BEIJING: China has summoned the Canadian ambassador to protest the detention of a top executive of leading Chinese tech giant Huawei, calling it “unreasonable, unconscionable, and vile in nature” and warning of “grave consequences” if she is not released.
A report by the official Xinhua News Agency carried on the Foreign Ministry’s website says Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had called in Ambassador John McCallum on Saturday over the holding of Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is reportedly suspected of trying to evade US trade curbs on Iran.
Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and Internet companies and has been the target of deepening US security concerns. The US has pressured European countries and other allies to limit use of its technology.
China: Canada’s detention of Huawei exec ‘vile in nature’
China: Canada’s detention of Huawei exec ‘vile in nature’
- Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and Internet companies and has been the target of deepening US security concerns
Saudi-US roundtable meeting held to strengthen economic relations
RIYADH: The Saudi-US Roundtable was held in Riyadh on Jan. 20, coinciding with the ninth session of the Saudi-US Trade and Investment Association, organized by the General Authority for Foreign Trade.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor of International Relations at GAFT Abdulaziz Al-Sakran and the Secretary General of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Waleed Alorainan. It was also attended by the President and CEO of the Saudi-US Business Council Charles Hallab and representatives from government agencies, as well as 83 private sector companies.
The meeting reviewed ways to strengthen economic relations between Saudi Arabia and the US. It also explored opportunities for trade and investment cooperation in various sectors that play a fundamental role in developing trade ties and increasing bilateral trade volume, which reached approximately $33 billion in 2024.
Al-Sakran indicated that the roundtable meeting comes within the framework of the authority’s keenness to enhance the role of the private sector in developing trade relations by enabling it to access foreign markets and removing all external obstacles it faces, in coordination with relevant entities.
He noted that trade relations between the Kingdom and the US have witnessed significant economic activity, resulting in a trade volume exceeding $500 billion over the past decade.
It is worth noting that GAFT works to develop bilateral trade relations by overseeing business councils and coordination councils. In addition, it enables Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports to access foreign markets and helps overcome the various challenges they face.
