death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London.

At their meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in China, May told Putin the world faces many challenges today.

She said: “And while I recognize there will be some differences between us, there are some complex and serious areas of concern and issues to discuss, I hope we will be able to have a frank and open relationship and dialogue.”

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2:15 p.m.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says there should be no distinction between “good terrorists” and bad ones.

Erdogan is meeting with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit in Hangzhou, China.

Erdogan says all terrorism is bad. He says the U.S. and Turkey must adopt a common attitude against terrorism.

Turkey and the U.S. have been at odds over the role of Kurdish forces in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds have been the most effective fighting force against IS, but Turkey worries they are seeking a contiguous and autonomous zone along Turkey’s border.

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2:10 p.m.

President Barack Obama is reassuring Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the U.S. will work to ensure those responsible for a failed coup are brought to justice.

Obama is holding his first meeting with Erdogan since this summer’s coup attempt. Obama says he condemns the attempted overthrow.

The U.S. president also says it’s critical to “finish the job” of securing Turkey’s border with Syria. That’s where Islamic State fighters have flooded into Turkey and would-be recruits into Syria.

Obama also says Turkey mustn’t carry alone the burden of addressing the Syrian refugee crisis.

The leaders met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit in Hangzhou, China.

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12:45 p.m.

European Council President Donald Tusk says there will be no negotiations with Britain on the terms of its departure from the European Union until London formally invokes the two-year leaving process.

Speaking ahead of the G-20 summit in Hangzhou, China, Tusk said such pre-negotiations are not in the interests of the remaining 27 EU members.

Tusk says: “We need to protect the interests of the members of the EU that want to stay together, not the one which wants to leave.”

Speaking earlier Sunday, British Prime Minister Theresa May said: “There will be no second referendum, no attempt to turn the clock back or get out of this. (Britain) will be leaving the European Union.”

The U.K. has to invoke Article 50, the EU treaty clause that sets up the departure of a nation from the current 28-member bloc.

The Brexit, as it’s known, is one of the main topics of concern at the economic forum.

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12:15 p.m.

President Barack Obama says he doesn’t think disputes over media access during his trip to China reflect trouble in the U.S.-China relationship.

Obama says tensions always arise when the White House negotiated how much access the U.S. press will get to the president and foreign leaders overseas.

The White House doesn’t apologize for pushing to press access because “we don’t leave our values and our ideals behind when we take those trips.”

But Obama says he wouldn’t “overcrank” the significance of a shouting match that broke out between White House and Chinese officials as he arrived in China Saturday.

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12 noon

British Prime Minister Theresa May says there will be “no second referendum” in the U.K. on exiting the European Union. She says the U.K. will be leaving the EU.

May is meeting with President Barack Obama in China. She says the U.K. plans to continue pursuing an aggressive trade relationship with the U.S. despite the decision to leave the EU.

May and Obama are downplaying concerns that Britain becomes a lower trading priority for the U.S. by leaving the European bloc. The U.S. has been negotiating a broad EU trade deal and said ahead of the Brexit vote that Britain would go to the back of a line for a two-country deal if it left the EU.

Obama says he never said Britain would be punished. But he says it wouldn’t make sense for the U.S. to lose focus on its European trade talks. He says the first priority for Britain now that it’s leaving is to figure out its new trading relationship with its European neighbours.

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11:55 a.m.

President Barack Obama says U.S. and Russian negotiators are working “around the clock” to try to strike a deal to reduce violence in Syria but says “we’re not there yet.”

Obama is addressing the Syria crisis during a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in China.

Obama says the U.S. is skeptical given the fact that previous cessations of hostilities have failed to hold. He says the negotiations are difficult and the U.S. and Russia have “grave differences.”

But Obama says it’s “worth trying” given Russia’s role in supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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11:45 a.m.

President Barack Obama says the U.S. and the U.K. will continue strengthening their “special relationship” even as Britain pursues its exit from the European Union.

Obama is holding his first meeting with new British Prime Minister Theresa May since she took over. He says the U.S. doesn’t have a stronger partner in the world. Obama says the two countries will keep co-operating closely on cyber security, terrorism and trade despite the “turbulence” of recent political events. He’s referring to the British vote to exit the EU, or Brexit.

