International

Xi congratulates Trump and calls for a “stable, healthy and sustainable” relationship between China and the United States

The President of China, Xi Jinping, called the winner of the elections in the United States, former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump, to congratulate him and ask him that the relationship between the two powers be “stable, healthy and sustainable.”

“Xi Jinping pointed out that history teaches us that China and the US. The US will benefit from cooperation and suffer from confrontation. A stable, healthy and sustainable relationship (…) meets the mutual interests of both countries and the expectations of the international community,” says a brief dispatch from the official Xinhua news agency.

Xi: The US and China must “strengthen dialogue”

In the call, Xi asked that both parties “reinforce dialogue and communication” and that “manage their differences appropriately.”

“We hope that both parties defend the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation,” said the Chinese president, who called for “finding the right way for China and the United States to get along in this new era.”

A good relationship between Beijing and Washington, Xi stressed, “will benefit both countries and the world.”

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In the same information, Xinhua also points out that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng also called the elected Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance, although he does not offer details about the conversation between the two.

This morning, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a brief statement that read: “We respect the decision of the American people and congratulate Mr. Trump on his election as president of the United States.”

On Wednesday, before the Republican candidate’s victory over Democrat Kamala Harris was certain, Beijing had reaffirmed its position of respect for the US electoral process. USA, which he described as an “internal matter” of the North American country.

China’s policy towards the US is “consistent”

“Our policy towards the United States is consistent. We advocate managing our relationship according to our common interests and cooperation that benefits both parties,” stressed Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, who added that China would act “accordingly” once the results were known.

China and the USA. The US, as the main economies of the world, maintain broad commercial and diplomatic ties, and Beijing has pointed out on several occasions the importance of a constructive dialogue and of avoiding confrontations that affect its citizens, although the tensions between the two powers have been constant for years.

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Even so, Chinese analysts believe that the bilateral relationship, regardless of whether Trump or Harris won, would continue to be marked by protectionist tensions and tariff measures.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated drastically during Trump’s first presidency (2017-2021) with collisions in plans such as commercial, diplomatic or technological and, already with Joe Biden in the White House, the tension was rekindled with rifirrafes on behalf of Taiwan or by restrictions on exports to China of semiconductors and other key technology.

In 2018, after coming to power for the first time, Trump imposed several batches of tariffs on Chinese products worth about 370 billion dollars a year, about three quarters of the Asian giant’s exports, to which Beijing responded with reprisals against US exports.

During this campaign, the Republican said he will apply rates of up to 60% to Chinese goods, which augurs more trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.