China Foreign Ministry Welcomes Blinken's Visit to China as Tensions Simmer

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim (L) arrive for remarks at the State Department April 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim (L) arrive for remarks at the State Department April 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
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China Foreign Ministry Welcomes Blinken's Visit to China as Tensions Simmer

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim (L) arrive for remarks at the State Department April 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim (L) arrive for remarks at the State Department April 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP

China's foreign ministry on Thursday welcomed the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China as tensions rise between the two countries over global trade, regional conflicts and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Blinken will depart on April 23 for a four-day trip to China, where he will meet with senior Chinese officials amid heightened tensions, including over China's alignment with Russia and aggressive moves against the Philippines in the South China Sea, Politico reported.
Blinken is also expected to raise US concerns that Beijing is helping Russia build up its defense industry to fight the war in Ukraine, Reuters said.
"China welcomes Secretary of State Blinken to visit China in the next few days," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, at a regular press briefing.
Blinken is visiting the world's second-largest economy to help smooth over recent strains, most notably after US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for sharply higher tariffs on Chinese metal products.
"As a matter of principle, we have consistently demanded the United States earnestly respect the principles of fair competition, respect WTO rules, and immediately stop the trade protectionist measures aimed at China," Lin said.
Biden aides said the US president was proposing raising to 25% tariffs imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products. The proposed higher tariff rate would apply to more than $1 billion worth of steel and aluminum products, a US official said. "China will take all necessary measures to protect its own legitimate rights and interests," Lin said.



Trump Says Xi Visit 'Very Positive for both Countries'

 China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
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Trump Says Xi Visit 'Very Positive for both Countries'

 China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

President Donald Trump said Friday that he and Xi Jinping had made progress for the United States and China, as the Chinese leader wrapped up a state visit to Washington.

"I think we've made tremendous strides, we've made great strides, very positive for both countries," Trump told reporters as he and his wife Melania had tea at the White House with Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping floated the possibility of two more meetings with Trump, saying: "Looking ahead to the remainder of this year, there will be two more opportunities for us to meet each other -- firstly the APEC meeting in China and then the G20 summit in the United States."

"I do welcome you, Mr President and the First Lady, to visit China."


Türkiye Rejects Netanyahu's 'Baseless Accusations' at UN

TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
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Türkiye Rejects Netanyahu's 'Baseless Accusations' at UN

TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Türkiye rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "baseless accusations" at the United Nations, its state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Friday.

Netanyahu had called Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant" during a fiery speech at the UN, accusing Ankara of harboring Hamas militant leaders.

The Israeli leader's address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, in which he denounced enemies and allies alike, sparked uproar in the chamber.

Dozens of envoys from across the world walked out, some jeering and booing, while Netanyahu's own team stood and applauded, and the speaker of the session shouted for order.

"The latest country to become a super spreader of antisemitic lies (is Türkiye)," he said.

"Erdogan is a tyrant. He also hosts the Hamas terror chiefs."

Erdogan has urged world leaders to "exert greater pressure on Israel" over its war in Gaza and called on nations to recognize Palestine as an independent state.

Anadolu quoted the Turkish presidency's communications director Burhanettin Duran, as slamming Netanyahu's allegation as "incompatible" with UN values.

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of the UN General Assembly podium to level "baseless accusations" against Turkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was incompatible with the "ideals of peace, law and dialogue" represented by the UN," Duran said.

Netanyahu's words cannot "make his massacres, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the proceedings before international law invisible," he added.


Britain Warns Iran It Will Not Tolerate Hostile Activity on UK Soil

Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026.  (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
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Britain Warns Iran It Will Not Tolerate Hostile Activity on UK Soil

Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026.  (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)

Britain's foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and told him his country would "not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil" from groups linked to Iran.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also discussed the war in the Middle East, the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Britain's "unwavering resolve ‌to combat ‌threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil," ‌a ⁠Foreign Office statement said.

"The ⁠Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK's unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community," it said.

In July, Britain banned support for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and a linked group following a series of ⁠antisemitic attacks, using new legal powers designed ‌to stop the use ‌of state-sponsored proxies, said
Reuters.

Iran has previously denied using proxies. The British statement ‌did not say how Araghshi responded to ‌Miliband.

A statement on Araghchi’s Telegram account said he had used the meeting to call for a correction to "the destructive and irresponsible approaches of some European governments towards Iran and regional ‌developments."

He also said an "insistence on interfering in countries’ internal affairs and the instrumental ⁠use of ⁠human rights concepts is in no way acceptable."

Britain's National Cyber Security Center said last week Iranian state-linked cyber actors had used a spyware family known as "CHOSEN BRICK" to steal emails, messages and other sensitive information through "spear-phishing" campaigns on messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram.

"The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the Government has taken in response," the Foreign Office statement added.