The NATO Summit has begun in Brussels with 30 allies gathering to deliberate on a wide range of issues with Russia and China high on the agenda. The summit started with official greetings by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

Official greetings by NATO Secretary General in Brussels

The NATO Summit has begun in Brussels with 30 allies gathering to deliberate on a wide range of issues with Russia and China high on the agenda.

30 NATO allies gather to deliberate a range of issues in Brussels

From China’s investments in European ports and plans to set up military bases in Africa to joint military exercises with Russia in the Baltic, NATO is now agreed that Beijing’s rise deserves a strong response.

NATO Summit to tackle climate change, China and Russia

After Canada's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-leaders-including-trudeau-macron-caught-mocking-trump-on-camera-266158"> PM Justin Trudeau</a> was seen making remarks against Trump during a conversation with Macron and PM Johnson, the US president shot back saying he called out "two-faced" Trudeau for not paying two per cent to NATO.

Trudeau, French President Macron and PM Johnson were seen making conversation caught on camera where they were apparently talking about the US president. The video clip filmed during Buckingham Palace reception went viral on social media.

In the video, the leaders were seen talking about Macron's meeting with Trump which was followed by a media session. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson can be heard asking France's President Emmanuel Macron, "Is that why you were late?"

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau interjected, saying, "He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top."

The US president did not take too kindly to Trudeau's remarks, telling reporters,"He's two-faced. Honestly, with Trudeau, he's a nice guy, I find him to be a very nice guy. But the truth is I called him out on the fact that he's not paying 2% and I guess he's not very happy about it."&nbsp;

"He's not paying 2 per cent and he should be paying 2 per cent. It's Canada, they have money," told reporters during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"They should be paying 2 per cent. So I called him out on that and I'm sure he wasn't happy about it but that's the way it is. Look, I'm representing the US and he should be paying more than he's paying and he understands that. So I can imagine he's not that happy, but that's the way it is," the US president added.

After Canada's PM Justin Trudeau was seen making remarks against Trump during a conversation with Macron and PM Johnson, the US president shot back saying he called out "two-faced" Trudeau for not paying two per cent to NATO.

After Canada's PM Justin Trudeau was seen making remarks against Trump during a conversation with Macron and PM Johnson, the US president shot back saying he called out "two-faced" Trudeau for not paying two per cent to NATO. Trudeau, French President Macron and PM Johnson were seen making conversation caught on camera where they were apparently talking about the US president. The video clip filmed during Buckingham Palace reception went viral on social media. In the video, the leaders were seen talking about Macron's meeting with Trump which was followed by a media session. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson can be heard asking France's President Emmanuel Macron, "Is that why you were late?" Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau interjected, saying, "He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top." The US president did not take too kindly to Trudeau's remarks, telling reporters,"He's two-faced. Honestly, with Trudeau, he's a nice guy, I find him to be a very nice guy. But the truth is I called him out on the fact that he's not paying 2% and I guess he's not very happy about it." "He's not paying 2 per cent and he should be paying 2 per cent. It's Canada, they have money," told reporters during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "They should be paying 2 per cent. So I called him out on that and I'm sure he wasn't happy about it but that's the way it is. Look, I'm representing the US and he should be paying more than he's paying and he understands that. So I can imagine he's not that happy, but that's the way it is," the US president added.

Trudeau is two-faced, he's not paying 2%, it's Canada, they have money: Trump

US President Trump met Turkey President Erdogan on the sidelines of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-leaders-including-trudeau-macron-caught-mocking-trump-on-camera-266158">NATO summit</a> in a one-to-one bilateral meeting.

The meeting of President Trump with the Turkish president was not on the US president's published agenda.

"The presidents discussed the importance of Turkey fulfilling its alliance commitments, further strengthening commerce through boosting bilateral trade by $100 billion, regional security challenges, and energy security," the White House said.

Trump and Macron had openly clashed over NATO's future with US president calling Macron's "brain dead" remark on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-macrons-criticism-of-nato-very-very-nasty-before-summit-266035">NATO as "very insulting"</a>. "Nobody needs NATO more than France," he warned. "It's a very dangerous statement for them to make."

During the joint press conference, Macron accused Turkey of working with ISIS-linked groups in Syria.

"The common enemy today are the terrorist groups, as we mentioned, and I'm sorry to say that we don't have the same definition of terrorism around the table," Macron told reporters with President Trump by his side.

Macron accused Turkey of working with "ISIS proxies".