May says the U.K. and the U.S. will “pursue the opportunities that Brexit presents.” She says they’ll “make a success of it.”

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11:40 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in China for the G-20 summit amid ongoing tensions between the Asian neighbours over claims to islands in the East China Sea.

It’s Abe’s first to China since attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in November 2014 — itself a breakthrough following a freezing of high-level contacts by China in 2012.

That was part of Beijing’s furious reaction to Tokyo’s move to nationalize a string of tiny uninhabited islands controlled by Japan but claimed by China.

Japan regularly complains about the presence of coast guard Chinese ships in waters surrounding the islands, called Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China, and a recent sail-by by a Chinese navy ship further raised tensions.

Abe is also routinely excoriated in China over his party’s conservative views on history and efforts to expand the military’s range of activity, a reflection of lingering anger over Japan’s invasion of China just before World War II that is constantly stoked by Chinese propaganda.

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10:55 a.m.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has touted what he called “the outstanding leadership” of the American and Chinese presidents, Barack Obama and Xi Jinping, for committing their nations to the Paris agreement on climate change.

At a news conference on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hangzhou, Ban urged other leaders to accelerate their countries’ ratification process “so we can turn the aspirational Paris into the transforming climate action the world so urgently needs.”

China and the United States, the world’s top two carbon emitters, delivered documents to Ban on Saturday certifying that their countries have taken the necessary steps to join the Paris accord.

A total of 26 parties accounting for 39 per cent of global emissions are signed up to the agreement that sets nation-by-nation targets for cutting carbon emissions.

The agreement still needs 29 parties representing at least 16 per cent more of global emissions to enter into force.

The U.N. leader also praised China’s organization of this year’s G-20 summit and its focus on sustainable development. He commended the G-20 for “moving from a short-term focus on managing global financing challenges to a long-term vision for sustainable development.”

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10:50 a.m.

The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa held an informal meeting to reaffirm their loose alliance known as the BRICS group of emerging market powerhouses.

In opening remarks, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the bloc should grow alongside the Group of 20, which holds its summit Sunday afternoon in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

The BRICS leaders will meet again next month when they hold their own summit in India.

Xi also congratulated Brazil on holding a “successful Olympics,” despite the fact neither he or any of the other BRICS leaders attended to avoid offending Brazilian sensitivities amid a bitter struggle over the country’s leadership.

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7:20 p.m.

The United Nations’ top climate official is thanking the United States and China for ratifying the global climate agreement reached in Paris.

Patricia Espinosa said in a statement Saturday that the accord offers an “opportunity for a sustainable future for every nation and every person.” She added: “The earlier that Paris is ratified and implemented in full, the more secure that future will become.”

The agreement will take effect 30 days after the date when 55 countries representing at least 55 per cent of global emissions have formally joined it. The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change says the U.S. and China joining up brings the total so far to just over 39 per cent.

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7:10 p.m.

Secretary of State John Kerry says the U.S. and China “demonstrated their continued, shared commitment to climate leadership” by formally joining the landmark climate agreement reached last year in Paris.

Kerry said in a statement that when the U.S. and China “come together to take action on climate, it moves the needle in a way that no two other nations can accomplish.”

He added, however, that “it is essential for the Paris Agreement to enter into force as quickly as possible.”

The agreement reached last year will go into effect if ratified by at least 55 countries representing 55 per cent of the world’s man-made emissions. Together, China and the United States represent 38 per cent of the world’s total.

Earlier Saturday, President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping presented documents formally entering their countries into the climate agreement. China and the United States are the world’s top two producers of man-made carbon emissions.

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6:50 p.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says the Group of 20’s meetings should be transformed into a mechanism that delivers long-term guidance on the global economy, rather than one that just responds to crises.

Xi said in a speech Saturday that the G-20 was at a “crucial juncture,” one day before its summit opens in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

The G-20 held its first leaders’ summit during the 2008 economic crisis and now convenes annually with representatives from a mix of industrialized and developing economies.

China’s hosting of the two-day summit is seen as part of its drive to cement its place among global economic leaders. In his speech Saturday, Xi said China would cut steel and coal production to reduce excess capacity and “sustain long-term development.”

The Associated Press