Â鶹´«Ã½

World

    • China's Xi meets Germany's Scholz, urges Ukraine peace talks

    Share
    BEIJING -

    In a much-scrutinized meeting Friday with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged China to exert its influence on Russia, while the Chinese leader repeated a call for talks between Moscow and Ukraine and warned against the conflict going nuclear.

    Scholz was in Beijing for a one-day visit that has drawn criticism over China's tacit support for Russia, lingering controversies over economic ties and human rights issues, as well as the timing of the trip.

    It comes after Xi further cemented his authoritarian rule at a major Communist Party congress last month and as China continues to refuse to criticize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

    Scholz's visit reflects the importance of Germany's trade ties with China, the world's second-largest economy, particularly in the auto and manufacturing sectors. Mercedes Benz alone sold 758,863 cars in China last year, more than in any other country.

    Scholz, who traveled with several top German business leaders, received a formal welcome from Xi, who was recently reappointed head of the ruling Communist Party for a third term, at the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing.

    “At present, the international situation is complex and changeable,†Xi was quoted as telling Scholz by state broadcaster CCTV. “As influential powers, China and Germany should work together in times of change and chaos to make more contributions to world peace and development.â€

    On Ukraine, Xi “pointed out that China supports Germany and the EU in playing an important role in promoting peace talks and promoting the building of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework,†CCTV reported. That was apparently a nod to Russia's anger over NATO's eastern expansion.

    The international community should “create conditions for the resumption of negotiations (and) jointly oppose the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons,†Xi said.

    Scholz is the first leader from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations to meet with Xi since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was first detected in China in 2019, and the first European leader to visit China since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Germany has strongly opposed.

    The diplomatically delicate trip came as Germany and the European Union are working on their strategy toward an increasingly assertive and authoritarian China.

    Meanwhile on Friday, G-7 diplomats met in Germany to rally support for Ukraine and coalesced around suspicion of China's increasing assertiveness amid a wide range of global crises.

    Beijing has provided Moscow with diplomatic backing by repeatedly calling for peace talks while refusing to support measures at the United Nations criticizing Russia's invasion. It has also accused the U.S. and NATO of provoking the attack and scathingly criticized economic sanctions imposed on Russia.

    In his opening remarks, Scholz referred directly to the conflict that has created millions of refugees and upended world food and energy markets, saying, “We come together at a time of great tension.â€

    “In particular, I want to highlight the Russian war against Ukraine, which poses many problems for our rules-based world order,†Scholz said.

    Scholz also touched on global hunger, climate change and developing-world debt as important issues.

    At a later news conference, Scholz said he told Xi that “it's important for China to exert its influence on Russia.†He gave no details on what the West wanted China to do.

    “President Xi and I agree that nuclear threats are irresponsible and highly dangerous. By using nuclear weapons, Russia would cross a line that the international community has drawn together,†he said.

    Scholz also said he brought up human rights and market access, and told Xi that any change in the status of self-governing Taiwan “can only happen peacefully and by mutual agreement.†China claims the island republic as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

    In an apparent reference to European lawmakers and the Baltic state of Lithuania that China has banned and boycotted over their relations with Taiwan, Scholz said, “It is also important to be clear that economic measures against individual EU member states are directed against the entire EU single market, and sanctions against EU lawmakers are not acceptable for us.â€

    Scholz has come under criticism for making the visit to China so soon after Xi's triumph at last month's congress, at which he promoted allies who support his vision of tighter control over society and the economy and a more confrontational approach to the West.

    The visit is also occurring amid rising tensions over Taiwan and follows a U.N. report that said Chinese human rights violations against Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in its Xinjiang region may amount to crimes against humanity.

    Scholz was accompanied by about a dozen top German business leaders, including the CEOs of Volkswagen, BMW, BASF, Bayer and Deutsche Bank, most of which are doing a thriving business in China. That has some German observers questioning whether the country is becoming overly reliant on the Chinese market, just as it did with Russia for energy supplies.

    VW's China head, Ralf Brandstatter, said Scholz's visit was important during “politically and economically challenging times like these.â€

    China is Germany's most important trading partner, with 5,000 German companies active in the country and hundreds of thousands of German jobs tied to the Chinese market. More than 14 million jobs in China depend on business with European companies, Brandstatter said.

    Scholz also met with Premier Li Keqiang, who nominally has responsibility over China's economy.

    At home, some have criticized Scholz for normalizing China's behavior. While his nearly year-old government has signaled a departure from predecessor Angela Merkel's firmly trade-first approach, his trip follows domestic discord over a Chinese shipping company's major investment in a container terminal in Germany's crucial port of Hamburg.

    With China still imposing tough COVID-19 restrictions, his delegation moved in an anti-virus bubble, undergoing testing and not staying in Beijing overnight. At just 11 hours, it is the shortest trip ever to China by a German leader.

    German officials say the trip sought to probe where China is going and what forms of cooperation are possible.

    Associated Press reporter Geir Moulson contributed to this story from Berlin.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    'We will never be the same': Oct. 7 killing of Montreal native leaves gaping hole

    Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Montreal native, was among the concertgoers who were murdered a year ago Monday at the Supernova music festival during a brutal assault on Israel carried out by Hamas militants. He is among at least eight people, either Canadian citizens or with ties to Canada, who died during the Oct. 7 attacks.