"When I came in, I was angry at NATO, and now I've raised $130 billion," Trump said later on Tuesday, adding,"And yet you still have many delinquents - you know I call them delinquent when they're not paid up in full."&nbsp;

Erdogan had earlier said NATO should brand Kurdish militant group YPG as "terrorists".&nbsp;

"With joy, we will come together and have talks on this issue," Erdogan said at a press conference in Ankara before boarding the plane.

"But if terror organisations whom we fight against are not accepted by NATO friends as terror groups, sorry but we will be against all steps to be taken there."

 
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

US President Trump met Turkey President Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in a one-to-one bilateral meeting. The meeting of President Trump with the Turkish president was not on the US president's published agenda.

US President Trump met Turkey President Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in a one-to-one bilateral meeting. The meeting of President Trump with the Turkish president was not on the US president's published agenda. "The presidents discussed the importance of Turkey fulfilling its alliance commitments, further strengthening commerce through boosting bilateral trade by $100 billion, regional security challenges, and energy security," the White House said. Trump and Macron had openly clashed over NATO's future with US president calling Macron's "brain dead" remark on NATO as "very insulting". "Nobody needs NATO more than France," he warned. "It's a very dangerous statement for them to make." During the joint press conference, Macron accused Turkey of working with ISIS-linked groups in Syria. "The common enemy today are the terrorist groups, as we mentioned, and I'm sorry to say that we don't have the same definition of terrorism around the table," Macron told reporters with President Trump by his side. Macron accused Turkey of working with "ISIS proxies". "When I came in, I was angry at NATO, and now I've raised $130 billion," Trump said later on Tuesday, adding,"And yet you still have many delinquents - you know I call them delinquent when they're not paid up in full." Erdogan had earlier said NATO should brand Kurdish militant group YPG as "terrorists". "With joy, we will come together and have talks on this issue," Erdogan said at a press conference in Ankara before boarding the plane. "But if terror organisations whom we fight against are not accepted by NATO friends as terror groups, sorry but we will be against all steps to be taken there."

Trump meets Erdogan 'unannounced' at NATO summit

A day after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-like-the-idea-of-waiting-until-after-election-for-china-trade-deal-trump-265970">US President Donald Trump </a>said he had "no deadline" on the trade deal, China's foreign ministry echoed his thoughts saying it had "not set any time limit on when the deal will or will not be reached".&nbsp;

"We will not set any time limit on when the deal will or will not be reached," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, adding, "This agreement and these negotiations must be based on equality and mutual respect."

President Trump while speaking to reporters in London for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-leaders-including-trudeau-macron-caught-mocking-trump-on-camera-266158">NATO summit </a>said that he "liked"&nbsp;the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal.

"I'm doing very well in a deal with China, if I want to make it," Trump said while asserting that "I don't think it's 'if they want to make it', it's 'if I want to make it'. And we'll see what happens."

The Chinese foreign ministry said that it would defend its "legitimate and lawful interests" in negotiations with the US.

"If we are faced with the pressure of unilateralism, protectionism, and trade bullying, we will have no choice and must take resolute and decisive measures to defend our legitimate and lawful interests," Hua added.

World stocks were hit on Tuesday after Trump warned there was no deadline for a trade deal with China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 27,502.81, down one per cent.

S&amp;P 500 shed 0.7 per cent, closing at 3,093.21, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index also dropped 0.6 per cent to 8,520.64.

Tokyo stocks closed lower on Tuesday as investors locked in profits following declines in American shares.

A day after US President Donald Trump said he had "no deadline" on the trade deal, China's foreign ministry echoed his thoughts saying it had "not set any time limit on when the deal will or will not be reached".

A day after US President Donald Trump said he had "no deadline" on the trade deal, China's foreign ministry echoed his thoughts saying it had "not set any time limit on when the deal will or will not be reached". "We will not set any time limit on when the deal will or will not be reached," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, adding, "This agreement and these negotiations must be based on equality and mutual respect." President Trump while speaking to reporters in London for the NATO summit said that he "liked" the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal. "I'm doing very well in a deal with China, if I want to make it," Trump said while asserting that "I don't think it's 'if they want to make it', it's 'if I want to make it'. And we'll see what happens." The Chinese foreign ministry said that it would defend its "legitimate and lawful interests" in negotiations with the US. "If we are faced with the pressure of unilateralism, protectionism, and trade bullying, we will have no choice and must take resolute and decisive measures to defend our legitimate and lawful interests," Hua added. World stocks were hit on Tuesday after Trump warned there was no deadline for a trade deal with China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 27,502.81, down one per cent. S&P 500 shed 0.7 per cent, closing at 3,093.21, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index also dropped 0.6 per cent to 8,520.64. Tokyo stocks closed lower on Tuesday as investors locked in profits following declines in American shares.

