Beijing will push for the establishment of a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) and further lift restrictions on foreign investment, China’s President Xi Jinping told business leaders from the Asia Pacific on Wednesday morning in Manila, the Philippines. Source: SCMP
Annual summits between China and central and eastern European countries are beneficial to the European Union as a whole, the Chinese government’s told Bulgaria’s foreign minister, brushing off concern that Beijing is seeking to divide the continent. Source: Reuters
Israeli aircraft destroyed a boat moored in Gaza city early on Wednesday morning, local residents said. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said aircraft had struck “military targets belonging to the Hamas terror organization’s naval force” and “underground terror infrastructure” belonging to Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip. Source: Reuters
European Union Trade ministers agreed on May 22 to begin free trade talks with Australia and New Zealand, a move that is aimed at demonstrating the bloc’s ability to form new alliances while trade tensions continue to grow with the administration of US President Donald J. Trump. Source: New Europe
