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Lacson flags P8-B fund realigned to defense department 

AFP.MIL.PH

SENATOR Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr. on Tuesday said an P8-billion fund realigned to the Defense department from the Office of the President for the proposed 2022 budget is worrisome as it was apparently made without consultations.  

“The DND (Department of National Defense) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), they were not part of the planning or how the projects… will be implemented, so we may encounter a problem,” he said during the plenary session.  

Senator Ronald M. dela Rosa said that no consultations were made by the House of Representatives, and the Senate adopted the lower house’s adjustments in the defense budget.  

Mr. Lacson further noted that the unused appropriations by the department has been averaging P14.61 billion per year, which indicates problems in rolling out programs and projects.   

He added that the AFP and the Philippine Army incurred the highest unused appropriations in past years. 

Mr. dela Rosa defended that this was caused by challenges in the procurement process.  

“There are times when there are no bidders, there are also times when the bidders are disqualified, so that’s the problem,” he said in Filipino. 

Meanwhile, other senators also expressed concern on the amount parked by the AFP to the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) and the Philippine International Trading Company (PITC).  

“Between the two agencies, a total of about P10 billion of AFP funds is parked in both PITC and PS-DBM,” Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said during the plenary, citing the Commission on Audit report.   

The senators requested for a written report containing details of these parked funds to prepare for amendments in the 2022 proposed General Appropriations Bill. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

Defense chief dismisses Parlade claim on Go controlling Duterte    

MALACANANG PHOTO

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana dismissed claims made by a retired military officer running for the country’s highest post that Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go was controlling President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s decisions.  

Mr. Lorenzana dismissed as “baseless” the statement of retired military general Antonio G. Parlade, Jr. that the President is being manipulated by his long-time aide. 

“The President stands by his own decisions, has always been firm in his directives to us, who are working for him, and is not as easily swayed or influenced by others as purported by the general,” he said in a statement.   

Mr. Parlade, who served as spokesman for the government’s anti-communist task force, on Monday filed his candidacy for president as substitute under the Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino.   

After filing his candidacy papers, he told reporters that he “cannot align with” Mr. Go because he does not like “the way he does things, including controlling the decisions of the President.”  

Mr. Parlade, who did not elaborate on his remarks, told the media that government workers, the army, and even Mr. Lorenzana himself share the same observation.  

In his statement, Mr. Lorenzana said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) remains a professional organization “regardless of the prevailing political landscape.” 

“There is no truth to the allegations that there is brewing trouble or discontent in the AFP,” he said.   

Mr. Duterte, in his taped Cabinet meeting aired on Monday night, said Mr. Go “does not control anybody.”   

“He does not control me,” the President said of Mr. Go, who initially registered to run for vice-president but changed to president after Mr. Duterte’s daughter formalized her bid for the second top post. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

Solane confiscates 441 fake LPG tanks 

LIQUIFIED petroleum gas (LPG) supplier Solane confiscated 441 counterfeit LPG tanks worth P930,400 from August to mid-October, the company reported on Tuesday.  

The gasoline firm said it conducted several raid operations in Cavite, Camariñes Sur, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Albay in August alone, which resulted to the confiscation of 367 LPG tanks that were either emptied or refilled with unauthorized LPG fuel.   

In September, the company conducted four raids in Makati, Quezon City, and Isabela and seized 63 illegally refilled and distributed LPG tanks. By the first half of October, Solane again conducted two raids in Taguig, where they got 11 tanks.   

A new law signed on Oct. 14, Republic Act 11592, is intended to regulate the LPG industry to ensure that all unsafe gas cylinders are disposed of and new ones are safe.   

“With the impending enforcement of the LPG law, Solane looks forward to bigger industry efforts eradicating the unlawful trades in the LPG market,” the company said in a news release.   

It also warned consumers to remain cautious in choosing only authorized LPG providers to ensure their safety. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago  

Davao del Sur journalist’s killing not work-related, says media task force; murder case filed 

A MURDER complaint has been filed against a suspect in the killing of a journalist in Davao del Sur, according to Presidential Task Force on Media Security Executive Director Joel S. Egco. 

In a statement on Tuesday, he said Brandie Mercado Campaner, also known as Bos-Bos, was identified by several eyewitnesses as the shooter of broadcast journalist Orlando “Dondon” Dinoy. 

Mr. Egco said that Mr. Dinoy’s murder has been determined to be not related to his work as a journalist.   