After Trump, China says 'no time limit' on trade deal with US

U.S. President Trump & France President Macron Take Potshots In Public On The NATO The Sidelines Of NATO Summit.

Trump, Macron take pot-shots in public

U.S. President Trump & France President Macron Take Potshots In Public On The NATO The Sidelines Of NATO Summit

Gravitas: NATO Summit: When Trump met Macron

Just hours after US President Trump said nobody needs NATO more than France, the US president met French President Emmanuel Macron in London ahead of the&nbsp;NATO anniversary summit.

On NATO, the US president said: "There are some countries that aren't fulfilling their commitments and those countries are going to be dealt with. Maybe I will deal with them from a trade standpoint, maybe I will deal with them in a different way."

"NATO is becoming different than it was, much bigger than it was and much stronger than it was. Because people are now fulfilling their commitments," the US president added.

The French president said NATO is "not just about money" while asserting "the first burden we share, the first cost we pay, is our soldiers'' lives. And I do believe that in such circumstances, we do pay what we have to pay for collective security."

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-storm-gathers-over-london-as-nato-meets-266008/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Macron acknowledged that the US had "invested decades after decades" on NATO. "I do share the statements, that is why I am a strong supporter of a stronger European component in NATO," he said.

Macron had earlier called NATO "brain dead", during the meeting with Trump the French president said he stood by his statement made last month.&nbsp;

"It's a tough statement, though, when you make a statement like that, that is a very, very nasty statement to essentially 28, including them, 28 countries," Trump had told reporters.

Trump also spoke on the Frech digital tax calling it a "minor dispute" as the US threatened to impose tariffs on French cheese, champagne and handbags.

"We do a lot of trade with France and we have a minor dispute," Trump said.&nbsp;

I think we'll probably be able to work it out but we have a big trade relationship and I'm sure that within a short period of time things will be looking very rosy," the US president added.

On Turkey, Macron alleged that Turkish forces "sometimes" worked with fighters linked to the Islamic State group in its operation in northern Syria.

"When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fought with us. And sometimes they work with ISIS proxies," Macron said at a news conference with US President Donald.

"We have lost cooperation with Turkey, on security and trade and migration and European Union and France," Macron added.

The French president is due to meet Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later in the day ahead of the NATO summit.

In a surprise move, the French president called for "strategic dialogue with Russia" but cautioned that the alliance should do so "with its eyes wide open". 
&nbsp;

Just hours after US President Trump said nobody needs NATO more than France, the US president met French President Emmanuel Macron in London ahead of the NATO anniversary summit.

Just hours after US President Trump said nobody needs NATO more than France, the US president met French President Emmanuel Macron in London ahead of the NATO anniversary summit. On NATO, the US president said: "There are some countries that aren't fulfilling their commitments and those countries are going to be dealt with. Maybe I will deal with them from a trade standpoint, maybe I will deal with them in a different way." "NATO is becoming different than it was, much bigger than it was and much stronger than it was. Because people are now fulfilling their commitments," the US president added. The French president said NATO is "not just about money" while asserting "the first burden we share, the first cost we pay, is our soldiers'' lives. And I do believe that in such circumstances, we do pay what we have to pay for collective security." Watch Video: Macron acknowledged that the US had "invested decades after decades" on NATO. "I do share the statements, that is why I am a strong supporter of a stronger European component in NATO," he said. Macron had earlier called NATO "brain dead", during the meeting with Trump the French president said he stood by his statement made last month. "It's a tough statement, though, when you make a statement like that, that is a very, very nasty statement to essentially 28, including them, 28 countries," Trump had told reporters. Trump also spoke on the Frech digital tax calling it a "minor dispute" as the US threatened to impose tariffs on French cheese, champagne and handbags. "We do a lot of trade with France and we have a minor dispute," Trump said. I think we'll probably be able to work it out but we have a big trade relationship and I'm sure that within a short period of time things will be looking very rosy," the US president added. On Turkey, Macron alleged that Turkish forces "sometimes" worked with fighters linked to the Islamic State group in its operation in northern Syria. "When I look at Turkey, they now are fighting against those who fought with us. And sometimes they work with ISIS proxies," Macron said at a news conference with US President Donald. "We have lost cooperation with Turkey, on security and trade and migration and European Union and France," Macron added. The French president is due to meet Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later in the day ahead of the NATO summit. In a surprise move, the French president called for "strategic dialogue with Russia" but cautioned that the alliance should do so "with its eyes wide open".

