Canada is caught in a ‘double trade war’ — and one premier is urging Ottawa to drop its fight against China
OTTAWA — On top of threatened U.S. tariffs, China has brought down another hammer on many Canadian farm and seafood exports, hitting them with a “double trade war” that industry leaders say will slam Canadian producers.
In response, B.C. Premier David Eby called on Ottawa to drop its tariff fight against China, saying Canada got nothing out of trying to align trade policy with the United States last fall ahead of President Donald Trump’s election.
Eby, who stepped up measures against the United States along with Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday, said the government of Canada should offer a concession in the trade dispute it has with China.
#TheStar #News
#Canda
Read More...
China to raise defense spending by 7.2% in 2025 to ‘firmly safeguard’ national security
China on Wednesday increased its defense spending by 7.2% this year, the same growth rate as in the prior two years, as Beijing seeks to “firmly safeguard” its national security.
In an official government report due to be released in parliament, China proposed a national defense budget of 1.78 trillion yuan ($244.99 billion) for the 2025 fiscal year.
The increased defense budget, well above China’s economic growth target for this year of roughly 5%, comes as Western governments seek to ratchet up military spending to bolster their own security.
The European Union announced Tuesday that it could mobilize as much as 800 billion euros ($841 billion) to shore up support for Ukraine amid Russia’s full-scale invasion. The move followed reports that the U.S. had abruptly paused military aid to Ukraine.
China budgeted a 7.2% increase in defense spending to 1.67 trillion yuan last year, the same growth rate as in the prior year. Beijing had increased spending by 7.1% in 2022 and 6.8% in 2021, according to official data.
When asked on Tuesday about China’s defense spending, Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress, told reporters that “peace needs to be safeguarded with strength.”
That’s according to an official translation of his Mandarin-language remarks.
China’s defense expenditure as share of GDP has been held under 1.5% for many years, Lou said, adding that this rate of spending is lower than the global average.
China remains the world’s second largest military spender behind the U.S. which has set the military budget for 2025 at $850 billion.
Separately, expenditures earmarked for public security this year was raised by 7.3%, the official statement showed, a sharp increase compared with the 1.4% rise last year.
#China #Asia #CNBC #News
Read More...
China strikes back at Trump tariffs with 15% levies targeting US farmers
WASHINGTON (AP) — China retaliated against President Donald Trump’s tariffs with an additional 15% tax on key American farm products, including chicken, pork, soybeans and beef.
The escalating trade tensions punished U.S. markets Monday as investors fearful of the damage from from Trump’s trade wars put their money elsewhere.
The Chinese tariffs, announced last week, were a response to Trump’s decision to double the levy on Chinese imports to 20% on March 4. China’s Commerce Ministry had earlier said that goods already in transit would be exempt from the retaliatory tariffs until April 12.
Imposing tariffs on imports is a key part of Trump’s agenda. He believes the import taxes can raise money for the Treasury, protect American industries and pressure foreign countries to do what he wants in a range of issues, including immigration and drug trafficking.
#China #USA #AP #News
Read More...
U.S. Army soldiers accused of selling military secrets, including to China
Active-duty soldier Li Tian and former soldier Ruoyu Duan were charged in Oregon with conspiring to commit bribery and the theft of government property. Active-duty soldier Jian Zhao was charged in Washington state for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and for bribery and theft of government property.
#News #US #Army #CBSNews
Read More...
Two US Navy Aircraft Down in 30 Minutes: South China Sea Incidents Raise Safety Questions
In a rare double incident, a US Navy helicopter and fighter jet crashed into the South China Sea within half an hour of each other on Sunday, October 26, 2025. Both aircraft were operating from the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier during routine operations.
What Happened:
At 2:45 PM local time, an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 went down first. Just 30 minutes later at 3:15 PM, an F/A-18F Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 22 also crashed into the waters.
The good news? All five crew members survived. The three helicopter crew members were rescued from the water, while both fighter jet pilots successfully ejected before impact and were recovered by search-and-rescue teams.
Context That Matters:
The USS Nimitz is currently on its final deployment before decommissioning in May 2026. At 49 years old, it's the Navy's oldest active aircraft carrier, now serving its 23rd deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.
These crashes add to a concerning pattern of US Navy aviation incidents. The USS Harry S. Truman experienced a friendly fire incident in December when the USS Gettysburg mistakenly shot down one of its F/A-18s, and another Super Hornet fell overboard in April during evasive maneuvers against Houthi missile attacks.
The cause of both Sunday crashes remains under investigation by the US Pacific Fleet.
The incidents occurred in the strategically contested South China Sea, where US forces regularly conduct freedom of navigation operations amid ongoing territorial disputes with China.
#News #US #Navy #Aircraft #Down #South #China
Read More...
China develops “plastic” from bamboo cellulose that can replicate or surpass the properties of many widely used plastics
“Bamboo’s rapid growth makes it a highly renewable resource, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional timber sources, but its current applications are still largely limited to more traditional woven products,” says Zhao.
Zhao and his team first treated the bamboo by adding zinc chloride and a simple acid, which breaks down the strong chemical bonds and produces a soup of smaller cellulose molecules. They then added ethanol, which makes the cellulose molecules rearrange into a strong, solidified plastic.
The plastic’s toughness is comparable to commonly used engineering plastics – strong plastics used in vehicles, appliances and construction, says Andrew Dove at the University of Birmingham, UK, who wasn’t involved in the study. #Innovation
Read More...
Typer.me App Now Available on the Play Store!
Typer.me is now on the Play Store! Download the app today and start connecting with others in a whole new way. Whether you’re sharing ideas, organizing content, or exploring trending topics, Typer.me gives you the tools to stay engaged. Install now and join our growing community! Read More...