He added that investigators were able to identify three possible motives for his killing with the strongest being “personal grudge in relation to the victim’s other endeavors.” 

“While the case is deemed non-work related, we will continue to monitor and work double time to catch his killers and whoever maybe behind them. There is no justification for murder,” he said.  

Mr. Dinoy was shot six times in Bansalan, Davao del Sur on Oct. 30. He was a reporter for Newsline Philippines and a news anchor for Energy FM.    

The case was filed at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Davao del Sur.  

The eyewitnesses will be referred to the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice.    

The Philippines ranks as the 7th deadliest country for journalists with 13 unsolved murders from Sept. 1, 2011 to Aug. 31, 2021, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 2021 Global Impunity Index. — Russell Louis C. Ku 

House panel OK’s bill institutionalizing national psoriasis care program 

PHILSTAR

A COMMITTEE in the House of Representatives approved on Tuesday a bill that would institutionalize a national psoriasis care program in the Philippines. 

The House Committee on Health approved House Bill 9821 or the National Psoriasis Care Act, which was authored by its chair Quezon Rep. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan.  

Ms. Tan said in her sponsorship speech that the measure would address the “unmet needs” of Filipinos suffering from psoriasis and make treatment for the disease more equitable and affordable, especially for indigent sectors.   

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that causes red, itchy, and scaly patches. With increasing severity, it could also be associated with cardio-vascular diseases, increased risk of mortality, and shorter life span.  

The measure would establish a National Psoriasis Care and Control Program that would serve as the national framework of psoriasis-related activities of the government.  

The measure also calls for setting up a Psoriasis Assistance Fund to support the program, where donations for the fund will be exempted from any taxes. The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will also expand its benefits packages to include screening and treatment for all types and severity of psoriasis.  

People with psoriasis will be considered as persons with disabilities under the proposed law.  

According to latest data from the Global Psoriasis Atlas, psoriasis affects an estimated 1.5% to 2% of Filipinos. — Russell Louis C. Ku 

England seals World Cup spot in 10-0 rout of San Marino

SERRAVALLE, San Marino — Harry Kane scored four goals in England’s 10-0 demolition of San Marino on Monday as Gareth Southgate’s side made official their place in next year’s World Cup finals in Qatar.

In truth, England needed only a point against the world’s 210th and lowest-ranked footballing nation to guarantee top spot above Poland in Group I so the only real question was how many goals they would deliver to mark the occasion.

Kane duly filled his boots, following up his hat trick in the 5-0 win against Albania on Friday with four goals before half time, including two penalties, swelling his England tally to 48 to move joint-third on the all-time list with Gary Lineker.

Harry Maguire began the rout with a sixth-minute header and Filippo Fabbri scored an own goal before Kane took over to put England 6-0 ahead before half time.

Emile Smith Rowe marked his first England start with the seventh and even after Kane was substituted the punishment continued for San Marino who had Dante Rossi sent off for a second yellow card in the 68th minute.

Tyrone Mings, substitute Tammy Abraham and Bukayo Saka all got on the scoresheet in a farcically one-sided match that did little for the reputation of international football.

Former England striker Michael Owen said he was “rapidly falling out of love with watching international football” after witnessing what he said was a “pointless game.”

While the debate about the worth of such lop-sided fixtures rumbles on, Kane did not care on a night that had statisticians working overtime.

He took his calendar-year haul for England to a new record of 16, became the first England player to score back-to-back hat tricks since Tommy Taylor in 1957 and the first to score four in a match since Ian Wright against San Marino in 1993.

It was also the first time England had scored 10 in a match since a 10-0 rout of the United States in 1964.

HIGHEST TALLY
In topping the group by six points from Poland, who rested Robert Lewandowski and lost 2-1 at home to Hungary, England scored 39 goals, their highest tally in a qualifying campaign.

All that must be countered by the fact that as well as playing San Marino, who have won once in 186 internationals, England also faced Andorra who are not much better.

Things will toughen up from now on, but they will arrive in Qatar as one of the favorites.

“It came to the last game and we were expected to win tonight, but we’ve done a good job. Fantastic to go through,” said the 28-year-old Kane, who is now only five goals behind England’s record scorer Wayne Rooney.

Southgate made seven changes to the side that beat Albania with Maguire one of those remaining and his thumping header from Phil Foden’s corner got things going.