Some countries not fulfilling their commitments in NATO, they will be dealt with: Trump

European members of NATO have increased their defence spending for four years in a row, secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, ahead of next week's summit.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Washington's allies of failing to pay their fair share, straining ties in the alliance as it celebrates its 70th birthday.

Officials are worried that Trump's frustration -- combined with doubts about the direction of the alliance expressed by France's President Emmanuel Macron -- will overshadow next week's summit.

So NATO has coordinated a week of spending announcements in Brussels to encourage a display of unity in London.

On Friday, Stoltenberg said European countries and Canada would increase defence spending by 4.6 per cent in 2019, stressing that they would have spent a combined $130 billion between 2016 and the end of next year.

This would keep the countries on course to spend two per cent of their GDP on defence by 2024. But only nine countries have hit the target so far, and Germany admits it will not do so.

"President Trump is right about the importance of the European allies and Canada spending more and he has conveyed that message very clearly to allies several times," Stoltenberg told reporters.

"But European allies and Canada should not invest in defence to please President Trump. They should invest in defence because we are facing new challenges, our security environment has become more dangerous."

Bid to mollify Trump

Stoltenberg said the NATO members apart from the US had mainly been cutting defence budgets before 2014 when they signed up to a pledge to "move towards" the two per cent of GDP target by 2024.

But Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted this week that Germany, Europe's economic powerhouse and a frequent target of Trump's ire, will not hit the goal until "the early 2030s".

France's Macron outraged the allies this month by demanding a new strategy that focused more on terrorism and less on deterring Russia, complaining that NATO was experiencing "brain death".

Stoltenberg, meanwhile, is attempting to mollify Trump ahead of the summit by talking up a billion-dollar contact with US planemaker Boeing to upgrade NATO reconnaissance planes.

And the allies have agreed to lower the cap on US support for NATO's relatively small $2.5-billion operating budget, meaning Germany and other Europeans -- but not France -- pay a bigger share.

The 29 NATO leaders will gather in Watford near London on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

European members of NATO have increased their defence spending for four years in a row, secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, ahead of next week's summit.

European members of NATO have increased their defence spending for four years in a row, secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, ahead of next week's summit. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Washington's allies of failing to pay their fair share, straining ties in the alliance as it celebrates its 70th birthday. Officials are worried that Trump's frustration -- combined with doubts about the direction of the alliance expressed by France's President Emmanuel Macron -- will overshadow next week's summit. So NATO has coordinated a week of spending announcements in Brussels to encourage a display of unity in London. On Friday, Stoltenberg said European countries and Canada would increase defence spending by 4.6 per cent in 2019, stressing that they would have spent a combined $130 billion between 2016 and the end of next year. This would keep the countries on course to spend two per cent of their GDP on defence by 2024. But only nine countries have hit the target so far, and Germany admits it will not do so. "President Trump is right about the importance of the European allies and Canada spending more and he has conveyed that message very clearly to allies several times," Stoltenberg told reporters. "But European allies and Canada should not invest in defence to please President Trump. They should invest in defence because we are facing new challenges, our security environment has become more dangerous." Bid to mollify Trump Stoltenberg said the NATO members apart from the US had mainly been cutting defence budgets before 2014 when they signed up to a pledge to "move towards" the two per cent of GDP target by 2024. But Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted this week that Germany, Europe's economic powerhouse and a frequent target of Trump's ire, will not hit the goal until "the early 2030s". France's Macron outraged the allies this month by demanding a new strategy that focused more on terrorism and less on deterring Russia, complaining that NATO was experiencing "brain death". Stoltenberg, meanwhile, is attempting to mollify Trump ahead of the summit by talking up a billion-dollar contact with US planemaker Boeing to upgrade NATO reconnaissance planes. And the allies have agreed to lower the cap on US support for NATO's relatively small $2.5-billion operating budget, meaning Germany and other Europeans -- but not France -- pay a bigger share. The 29 NATO leaders will gather in Watford near London on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

NATO praises Europe defence spending boost as summit looms

US President Donald Trump will visit Britain for NATO's 70th-anniversary summit next month, the White House said Friday, in a trip that falls days before the country votes in a general election.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seeking to retain power in the December 12 election that has been dominated by Brexit -- a contentious subject for which Trump has voiced strong support.

The president backs a "no-deal" Brexit, and he has already roiled the election campaign by suggesting last month that the terms of Johnson's current EU divorce deal mean that London could struggle to continue trade with the US.

The White House said in a statement that Trump and First Lady Melania would visit Britain from December 2 to 4, attending both the NATO gathering and a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.

NATO leaders face a difficult summit after French President Emmanuel Macron said the bloc was undergoing "brain death" -- prompting a fierce response from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others.

