US Vice President Mike Pence
The United States will not back down from its trade dispute with China, and might even double its tariffs, unless Beijing bows to U.S. demands, Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday.
In a bluntly worded speech at an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea, Pence threw down the gauntlet to China on trade and security in the region.
“We have taken decisive action to address our imbalance with China,” Pence declared. “We put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods, and we could more than double that number.”
“The United States, though, will not change course until China changes its ways.”
The stark warning will likely be unwelcome news to financial markets which had hoped for a thaw in the Sino-U.S. dispute and perhaps even some sort of deal at a G20 meeting later this month in Argentina.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who is not attending the APEC meeting, is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Argentina.
Pence’s warning on Saturday contrasted with remarks made by Trump on Friday, when he said he may not impose more tariffs after China sent the United States a list of measures it was willing to take to resolve trade tensions.
Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports to force concessions on a list of demands that would change the terms of trade between the two countries. China has responded with import tariffs on U.S. goods.
Washington is demanding Beijing improve market access and intellectual property protections for U.S. companies, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375 billion trade gap.
There was no hint of compromise from Pence.
Forced out of the White House in a feud with first lady Melania Trump, Mira Ricardel on Friday expressed admiration for U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife as a tumultuous week ended for the former deputy national security adviser.Ricardel ran afoul of the first lady in negotiations over government resources for use in Mrs. Trump's trip to Africa in October. She was forced to resign on Wednesday after a showdown with Mrs. Trump and her staff.In a statement, Ricardel said she had been honored to serve as deputy national security adviser and proud of her tenure working for national security adviser John Bolton."I admire the President and First Lady and have great respect for my colleagues who are dedicated to supporting the president’s policies, and I look forward to working with them in the months ahead," she said.Ricardel is currently looking for another job within the Trump administration. She came to the White House from the Commerce Department.Bolton sent an email to the staff of the National Security Council on Thursday saying he was grateful to Ricardel "and her unwavering commitment to the president," according to a senior NSC official.Aides stressed that Ricardel had never actually met Melania Trump. The White House had said in a statement on her departure on Wednesday that Ricardel "will continue to support the President as she departs the White House to transition to a new role within the administration."
Forced out, Bolton aide Ricardel expresses admiration for Trump, Melania
“China has taken advantage of the United States for many years. Those days are over,” he told delegates gathered on a cruise liner docked in Port Moresby’s Fairfax Harbour.
He also took aim at China’s territorial ambitions in the Pacific and, particularly, Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative to expand land and sea links between Asia, Africa and Europe with billions of dollars in infrastructure investment.
“We don’t offer constricting belts or a one-way road,” said Pence.
While not referring directly to Chinese claims over various disputed waters in the region, Pence said the United States would work to help protect maritime rights.
“We will continue to fly and sail where ever international law allows and our interests demand. Harassment will only strengthen our resolve.”
Just minutes earlier, Xi had spoken at length about his initiative and the need for free trade across the region.
“It is not an exclusive club closed to non-members, nor is it a trap as some people have labeled it,” Xi said of his brainchild project.
He also called protectionism a “shortsighted approach” that was “doomed to fail”.
“History has shown that confrontation, whether in the form of a Cold War, hot war, or trade war will produce no winners,” said Xi.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration ordered federal law enforcement agencies to examine legal methods of getting Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) leader Fetullah Gülen out of the U.S. in an attempt to convince Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, NBC News reported citing four sources.Khashoggi, a royal insider turned critic of Saudi policy and the crown prince’s reforms, was killed in the country’s Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2, after a struggle.The move suggests Trump could be seeking ways to appease Erdoğan over the Khashoggi murder without harming his alliance with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Turkey says will not link fate of FETÖ leader Gülen to KhashoggiThe White House asked for details about Gülen’s residency status. Officials initially “pushed back on the White House requests, but once they realized it was serious they were furious.”A total of 249 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured in the July 15 failed coup which was perpetrated by FETÖ, led by ringleader Fetullah Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.“One option that Turkish and Trump administration officials recently discussed is forcing Gülen to relocate to South Africa rather than sending him directly to Turkey if extradition is not possible, said the U.S. officials and people briefed on the discussions. But the U.S. does not have any legal justification to send Gülen to South Africa, they said, so that wouldn't be a viable option unless he went willingly,” NBC News reported.FETÖ-linked daily’s ex-columnist gets prison sentenceErdoğan and other Turkish officials reiterated to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who visited Turkey on Oct. 17, that they sought the extradition of Gülen. Pompeo allegedly queried whether there was “any new evidence” of Gülen links to the 2016 failed coup.Erdoğan told Pompeo that Gülen has “terrorist ties,” a senior U.S. official briefed on the meeting said.Following the coup, Turkey delivered “boxes of materials to the U.S.” that Ankara says proves Gülen was the mastermind. However, the FBI and U.S. Justice Department state they “didn't find evidence that met the standard for extradition, which requires U.S. prosecutors to determine that someone committed crimes abroad that would also be illegal in the U.S.”Gülen pursued a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.Germany not meeting Turkey's demands on FETÖ: FM
Trump administration seeks ways to kick FETÖ leader Gülen out of US
The U.S. on Thursday sanctioned 17 people tied to the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, including the Saudi Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi.Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi diplomatic facility shortly after he entered the consulate Oct. 2.Saudi Arabia had offered shifting explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance before suggesting he was killed during a botched rendition operation by rogue agents.In addition to al-Otaibi, the U.S. imposed economic penalties on Saud al-Qahtani, who the Treasury Department called a senior Saudi official involved in planning the operation, his subordinate, Maher Mutreb, and 14 other individuals who Washington says were part of an "operations team" tasked with killing Khashoggi.All of the 17 men, Treasury said, were involved in the "abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi.""These individuals who targeted and brutally killed a journalist who resided and worked in the United States must face consequences for their actions," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was not among the blacklisted individuals, despite widespread speculation that the de facto ruler of the Kingdom ordered the hit on Khashoggi. But indicating that the actions taken Thursday are not Washington's final steps on the case, Mnuchin said the U.S. is continuing "to diligently work to ascertain all of the facts and will hold accountable each of those we find responsible in order to achieve justice for Khashoggi’s fiancée, children, and the family he leaves behind."The sentiment was echoed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who said the actions are "an important step in responding to Khashoggi’s killing.""The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts, consult Congress, and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi," he said in a statement.U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting business with the designated individuals and any property they have under U.S. jurisdiction has been frozen.Saudi Arabia earlier Thursday announced it had charged 11 out of 21 suspects in relation to the Khashoggi's murder.
US sanctions 17 individuals tied to Khashoggi murder