Xi's address — from the Boao Forum for Asia, an annual summit that's been dubbed the "Asian Davos" — comes amid escalating trade tensions between China and the U.S. as the world's two largest economies take turns announcing punitive trade measures against each other.
• U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response.
Trump told a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers he would make a decision by Monday night “or very shortly thereafter” on a response, adding that the United States had “a lot of options militarily” on Syria.
• U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that countries need to rise to the challenge of climate change.
Guterres, speaking at the Chinese Boao Forum for Asia on Hainan island, said that while globalization had helped reduce poverty, vast numbers of people had been left behind and he wanted a fairer outcome.
• Facebook (FB.O) Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s No. 1 mission during his appearance before U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday and Wednesday will be to defend against calls to regulate internet-based companies.
The prospect of new laws that restrict Facebook and other internet companies, however, is extremely unlikely not only because of a lack of political will and the effective lobbying of technology companies but because few lawmakers want to grapple with the sheer complexity of the technical issues involved.
Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify before a joint hearing of the Senate Commerce and Judiciary Committees.
• A former aide to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday denied a media report that he had intervened to help win approval for a friend of the premier to set up a new veterinary school, the latest twist in suspected cronyism scandal.
Abe’s support has been undermined by several scandals over suspected cronyism and cover-ups, raising doubts about how long he can remain in power and whether he can achieve his cherished goal of revising Japan’s pacifist, post-war constitution.
His domestic troubles are mounting ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump next week and an expected onslaught from Trump over Japan’s trade policies.
• Oil markets rose for a second day on Tuesday on hopes that a trade dispute between the United States and China, the world’s two biggest crude consumers, may be resolved without greater damage to the global economy.
Yet prices remain within recent ranges as oil markets still face an abundance of supply that puts pressure on producers to keep their prices competitive in order not to lose market share.
Brent crude futures were at $68.97 per barrel at 0417 GMT, up 32 cents, or 0.5 percent, from their last close.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $63.76 a barrel, up 34 cents, or 0.5 percent.
Reference: Reuters,CNBC