Macron's comments to The Economist magazine caused much controversy, with Merkel saying his comments were "drastic" and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisting NATO was "important, critical."

bgs/to

US President Donald Trump will visit Britain for NATO's 70th-anniversary summit next month, the White House said Friday, in a trip that falls days before the country votes in a general election.

US President Donald Trump will visit Britain for NATO's 70th-anniversary summit next month, the White House said Friday, in a trip that falls days before the country votes in a general election. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seeking to retain power in the December 12 election that has been dominated by Brexit -- a contentious subject for which Trump has voiced strong support. The president backs a "no-deal" Brexit, and he has already roiled the election campaign by suggesting last month that the terms of Johnson's current EU divorce deal mean that London could struggle to continue trade with the US. The White House said in a statement that Trump and First Lady Melania would visit Britain from December 2 to 4, attending both the NATO gathering and a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. NATO leaders face a difficult summit after French President Emmanuel Macron said the bloc was undergoing "brain death" -- prompting a fierce response from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others. Macron's comments to The Economist magazine caused much controversy, with Merkel saying his comments were "drastic" and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisting NATO was "important, critical." bgs/to

Trump to attend NATO summit in London, days before UK vote

China and the United States have agreed to cancel in phases the tariffs imposed during their months-long trade war, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, without specifying a timetable.

An interim US-China trade deal is widely expected to include a US&nbsp;pledge to scrap <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/china-presses-trump-for-more-tariff-roll-backs-in-phase-one-trade-deal-260005">tariffs</a> scheduled for December&nbsp;15 on about $156 billion worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys.

Tariff cancellation was an important condition for any agreement, ministry spokesman Gao Feng said, adding that both must simultaneously cancel some tariffs on each other's goods to reach a "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-close-to-finalising-part-of-a-phase-one-trade-deal-report-258209">phase one</a>" trade deal.

"The trade war started with tariffs, and should end with the cancellation of tariffs," Gao told a regular news briefing.

The proportion of tariffs cancelled for both sides to reach a "phase one" deal must be the same, but the number to be cancelled can be negotiated, he added, without elaborating.

"In the past two weeks, the lead negotiators from both sides have had serious and constructive discussions on resolving various core concerns appropriately," Gao said.

"Both sides have agreed to cancel additional tariffs in different phases, as both sides make progress in their negotiations."

He did not give a timeline.

A source previously told Reuters that Chinese negotiators wanted the United States to drop 15 percent&nbsp;tariffs on about $125 billion worth of Chinese goods that took effect on September&nbsp;1.

They also sought relief from earlier 25 percent&nbsp;tariffs on about $250 billion of imports, ranging from machinery and semiconductors to furniture.

A person familiar with China's negotiating position said it was pressing Washington to "remove all tariffs as soon as possible".

A deal may be signed this month by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a yet-to-be-determined location.

Dozens of venues have been suggested for a meeting, which had originally been set to take place on the sidelines of a now-cancelled mid-November summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Chile, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters on Wednesday.

One possible location was London, where the leaders could meet after a NATO summit that Trump is due to attend from December&nbsp;3-4, the official said.

Gao declined to say when and where such a meeting could be.

Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has been pressing China to curb massive subsidies to state-owned firms and end the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese firms as a price of doing business in China.

China and the United States have agreed to cancel in phases the tariffs imposed during their months-long trade war, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, without specifying a timetable.

China and the United States have agreed to cancel in phases the tariffs imposed during their months-long trade war, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, without specifying a timetable. An interim US-China trade deal is widely expected to include a US pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for December 15 on about $156 billion worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys. Tariff cancellation was an important condition for any agreement, ministry spokesman Gao Feng said, adding that both must simultaneously cancel some tariffs on each other's goods to reach a "phase one" trade deal. "The trade war started with tariffs, and should end with the cancellation of tariffs," Gao told a regular news briefing. The proportion of tariffs cancelled for both sides to reach a "phase one" deal must be the same, but the number to be cancelled can be negotiated, he added, without elaborating. "In the past two weeks, the lead negotiators from both sides have had serious and constructive discussions on resolving various core concerns appropriately," Gao said. "Both sides have agreed to cancel additional tariffs in different phases, as both sides make progress in their negotiations." He did not give a timeline. A source previously told Reuters that Chinese negotiators wanted the United States to drop 15 percent tariffs on about $125 billion worth of Chinese goods that took effect on September 1. They also sought relief from earlier 25 percent tariffs on about $250 billion of imports, ranging from machinery and semiconductors to furniture. A person familiar with China's negotiating position said it was pressing Washington to "remove all tariffs as soon as possible". A deal may be signed this month by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a yet-to-be-determined location. Dozens of venues have been suggested for a meeting, which had originally been set to take place on the sidelines of a now-cancelled mid-November summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Chile, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters on Wednesday. One possible location was London, where the leaders could meet after a NATO summit that Trump is due to attend from December 3-4, the official said. Gao declined to say when and where such a meeting could be. Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has been pressing China to curb massive subsidies to state-owned firms and end the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese firms as a price of doing business in China.