Saka’s shot was then turned into his own goal by Fabbri before referee Rade Obrenovic gave England a helping hand they hardly required with a harsh penalty against Rossi who touched Foden’s volley with his fingertips.

Kane fired past the helpless Elia Benedettini and then swept in his second after 31 minutes from Smith Rowe’s cross.

Another penalty for handball saw Kane complete his fifth England hat trick and a few minutes later he showed some nifty footwork to fire in his best effort of the night.

The second half was purely academic, although there was a debut for Conor Gallagher and disappointment for Jude Bellingham who thought he had scored his first England goal only for it to be ruled out. — Reuters

Bulls end series skid, take down Lakers

DEMAR DeRozan scored a season-best 38 points on 15-of-23 shooting and Lonzo Ball also established a season high with 27 points as the visiting Chicago Bulls halted an eight-game losing streak against the Los Angeles Lakers with an easy 121-103 triumph on Monday night.

It was the second huge outing in two nights for DeRozan, a Los Angeles-area native playing at the Staples Center for the first two times since the death of his father earlier this year. DeRozan poured in 35 points on 12-of-16 shooting in Sunday’s 100-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ball matched his season high of seven 3-pointers and was 10 of 13 from the field while also contributing eight assists and seven rebounds for the Bulls. Zach LaVine knocked down six 3-pointers while scoring 26 points and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting for Chicago, which beat the Lakers for the first time since registering a 118-110 road win on Nov. 20, 2016.

Talen Horton-Tucker scored a career-high 28 points and Russell Westbrook recorded 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Lakers, who are just 8-7 despite opening the season with 12 of 15 at home. LeBron James (abdominal strain) sat out for the seventh consecutive game.

Anthony Davis had 20 points and six rebounds before drawing his second technical foul with 2:20 left in the third quarter to earn an ejection.

Chicago, which led by as many as 28 points, connected on 55.1 percent of its shots and was 15 of 34 from 3-point range.

Los Angeles shot 45.6 percent from the field and was a porous 6 of 32 from behind the arc.

The Lakers trailed by six less than two minutes into the third quarter before Chicago put the game away with a 33-14 explosion.

LaVine capped a 9-0 surge to start the run with a jumper to make it 68-53 with 8:45 left.

Davis made two free throws with 2:43 left for his final points of the night as Los Angeles trailed 83-66. The Bulls scored nine of the next 10 points with Tony Bradley’s layup pushing the lead to 92-67 with 1:14 remaining.

Chicago led 94-73 entering the final stanza and Ball’s seventh 3-pointer pushed the margin to 26 with 5:40 remaining as the Bulls ended their struggles against the Lakers in convincing fashion.

DeRozan scored 22 points in the first half and LaVine added 17 as the Bulls held a 57-48 half time lead. — Reuters

Sakkari wins Sabalenka slugfest to advance at WTA Finals

MARIA Sakkari won a rollercoaster match against Aryna Sabalenka (7-6(1), 6-7(6), 6-3) on Monday to advance to the semi-finals of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals, where the in-form Greek will meet red-hot Estonian Anett Kontaveit.

In a battle between two of the game’s biggest hitters, Sakkari battled back from a break down and pounded three aces in the first set tie-breaker to take the early lead in the win-or-go-home group match.

Sabalenka came out on the winning side of a wild second set, unleashing a punishing backhand winner to convert her fourth set point and bring the Guadalajaran crowd to their feet.

Sakkari’s fitness proved the difference in the deciding set and she pumped her arms triumphantly when a worn down Sabalenka misfired on match point in the high-altitude Mexican city.

“It was a roller-coaster match from both of us,” said Sakkari, who had lost in her four previous meetings with the Belarusan.

“I was up a break, then she was up a break. It was just a matter of who took the chances. I think at the end, I just played with my heart and fought well, just turned things around.”

The demonstrative top-seeded Sabalenka lost her temper at times during the marathon match, typically after issuing one of her 19 double faults.

She threw her racket to the court and blasted a ball into the stands but, in a moment of levity, shot the chair umpire a wry grin when video replay overturned his call that her serve was out, leading to a loud ovation.

Earlier in the day, Poland’s Iga Świątek defeated birthday girl Paula Badosa (7-5, 6-4).

The stakes were low since the 24-year-old Badosa had already advanced to the semis, where she will meet fellow Spaniard Garbine Muguruza for the first time, and Świątek had already been eliminated following losses to both Sakkari and Sabalenka.

