The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Taiwan says TPP bid should be assessed on merit, independent of China
TAIPEI - Taiwan said Thursday its application for inclusion in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact was not motivated by China's request to join and that its submission should be assessed on its own economic merits.
Trade representative John Deng told a press conference at the Executive Yuan, or Cabinet, that President Tsai Ing-wen has been pushing for accession to what is formally known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership since she was first elected in 2016.
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Suga leaves for Quad summit in Washington, final trip abroad as PM
TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga departed Tokyo's Haneda airport Thursday to attend a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and the leaders of India and Australia in Washington, his final overseas trip before stepping down in early October.
The leaders of the so-called Quad, a group of nations that are strengthening security ties as a counter to China's growing assertiveness, are expected to affirm shared efforts to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region as well as ensure a stable supply of COVID-19 vaccines to the rest of the world.
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China voices strong opposition to Taiwan's bid to join TPP
BEIJING - China expressed strong opposition Thursday to Taiwan's bid to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, repeating its mantra that the self-ruled island is an "inalienable part of China."
The Communist-led government's remarks indicated it will make every effort to prevent Taiwan from joining the TPP under its "one-China policy," cementing speculation that tensions between the mainland and the democratic island will intensify over membership.
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G-20 ministers urge Taliban to accept int'l aid, fight terrorism
WASHINGTON - Foreign ministers from the Group of 20 major economies urged the Taliban Islamist group, which took control of Afghanistan last month, to accept international humanitarian aid and implement measures against terrorism in a meeting Wednesday, the U.S. government said.
The online meeting arranged by Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G-20 this year, highlighted joint efforts by the group that includes China and Russia to address problems faced by Afghanistan, such as safe evacuations of locals wishing to leave the war-torn country.
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Fed says bond-buying taper may come soon, rate hike possible in 2022
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday signaled that a decision is nearing on beginning to scale back a massive bond-buying program on the back of the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and hinted at an interest rate lift-off possibly next year.
After a two-day meeting of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee, the central bank said it will maintain its target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 0.25 percent and will continue buying a total of $120 billion in Treasuries and mortgage securities each month.
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Japan welcomes Taiwan's application to join TPP: minister
TOKYO - Japan welcomes Taiwan's application to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters Thursday from New York.
Describing Taiwan as an "extremely important partner of Japan" that shares basic values such as the rule of law, Motegi said Tokyo will respond to the island's bid to join the 11-member TPP "based on a strategic point of view and with the public's understanding."
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Japan, U.S., S. Korea affirm cooperation on N. Korea
NEW YORK - Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Wednesday he and his counterparts from the United States and South Korea agreed to further strengthen cooperation to rid North Korea of its nuclear and missile program.
During talks in New York held on the fringes of the U.N. General Assembly sessions, the three pledged to work closely toward complete denuclearization of North Korea by boosting diplomatic efforts, ensuring the implementation of U.N. resolutions barring Pyongyang from developing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, and enhancing deterrence in the region.
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U.S. calls on world leaders to vaccinate 70% of global population
WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday called on countries around the world to commit to vaccinating 70 percent of the global population against the novel coronavirus by next September, while vowing to donate an additional 500 million vaccine doses to poorer nations.
The new pledge, which will bring the country's total vaccine donations abroad to over 1.1 billion doses, was made during a virtual COVID-19 summit President Joe Biden convened on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in a bid to end the pandemic that has already killed over 4.5 million people globally.