China says it has agreed with United States to cancel tariffs in phases

NATO leaders on Saturday agreed to deploy sophisticated surveillance aircraft to support the US-led fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said. 
 
Stoltenberg said a summit of the 28 NATO leaders in Warsaw had formally approved a plan for the alliance&#39;s AWACS planes to fly over international airspace and help the US-led coalition. 
 
&quot;We will provide AWACS support and the plan is to have them to flying over international airspace and Turkey and that will allow us to look into airspace in Iraq and Syria,&quot; Stoltenberg told a news conference. 
 
The planes are one of the few concrete assets that NATO has, with most of its military hardware belonging to individual member states. 
 
AWACS are aircraft with powerful radars that allow them to monitor airspace for hundreds of kilometres (miles) around. They can also be converted into command posts to coordinate bombing raids and other air operations. 
 
The Warsaw summit closing statement said that &quot;NATO AWACS aircraft will be made available to support the Counter-ISIL Coalition.&quot; 
 
In May, NATO said the planes would not be directly involved in monitoring jihadists, but would instead fill in for US and allied aircraft that would be re-tasked to gather intelligence over IS hotspots. 
 
Several European NATO members have been wary of becoming too involved in the bloody fight against IS but pressure has grown after deadly terror attacks in Paris and Brussels. 
 
In Warsaw, NATO also agreed to take further steps to boost counter-terorism efforts in countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Stoltenberg said. 
 
It would deploy a team to Baghdad to start a new training scheme in Iraq, which is battling IS jihadists. 
 
&quot;To the south we see failed and failing states. And millions left homeless and hopeless by terrorist groups like ISIL.&rdquo; Stoltenberg said. 
 
The alliance will also start providing support for Tunisian special forces and set up an intelligence &lsquo;Fusion Centre&rsquo; in Tunisia. 
 
NATO will further launch a maritime security operation in the Mediterranean to help deal with the migration crisis and the chaos in the waters off Libya. 
 
(AFP)

A plan for the alliance's AWACS planes to fly over international airspace and help the US-led coalition has been approved

NATO leaders on Saturday agreed to deploy sophisticated surveillance aircraft to support the US-led fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg said a summit of the 28 NATO leaders in Warsaw had formally approved a plan for the alliance's AWACS planes to fly over international airspace and help the US-led coalition. "We will provide AWACS support and the plan is to have them to flying over international airspace and Turkey and that will allow us to look into airspace in Iraq and Syria," Stoltenberg told a news conference. The planes are one of the few concrete assets that NATO has, with most of its military hardware belonging to individual member states. AWACS are aircraft with powerful radars that allow them to monitor airspace for hundreds of kilometres (miles) around. They can also be converted into command posts to coordinate bombing raids and other air operations. The Warsaw summit closing statement said that "NATO AWACS aircraft will be made available to support the Counter-ISIL Coalition." In May, NATO said the planes would not be directly involved in monitoring jihadists, but would instead fill in for US and allied aircraft that would be re-tasked to gather intelligence over IS hotspots. Several European NATO members have been wary of becoming too involved in the bloody fight against IS but pressure has grown after deadly terror attacks in Paris and Brussels. In Warsaw, NATO also agreed to take further steps to boost counter-terorism efforts in countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Stoltenberg said. It would deploy a team to Baghdad to start a new training scheme in Iraq, which is battling IS jihadists. "To the south we see failed and failing states. And millions left homeless and hopeless by terrorist groups like ISIL.” Stoltenberg said. The alliance will also start providing support for Tunisian special forces and set up an intelligence ‘Fusion Centre’ in Tunisia. NATO will further launch a maritime security operation in the Mediterranean to help deal with the migration crisis and the chaos in the waters off Libya. (AFP)

NATO to use surveillance planes against IS

Forced together by fears of a Russian cyber attack, a migration crisis and failing states in Europe&#39;s neighbourhood, the challenges before NATO and EU require both a military response and a softer security approach, combating propaganda and providing training to stabilise governments. 
 