But 2020 French Open champion Świątek was still all smiles after she rifled a forehand return winner on match point to end Badosa’s eight-match winning streak.

“It was a really solid match from me,” the 20-year-old Świątek said.

“I’m pretty happy that I had a chance to show my tennis finally… I really enjoyed myself today on court.” — Reuters

49ers dominate time of possession, rout Rams

JIMMY Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes and the San Francisco 49ers played keep-away en route to a resounding 31-10 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night at Santa Clara, CA.

Deebo Samuel caught a touchdown pass and rushed for another score and George Kittle added a touchdown reception as San Francisco (4-5) held the ball for 39 minutes, three seconds. Jimmie Ward recorded two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown as the 49ers beat the NFC West-rival Rams for the fifth straight time.

Matthew Stafford completed 26 of 41 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for Los Angeles (7-3), which dropped its second straight game. Tyler Higbee caught a touchdown pass for the Rams.

Odell Beckham, Jr. caught two passes for 18 yards while playing sparingly in his first game since joining the Rams. Cooper Kupp matched his season high of 11 catches, good for 122 yards.

Garoppolo completed 15 of 19 passes for 182 yards as San Francisco won at home for the first time in five attempts this season. Los Angeles dropped to 4-1 on the road.

The 49ers outgained the Rams 335 yards to 278 while winning for just the second time in their past seven games. Samuel had five receptions for 97 yards and rushed five times for 36 yards, and Elijah Mitchell gained 91 yards on 27 carries.

San Francisco set the tone quickly after Ward grabbed his first pick of Stafford just 2:03 into the game.

The 49ers possessed the ball for 11:03 while navigating 93 yards on 18 plays. San Francisco ran the ball 13 times and Garoppolo went 5-for-5 passing, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Kittle with 1:54 left in the quarter.

Just 65 seconds later, the 49ers held a 14-0 lead. Higbee failed to catch Stafford’s short pass and the ball caromed to Ward, who returned the pick 27 yards for a touchdown.

Los Angeles got on the board with 13:16 left in the half when Stafford tossed a 10-yard scoring pass to Higbee. The 49ers answered with another marathon excursion, and Samuel scored on an 8-yard run to cap an 11-play, 91-yard drive that took 7:52.

San Francisco increased its lead to 24-7 on Robbie Gould’s 50-yard field goal with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. The 49ers put the game away in the fourth quarter when Garoppolo teamed with Samuel on a 40-yard touchdown on fourth-and-6 to make it 31-7 with 11:07 left in the contest.

The Rams’ Matt Gay kicked a 37-yard field goal with 3:48 left. — Reuters

Best of the best

Kevin Durant was, by his own standards, simply being himself in leading the Nets to their 10th victory in 14 games to start their 2021-22 campaign the other day. In other words, he was nothing short of outstanding, logging 33, eight, and four en route to posting a whopping plus-30 net rating in his 34 minutes on the court against the hapless Thunder. That he hit nine of 17 shots within the flow of the match served only to underscore his otherworldly skill set. Even so, it bears noting that his stat line, for all its pluses, pales in comparison to his season norms; he’s leading the league in scoring at a shade under 30 per outing on ridiculous 58-42-84 shooting splits.

Considering Durant’s unmatched efficiency, it’s no wonder the Nets have survived both the absence of fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving and the inconsistent play of former Most Valuable Player awardee James Harden. And he’s doing it with a sore right shoulder that he said “didn’t get in the way too much” versus the Thunder — certainly an understatement. Not that he’s immune to injury; far from it, as Warriors fans still bitter about how the 2019 Playoffs ended for their threepeat-seeking favorites know only too well. On the other hand, his remarkable recovery from the Achilles tear that compelled him to then sit out an entire year underscores his strength and resolve.

Indeed, Durant is no “cupcake,” as those deriding him for one reason or another claim. And, his understated countenance notwithstanding, there can be no relegating him to the background. He was by and large the best player of the Thunder in the eight seasons he toiled with the mercurial Russell Westbrook, and of the Warriors in the next three alongside the amiable Stephen Curry. That said, it’s evident to all and sundry that he now has peace of mind — not coincidentally because it’s also evident to all and sundry that he’s first in the pecking order.

