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Added on the 20/02/2024 06:58:29 - Copyright : AFPTV - First images
Dialogue between the US and China is "essential" and will help avoid miscalculations that could lead to conflict, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday, after Beijing declined an invitation for a formal meeting between him and his Chinese counterpart. SOUNDBITE
Global growth is set to be higher than expected this year, the IMF said Monday, raising its forecast on surprisingly strong consumption and investment while China's lifting of zero-Covid restrictions provides another boost. SOUNDBITE
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that he held talks with his Chinese counterpart Sunday, the first meeting between the countries' defence ministers for three years. The meeting was "an important first step", Marles told reporters in Singapore, on the sidelines of a security summit. IMAGES from Australian Defence Minister
Taiwan Vice President William Lai greets supporters and poses for pictures during a Los Angeles stop, on his way to the inauguration of Honduras' president-elect, a stopover seen by China as an affront to Beijing's claim on the island. IMAGES
The United States want a "robust and clear" international probe into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic in China, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki says. Speaking to reporters, she says it is "imperative we get to the bottom" of how the virus appeared and spread worldwide. SOUNDBITE