But while 22 of NATO&#39;s 28 members are also members of the EU, both institutions face limits on what they can do together because of territorial tensions between Turkey and Greece that limit information sharing. 
 
&quot;We want to be ready to respond and coordinate our actions if and when one of our members or institutions comes under hybrid threats. We equally want to prevent attacks,&quot; the head of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said. 
 
&quot;We have a united stance on Russia. The EU has delivered economic sanctions, NATO has delivered the greatest increase in our collected defense since the end of the Cold War,&quot; NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said. 
 
Despite the signing a pact, problems could arise with a reluctance to undertake missions without United Nations&#39; support, which Russia, a UN security council member, is wary of granting with east-west ties at their lowest point since the Cold War over the crisis in Ukraine. 
 
(Reuters)

Alliance faces limits on what the two entities can do together because of territorial tensions between Turkey and Greece

Forced together by fears of a Russian cyber attack, a migration crisis and failing states in Europe's neighbourhood, the challenges before NATO and EU require both a military response and a softer security approach, combating propaganda and providing training to stabilise governments. But while 22 of NATO's 28 members are also members of the EU, both institutions face limits on what they can do together because of territorial tensions between Turkey and Greece that limit information sharing. "We want to be ready to respond and coordinate our actions if and when one of our members or institutions comes under hybrid threats. We equally want to prevent attacks," the head of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said. "We have a united stance on Russia. The EU has delivered economic sanctions, NATO has delivered the greatest increase in our collected defense since the end of the Cold War," NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said. Despite the signing a pact, problems could arise with a reluctance to undertake missions without United Nations' support, which Russia, a UN security council member, is wary of granting with east-west ties at their lowest point since the Cold War over the crisis in Ukraine. (Reuters)

EU and NATO sign new pact to deter Russia, strengthen security

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on NATO to do more to fight the threat of global terrorism, saying the 28-nation alliance needed to &quot;update&quot; itself to better adapt to new security threats. 
 
NATO leaders are meeting at a summit in Warsaw on Friday where they are expected to display their resolve towards a resurgent Russia despite what some see as a weakening of the West due to Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
Speaking to reporters before his departure to Warsaw late on Thursday, Erdogan said he will press the leaders of fellow NATO countries to do more to fight militant attacks like the triple suicide bombing last week that killed 45 at Istanbul&#39;s main airport. 
 
&quot;As we have seen from the terrorist attacks first in Istanbul and then in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, international security is becoming more fragile,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;The concept of a security threat is undergoing a serious change. In this process, NATO needs to be more active and has to update itself against the new security threats,&quot; he said. 
 
The Istanbul bombing, the deadliest in a string of similar attacks in Turkey this year, is believed to be the work of Islamic State militants from the former Soviet Union, Erdogan has said. 
 
It was followed by major attacks in Bangladesh, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, all apparently timed for the run-up to Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that this week marked the end of the holy fasting month of Ramzan. 
 
NATO member Turkey faces multiple security threats. It is a member of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Syria and is fighting a violent insurgency in its mainly Kurdish southeast. It also faces attacks from leftist militants. 
 
Turkey has taken in nearly three million refugees fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria, at a cost of $11.5 billion, Erdogan said. 
 
&quot;As a NATO country, we want fellow members not to forget about Turkey,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

NATO leaders are meeting at a summit in Warsaw on Friday where they are expected to display their resolve towards a resurgent Russia

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on NATO to do more to fight the threat of global terrorism, saying the 28-nation alliance needed to "update" itself to better adapt to new security threats. NATO leaders are meeting at a summit in Warsaw on Friday where they are expected to display their resolve towards a resurgent Russia despite what some see as a weakening of the West due to Britain's vote to leave the European Union. Speaking to reporters before his departure to Warsaw late on Thursday, Erdogan said he will press the leaders of fellow NATO countries to do more to fight militant attacks like the triple suicide bombing last week that killed 45 at Istanbul's main airport. "As we have seen from the terrorist attacks first in Istanbul and then in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, international security is becoming more fragile," he said. "The concept of a security threat is undergoing a serious change. In this process, NATO needs to be more active and has to update itself against the new security threats," he said. The Istanbul bombing, the deadliest in a string of similar attacks in Turkey this year, is believed to be the work of Islamic State militants from the former Soviet Union, Erdogan has said. It was followed by major attacks in Bangladesh, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, all apparently timed for the run-up to Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that this week marked the end of the holy fasting month of Ramzan. NATO member Turkey faces multiple security threats. It is a member of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Syria and is fighting a violent insurgency in its mainly Kurdish southeast. It also faces attacks from leftist militants. Turkey has taken in nearly three million refugees fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria, at a cost of $11.5 billion, Erdogan said. "As a NATO country, we want fellow members not to forget about Turkey," he said. (Reuters)

Turkey's Erdogan calls on NATO to do more to fight militant attacks

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Georgia today where he will sign agreements to deepen defence and security cooperation with the former Soviet state days before an important NATO summit. 
 