Today, the Nets will be hosting the league-leading Warriors, and there’s no doubt that Durant will be making nice with Curry — off the court, that is. On it, he will most definitely relish playing the silent assassin, if for no other reason than because he hates to lose. He’s not one to give up on anything, as his seemingly inane back and forth with unknown characters on Twitter show. And, yes, he will want to prove that he’s the best of the best. Under the circumstances, he’s not one to bet against, bum shoulder or no.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Investing in the future through ICT talent

Huawei Philippines Seeds for the Future 2021 Opening Ceremony speakers: (clockwise from upper left) Jay Chen, Vice-President of Huawei Asia Pacific Region; Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs Department; Fidel Nemenzo, Chancellor of University of the Philippines; and Prospero De Vera III, Chairman of Commission on Higher Education

The advancement of information and communications technology (ICT) has created a world unrestricted by physical space, as proven by how it has curtailed the overall impact of COVID-19 on the global economy. As pointed out by the World Economic Forum, ICT made it “possible to create value — as seen in remote work, remote healthcare, and remote education — particularly from the perspective of inclusivity.”

New frontiers in value creation are propelling emerging economies to the spotlight, including that of the Philippines. For the past few years, the Philippine IT and business process outsourcing industry — the biggest and most reliant industry in the country on ICT — has been a major contributor to the country’s growth. In fact, the industry saw revenues climb to a total of $26.7 billion in 2020, even as the pandemic wreaked havoc on the national economy.

Clearly, there is opportunity for further growth through ICT as new technologies like 5G, AI, and IoT become more widely applied in the new world. Countries with good ICT foundation will be more resilient and can easily respond to disruption, while talent will drive industries to go digital.

This is the reason behind Huawei Philippines’ latest Seeds for the Future program, which aims to help students in the Philippines become better equipped to take advantage of the opportunities in digital technology and nurture the development of the country’s ICT ecosystem.

As an ICT leader, Huawei is committed to promoting ICT industry development in the Philippines. Seeds for the Future, Huawei’s flagship global CSR program, aims to develop skilled local ICT talent and to bridge communication between countries and cultures. In the past six years, more than 100 deserving students from the Philippines took the journey with Huawei Seeds for the Future program. As the pandemic continues, the selected talents will experience eight days of online training this year.

“Information and communications technologies have become crucial growth engines for many different industries. As an ICT leader, Huawei is committed to promoting ICT industry development in the countries it operates, and aims to drive long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability. We also seek to close the gap between knowledge learned in the classroom and the skills required by the industry, and enhance knowledge transfer,” the company said.

“As the spread and impact of COVID-19 continues unfolding around the world, we need to be more alert, and more decisive than ever — responding constantly to changing conditions, while keeping an eye on the future, to ensure preparedness when better times return. However, learning and communication should never stop.”

Before 2019, Seeds for the Future is an onsite program, inviting talents to China to get to know the dynamic and innovative Chinese cultural and technology scenes. In 2020, in order to keep the continuity of the program despite the pandemic, Huawei launched the first online version and open to all academic background students.

Here in the Philippines, the program has been successfully implemented in partnerships with leading academic institutions nationwide, including the University of the Philippines. “Huawei Philippines Seeds for the Future Program are important and timely for they introduce to our students new technologies like 5G, AI and Cloud computing to help them enhance their knowledge, capabilities and skills,” Fidel Nemenzo, chancellor of UP Diliman stated in the opening ceremony this Monday.

“Huawei Philippines Seeds for the Future program became one of the most-awaited event by our aspiring ICT experts. The 2021 program will not just stimulate the minds of our students but more importantly will give them the chance to share their learnings with their peers, which in the long run can evolve in more immersive, inclusive and robust ICT ecosystem,” Dr. J. Prospero de Vera, chairman of Commission on Higher Education gave his remarks too.

“As the world becomes more digital, Huawei has seen it fit not only to be business for profit but also to make the building of a better future its business. In 2008, It took this commitment to another level by launching its flagship CSR Program — Huawei Seeds for the Future. Now this Digital Spark has spread exponentially to make a difference in the lives of almost 9,000 beneficiaries worldwide,” Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. said in his speech during the program’s launch.

“Seeds for the Future aptly named as such has been spreading and cultivating ICT expertise across the global expanse. Its beneficiaries are able to acquire ICT Knowledge firsthand while collectively building their network of ICT talents. I am glad that this program has reached the Philippines in 2015, more than 100 Filipinos have benefited from the program and are now making tangible contributions to our ICT industry. I extend my warmest congratulations to Huawei for the remarkable success of Seeds for the Future and to its new crop of talents. I have high hopes that this program will continue to soar higher to make a difference in the lives of many and to build a better future for us all,” Mr. Locsin added.