    A driver suffered only minor injuries after going airborne in a residential neighbourhood in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Friday, the car eventually landing on its roof in someone’s backyard.

    Canada

    • A driver suffered only minor injuries after going airborne in a residential neighbourhood in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Friday, the car eventually landing on its roof in someone’s backyard.

    • Demonstrators converged on downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon as part of a global day of action to protest Israel's military actions in the Middle East.

    • An organization who has assisted in locating 40 missing people since 2018, has its sights set on the Thames River near Cavendish Park in London, Ont.

    • 'We will never be the same': Oct. 7 killing of Montreal native leaves gaping hole

      Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Montreal native, was among the concertgoers who were murdered a year ago Monday at the Supernova music festival during a brutal assault on Israel carried out by Hamas militants. He is among at least eight people, either Canadian citizens or with ties to Canada, who died during the Oct. 7 attacks.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • One person is reportedly dead and two others are injured after a pickup truck hit a bench, striking people who were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon.

    • A massive fire broke out in downtown Langley Saturday morning, destroying a restaurant and forcing several other businesses to close.

    • Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.

    • The Ontario Science Centre is set to launch two temporary satellite locations in other parts of Toronto, which could let visitors access some of its interactive exhibits while a full interim location remains at least a year away, Â鶹´«Ã½ has learned.

    • Leo Campana's stoppage-time goal gave Inter Miami a 1-0 win and left Toronto FC's playoff hopes hanging by a thread Saturday.

    • A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.

    • Emergency crews are on scene of a multi-vehicle collision along northbound Deerfoot Trail near 17 Avenue Southeast.

    • The first anniversary of the October Seventh Hamas attack on Israel is Monday and that prompted several hundred people to attend a pro-Palestinian rally Saturday afternoon at city hall.

    • An investigation is underway into a Friday night collision in southeast Calgary that left one person dead.

    • Demonstrators converged on downtown Ottawa Saturday afternoon as part of a global day of action to protest Israel's military actions in the Middle East.

    • Three people were taken to hospital after a crash between a pickup truck and a car in a rural part of Ottawa's south end on Saturday afternoon.

    • Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory as temperatures across Ottawa and eastern Ontario are expected to dip near the freezing mark this evening.

    • Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

    • Montreal police say they are increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    • Highway 39 near Warburg was closed Saturday after a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a van.

    • An estimated four billion birds will navigate man-made environments as they travel south from North America during fall migration. Tens of million of them will die en route due to human-created hazards.

    • Barrel racer pro Lynette Brodoway has been riding in rodeos since before some of her competitors were born.

    • Lenore Zann’s memoir, A Rogue’s Tale, focuses on her early acting career and overcoming struggles.

    • According to the Canadian Women & Sport’s 2022 Rally Report, signing girls up to participate in sports is not enough; coaches and decisionmakers “play a critical role in enabling girls’ full participation in sport.â€

    • A riding in southwest New Brunswick that for decades was a Progressive Conservative stronghold is shaping up to be a bellwether that could offer a window into the future of the Tory party, and maybe of the province.

    • It’s 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.

    • Communities outside of the perimeter aren’t immune to the housing and affordability struggles seen in Winnipeg.

    • As many as 25,000 employees could hit the picket lines as early as Tuesday morning, making it the second-largest strike in Manitoba’s history.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.

    • A wind warning was issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

    • The Huron Ontario Provincial Police said they responded to a “downed airplane†just after 11 a.m. Saturday.

    • Police say they were called to the area of Simcoe Street and Market Street around 1:30 a.m. Saturday for a report of an assault.

    • The Oktoberfest Parade is fast approaching and organizers are urgently seeking volunteers to fill the role of sign carriers.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

    • Fire crews in Greater Sudbury battled a large garage fire on Friday.

    • To brighten your week with good news, CTV London Meteorologist Julie Atchison is showing us the sunny side of things.

    • CTV London's Bright Side team asked you to nominate local coaches to be appreciated, and you did not disappoint.

    • An organization who has assisted in locating 40 missing people since 2018, has its sights set on the Thames River near Cavendish Park in London, Ont.

    • OPP are seeking assistance in their search for a 30-year-old man last seen in Orillia.

    • Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.

    • More than a thousand residents attended the Town of Innisfil's inaugural 'InnisFALL' festival on Saturday, which celebrated the spirit of fall with live music and entertainment at Innisfil Town Square.

    • The new last mile delivery station in will be open by the end of October – last mile facilities sort scan and prepare customer packages before they are loaded onto delivery vehicles.

    • To recognize Fire Prevention Week, the Lakeshore Fire Department is holding a variety of demonstrations at its stations.

    • The municipality issued a stern reminder for code violators, as both were fined following a warning issued by Leamington Fire Services.

    • Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Ever since Taylor Swift made thousands, if not millions, of loyal fans’ wildest dreams come true by announcing a three-show run in Vancouver this December, scammers have attempted, and sometimes succeeded, to take advantage of the scramble for tickets.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.

    • Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • The Ontario College of Family Physicians has presented awards to 750 doctors based on comments from patients, including eight physicians who are part of the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½