Top Asian News 3:43 a.m. GMT

Spain’s prime minister visits China to strengthen ties with Trump’s top tariff target

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is visiting China on Friday, his third trip to the country in two years as his government seeks to boost investment from the Asian giant amid global economic uncertainty caused by a chaotic U.S. tariff policy. Sánchez met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and was expected to meet as well as business leaders from several Chinese companies, many of which produce electric batteries or renewable energy technologies. The visit comes at a complex moment for Europe and China. The tariffs announced last week — and then paused — by U.S. President Donald Trump could mean that the European Union pursues more trade with China — the world’s third-largest consumer market after the United States and the EU.

South Korea establishes diplomatic relations with Syria, a longtime friend of rival North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has established diplomatic relations with Syria’s new Islamist government, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Friday, months after a rebel coalition ousted President Bashar Assad, who had maintained close ties with North Korea. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul traveled to Damascus on Thursday to sign a joint communique with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani establishing formal diplomatic relations — a move the South Korean ministry said opens new opportunities for bilateral cooperation previously hindered by Syria’s “close ties with North Korea.” Cho during the talks conveyed Seoul’s willingness to support Syria’s reconstruction efforts following the 13-year civil war, a process that he said could eventually involve South Korean businesses, and to expand humanitarian aid.

China, North Korea and Russia military cooperation raises threats in the Pacific, US official warns

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. commander in the Pacific warned senators Thursday that the military support China and North Korea are giving Russia in its war on Ukraine is creating a security risk in his region as Moscow provides critical military assistance to both in return. Adm. Samuel Paparo, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China has provided 70% of the machine tools and 90% of the legacy chips to Russia to help Moscow “rebuild its war machine.” In exchange, he said, China is potentially getting help in technologies to make its submarines move more quietly, along with other assistance.

As Trump alienates allies with US tariffs, China is poised to exploit the gaps

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump tries to turn his global trade war into a one-on-one showdown with China, he is finding that he has alienated some key U.S. partners who could boost America’s position in a fight between the world’s largest and second-largest economies. For more than a decade, American leaders, including Trump, have tried to reorient U.S. economic policy, security strategy and alliances to confront China’s rise. Yet nearly three months into his second term, Trump’s “America First” tariffs and budget cutbacks may have provided Beijing its clearest opening yet to escape years of U.S. pressure. This week, Trump doubled down on China, raising duties on its imports to a staggering 145%, even as he eased off his planned tariffs on much of the world’s goods for 90 days in the face of a stock market meltdown.

US stocks dive as euphoria on Wall Street reverts to fear about US-China trade war

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks dove Thursday and surrendered a chunk of their historic gains from the day before as President Donald Trump’s trade war continues to threaten the economy. The S&P 500 tumbled 3.5%, slicing into Wednesday’s surge of 9.5% following Trump’s decision to pause many of his tariffs worldwide. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,014 points, or 2.5%, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 4.3%. “Trump blinks,” UBS strategist Bhanu Baweja wrote in a report about the president’s decision on tariffs, “but the damage isn’t all undone.” Trump has focused more on China, raising tariffs on its products to well above 100%.

China reaches out to others as Trump layers on tariffs

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China is reaching out to other nations as the U.S. layers on more tariffs in what appears to be an attempt to form a united front to compel Washington to retreat. Days into the effort, it’s meeting only partial success with many countries unwilling to ally with the main target of President Donald Trump’s trade war. Facing the cratering of global markets, Trump on Wednesday backed off his tariffs on most nations for 90 days, saying countries were lining up to negotiate more favorable conditions. China has refused to seek talks, saying it would “fight to the end” in a tariff war, prompting Trump to further jack up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 145%.

Ancient jawbone from Taiwan belongs to a mysterious group of human ancestors, scientists say

An ancient jawbone discovered in Taiwan belonged to an enigmatic group of early human ancestors called Denisovans, scientists reported Thursday. Relatively little is known about Denisovans, an extinct group of human cousins that interacted with Neanderthals and our own species, Homo sapiens. “ Denisovan fossils are very scarce,” with only a few confirmed finds in East Asia, said study co-author Takumi Tsutaya at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan. So far, the only known Denisovan fossils include partial jawbones, a few teeth and part of a finger bone found in caves in Siberia and Tibet. Some scientists believe fossils found in a cave in Laos may also belong to Denisovans.

China calls Zelenkyy’s remarks on Chinese fighters in Ukraine ‘irresponsible’

BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday described as “irresponsible” accusations by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Russia is actively recruiting Chinese citizens to fight alongside its forces in the Ukraine war. Zelenskyy said Wednesday that over 150 such mercenaries are already active on the battlefield with Beijing’s knowledge. He spoke after the capture this week of two Chinese nationals who were fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian repeated China’s assertions that it supports and promotes a peaceful settlement to the conflict and that the Chinese government “always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict, avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and in particular avoid participation in any party’s military operations.” “We call on the relevant party to be correct and sober about China’s role and refrain from making irresponsible remarks,” Lin said at a daily briefing in response to a question about Zelenskyy’s comments.

Pakistan warns it may expel thousands of Afghans hoping for resettlement in the West

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan said Thursday that thousands of Afghan migrants who have applied for resettlement in third countries could face forced expulsion if they are not relocated by host nations before the end of April. Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry did not mention specific host countries, but his announcement follows the suspension of U.S. refugee admissions programs that has left over 25,000 Afghan nationals facing uncertainty. Some of the Afghans also are trying to resettle in other Western countries, including the U.K. Chaudhry said an April 30 deadline for resettlement of applicants has been communicated to potential host countries. He also said that any foreigners in the country illegally would be deported immediately, and that those who have obtained U.N.

Taliban morality enforcers arrest men for having the wrong hairstyle or skipping mosque, UN says

The Taliban morality police in Afghanistan have detained men and their barbers over hairstyles and others for missing prayers at mosques during the holy month of Ramadan, a U.N. report said Thursday, six months after laws regulating people’s conduct came into effect. The Vice and Virtue Ministry published laws last August covering many aspects everyday life in Afghanistan, including public transport, music, shaving and celebrations. Most notably, the ministry issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public. That same month, a top U.N. official warned the laws provided a “distressing vision” for the country’s future by adding to existing employment, education, and dress code restrictions on women and girls.