Jay Chen, vice-president of Huawei Asia Pacific Region, said that Huawei has announced to extend the digital talent cultivation initiatives even further. Over the next five years, Huawei has committed another US$50 million to develop 500 thousand ICT talents in Asia-Pacific, through several programs including Seeds for the Future.

Having established its presence in the Philippines for almost 20 years, Huawei aims to bring digital skills to more Filipinos towards building a sustainable world through Seeds for the Future.

 

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Biden, Xi seek cooperation in longer-than-expected summit

REUTERS

US PRESIDENT Joseph R. Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke of the need for cooperation in their first face-to-face summit, which went on longer than expected even though they announced no major breakthroughs.

The video conference lasted for more than three hours, with the two leaders covering a range of topics including trade, the status of Taiwan and human rights. A White House official afterward described the tone as respectful and open, with the conversation focused on action to manage the long-term competition between the world’s biggest economies.

The US made clear ahead of the meeting that there would be no specific outcomes from the meeting, and that appeared to be the case. China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Mr. Xi’s government agreed to adopt an upgraded fast track for US executives to enter China, one of the only concrete deliverables announced after the talks.

In a statement after the summit, the White House said the leaders “discussed the complex nature of relations between our two countries and the importance of managing competition responsibly.” Mr. Biden raised issues including human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, China’s “unfair trade and economic practices” and the US commitment to Taiwan.

The statement added that they “discussed ways for the two sides to continue discussions on a number of areas, with President Biden underscoring the importance of substantive and concrete conversations.”

Mr. Xi said he hoped Mr. Biden would “return US policy toward China back to a rational and pragmatic path,” Xinhua reported. CCTV reported that Mr. Xi said the earth is large enough to accommodate the development of both the US and China, adding that both countries should “not engage in winners and losers.”

‘BURN THEMSELVES’
Still, Mr. Xi also warned that China would safeguard its own sovereignty, security, and development interests and said that those playing with fire around the Taiwan issue “would inevitably burn themselves.”

“We are patient and we are willing to use our utmost sincerity and make the utmost effort to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification,” Xinhua cited Mr. Xi as saying. “However, if ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces provoke and coerce, or even break through the red line, we will have to take drastic measures.”

At the start of the meeting, Mr. Biden told Mr. Xi they had a responsibility to ensure that competition between the countries doesn’t veer into conflict. “It seems to me we need to establish some commonsense guardrails, to be clear and honest where we disagree, and work together where our interests intersect, especially on vital global issues like climate change,” the US president said.

‘OLD FRIEND’
Mr. Xi started his remarks by calling Mr. Biden an “old friend” while saying the US and China “need to increase communication and cooperation.” The two nations should work to find effective responses to global challenges including climate change and the pandemic, Mr. Xi said.

“China and the United States should respect each other, co-exist in peace, and pursue win-win cooperation,” Mr. Xi said, adding that they should work “to build consensus, take active steps and move China-US relations forward in a positive direction.”

Investors were watching to see if the summit helps defuse tensions that have built up between the world’s two biggest economies over a wide range of issues, including tariffs, sanctions and human rights. As the summit got underway, the onshore yuan rose as much as 0.3% to approach the strongest level since 2018. The currency fluctuated within a tight range over the past month.

The White House had framed the discussion as Mr. Biden’s effort to set the terms of the relationship, with a particular focus on avoiding unintended conflict. Besides mentioning human rights and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the president also planned to raise China’s non-market economic practices, such as industrial subsidies, though trade issues won’t dominate the conversation, US officials said.

Mr. Xi came to the summit in a strong position politically, having cleared a major hurdle last week to securing a third term as Communist Party chief next year. The consolidation of power in China makes it only more pressing for Mr. Biden to engage Mr. Xi in a leader-to-leader conversation, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday.

The Biden administration consulted allies and partners before the meeting and continued coordination is expected afterward as well, Ms. Psaki said.

The White House argues that Biden is also coming to the summit with a strong hand, having earlier Tuesday signed into law the $550 billion infrastructure bill that his administration says will boost America’s competitiveness with China. — Bloomberg

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