It is Kerry&#39;s first visit as Secretary of State to Georgia and comes ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw scheduled on Friday where members of the Western military alliance plan to announce action to deter what they say is an increased Russian military threat. 
 
Georgia and former Soviet states like Moldova and Ukraine have become increasingly concerned by Russia&#39;s intentions after the Kremlin annexed Ukraine&#39;s Crimea in 2014 and launched air strikes in Syria last year. 
 
A senior State Department official said Kerry would sign a memorandum of understanding on security and defence that would promise to bolster Georgia&#39;s ability to defend itself. 
 
Georgia, which is criss-crossed by strategically-important oil and gas pipelines, fought and lost a short war with Russia in 2008. 
 
Until now, US security support has focused on training Georgian troops for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
 
&#39;Georgia visit not aimed to send message to Russia&#39; 
 
The State Department official denied Kerry&#39;s Georgia visit and another trip to Ukraine on Thursday were aimed at sending a message to Russia. 
 
&quot;These are important partners of the alliance, partners whose security means a lot to the United States,&quot; the official told reporters travelling with Kerry. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a chance to highlight the fact that we are close partners and their security interests and their aspirations to get closer to the EU and NATO also matter to us. 
 
&quot;Russia can take whatever message it would like,&quot; the official said, saying the visits were a show of support to reassure. 
 
Moscow has accused the West, notably Washington, of stirring anti-Russian feelings among former Soviet states which it deems part of its own sphere of influence. 
 
Kerry&#39;s visit follows Britain&#39;s decision to leave the EU, a move that stoked fears among former Soviet republics who want to join the bloc but now fret it will turn inward. 
 
During his one-day visit, Kerry will meet Georgian officials, including President Georgy Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Georgy Kvirikashvili. He will also meet the opposition and stress the importance of holding free elections in October. 
 
Kerry then visits Ukraine on Thursday before heading to Warsaw to join US President Barack Obama for the NATO summit. 
 
In Ukraine, Kerry&#39;s third visit there since Russia annexed Crimea, he will focus on the implementation of the Minsk peace accords and the country&#39;s reform agenda. It will be Kerry&#39;s first chance to meet new Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. 
 
(Reuters)

This is Kerry's first visit as Secretary of State to Georgia and comes ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Georgia today where he will sign agreements to deepen defence and security cooperation with the former Soviet state days before an important NATO summit. It is Kerry's first visit as Secretary of State to Georgia and comes ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw scheduled on Friday where members of the Western military alliance plan to announce action to deter what they say is an increased Russian military threat. Georgia and former Soviet states like Moldova and Ukraine have become increasingly concerned by Russia's intentions after the Kremlin annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and launched air strikes in Syria last year. A senior State Department official said Kerry would sign a memorandum of understanding on security and defence that would promise to bolster Georgia's ability to defend itself. Georgia, which is criss-crossed by strategically-important oil and gas pipelines, fought and lost a short war with Russia in 2008. Until now, US security support has focused on training Georgian troops for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. 'Georgia visit not aimed to send message to Russia' The State Department official denied Kerry's Georgia visit and another trip to Ukraine on Thursday were aimed at sending a message to Russia. "These are important partners of the alliance, partners whose security means a lot to the United States," the official told reporters travelling with Kerry. "It's a chance to highlight the fact that we are close partners and their security interests and their aspirations to get closer to the EU and NATO also matter to us. "Russia can take whatever message it would like," the official said, saying the visits were a show of support to reassure. Moscow has accused the West, notably Washington, of stirring anti-Russian feelings among former Soviet states which it deems part of its own sphere of influence. Kerry's visit follows Britain's decision to leave the EU, a move that stoked fears among former Soviet republics who want to join the bloc but now fret it will turn inward. During his one-day visit, Kerry will meet Georgian officials, including President Georgy Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Georgy Kvirikashvili. He will also meet the opposition and stress the importance of holding free elections in October. Kerry then visits Ukraine on Thursday before heading to Warsaw to join US President Barack Obama for the NATO summit. In Ukraine, Kerry's third visit there since Russia annexed Crimea, he will focus on the implementation of the Minsk peace accords and the country's reform agenda. It will be Kerry's first chance to meet new Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. (Reuters)

John Kerry flies into ex-Soviet Georgia to deepen security  cooperation

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