FROM ASIA Three key priorities in crucial US-China talks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s first visit to China on Sunday comes nearly five months after a major rupture in relations over a Chinese spy balloon.

His original trip was abruptly cancelled because the balloon, which China says was monitoring weather, drifted across the continental US before being destroyed by American military aircraft.

Mr Blinken’s visit includes meetings with China’s top foreign policy officials but there is no word yet on whether he will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, who appeared with Microsoft founder Bill Gates in Beijing on Friday.

The two global superpowers have a long list of issues that concern them, including highprofile disagreements as well as potential areas of co-operation.

Here are three key areas that could be at the top of the agenda.

Mending relations

First and foremost, Mr Blinken’s visit is about re-establishing diplomatic interactions of any kind.

Last month there was an initial breaking of the ice when senior US officials met in Vienna, Austria.

But Mr Blinken is the most senior Biden administration official to travel to China, and it marks the first visit by a US secretary of state to Beijing since October 2018.

Now is a good time to be talking again because that in itself reduces the risk of conflict, said Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, in a pre-trip briefing.

“We can’t let the disagreements that might divide us stand in the way of moving forward on the global priorities that require us all to work together.”

The Chinese response to the Blinken visit has been somewhat frosty, however.

In the official Chinese account of a call with Mr Blinken on Wednesday night, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang is reported to have told him that “it is very clear who is to blame” for the recent deterioration in relations.

“The United States should respect China’s concerns, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop undermining China’s sovereignty, security and development interests in the name of competition,” Mr Qin reportedly said.

The US has downplayed any significant announcements coming out of this visit. It seems the only “deliverable” from the meetings, in diplomatic parlance, will be that the meetings have happened at all.

Don’t expect some sort of breakthrough or transformation in the way that the two deal with one another, said Daniel J Kritenbrink, the State Department’s senior East Asia diplomat.

If the meeting leads to further interaction between US and Chinese officials, that would be something both sides could build on.

Easing trade conflicts

President Biden’s relations with China started off on a rocky note, in part because he has been unwilling to cancel trade measures enacted by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

That includes billions of dollars in import tariffs on Chinese-made products.

In some areas, Mr Biden has squeezed even harder, with restrictions on US computer-chip exports to China in an effort to maintain US superiority in the most advanced electronics technologies.

China responded by enacting its own ban on computer memory chips sold by Micron, the largest US manufacturer.

Mr Campbell acknowledged China’s concerns but said the US would defend and explain what it’s done so far and what could lie ahead.

If computer technology is an area destined for fierce competition between the two superpowers, the illicit drug trade may provide more room for co-operation.

The US wants to limit the export of Chinese-produced chemical components used to make fentanyl, a synthetic opioid many times more

Iraq: displays 2800-year-old stone tablet returned by Italy

A2,800-year-old stone tablet has gone on display in Iraq after being returned by Italy following nearly four decades.

The artefact is inscribed with complete cuneiform text - a system of writing on clay in an ancient Babylonian alphabet.

Italian authorities handed it over to Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid in the city of Bologna last week.

It is not clear how the tablet was found - or how it made its way to Italy where it was seized by police in the 1980s.

Iraqi Culture Minister Ahmed Badrani said that it might have been found during archaeological excavations of the Mosul dam, which was built around that time.

Iraq, often described as the “cradle of civilisation”, is known, among others, for the world’s first writing.

In the late 8th Century, the country’s Bayt al-Hikmah [House of Wisdom ] was home to the largest library of books on science, art, maths, medicine and philosophy.

Looting of the country’s antiquities intensified following the US-led invasion 20 years ago.

Iraq’s president praised the co-operation shown by Italy and said he would work to recover all the archaeological pieces of Iraqi history from abroad.

The Ashes 2023: Australia hit

England between Edgbaston showers

England were hit by a onetwo punch from Australia in a devastating 21-minute spell before rain ruined the third day of the first Ashes Test.

Only 22 balls were possible after 14:15 BST at Edgbaston, but in that time Australia were rampant under slate skies and floodlights to claim two wickets for two runs.

Ben Duckett poked Pat Cummins to gully, where Cameron Green took a trademark catch, and a shuffling Zak Crawley edged Scott Boland behind.

Joe Root was also the subject of a review off Cummins before the second and final heavy shower of the day allowed England to escape on 28-2, 35 ahead.

All this came after England had much the better of the dry morning, running through the Australia lower order to claim a first-innings lead of seven runs.

After Usman Khawaja was outthought by another ingenious plan from Ben Stokes and bowled by Ollie Robinson for 141, Australia lost their last four wickets for 14 runs to be dismissed for 386.

Robinson and Stuart Broad bounced out the tail, each ending with three wickets.

Overall, 47.3 overs were lost to rain, with more forecast for day five on Tuesday. The wet weather, wearing pitch and clash of styles add fuel to what could be a thrilling conclusion to an enthralling series opener.

Soggy Sunday still full of action

Less than 33 overs of play were possible on a soggy Sunday in Birmingham, but there was still time for some engrossing and dramatic Test cricket.

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England were superb in the morning session, taking advantage of Australia’s lack of intent to perfectly execute some carefully laid plans and delight the riotous Hollies Stand.

But the Australian passiveness disappeared in the small window between the showers that arrived as forecast after lunch.

With the ball nibbling more than any time in the match, Australia made the benign surface look full of danger. England were lucky to get out only two down.

Monday is set to be dry, but the rain predicted for Tuesday will have an influence on any potential England declaration - if they bat long enough for that luxury.

There is the suspicion the pitch will deteriorate and turn, in theory helping Moeen Ali. However, the England off-spinner has a nasty cut on his spinning finger that affected his bowling on Sunday morning.

Australia surge under slate sky

When England returned at 15:30 after a 75-minute rain delay, Duckett and Crawley had everything to lose and nothing to gain. The clouds provided perfect conditions for Australian pace bowlers that knew they could give their all to a short, sharp burst.

With the groundstaff readying themselves, Cummins hung the ball wide of off stump and lefthander Duckett, as is his wont, pushed at the ball. Green, who is building a catalogue of fine gully catches, swooped low to grab the ball in his left hand.

For the first time in the Test, Australia played with classic Australian aggression. Gone were the boundary sweepers employed for the whole of England’s first innings, in favour of four catchers.

In the next over, Boland got Crawley for the second time in the match, again with a beauty that kissed the edge on the way through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. England had lost two wickets for no runs in the space of four balls.

In their excitement, Australia screamed for an lbw decision against Root off Boland, then a review off Cummins detected no edge when Root had been given not out on the field.

Neither Root nor Ollie Pope had managed to get off the mark when the merciful arrival of torrential rain at 15:51 sent England to the sanctuary of the dressing room.

England blitz passive Aussies

From 311-5 overnight, 82 behind, Australia were marginal favourites to earn a lead and benefitted from Carey being put down off the inside edge from

James Anderson’s first over of the day - wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow’s third miss of the innings.

Despite Carey being bowled through the gate for 66 to give Anderson his 1,100th first-class wicket, Australia took 44 from the first eight overs of the day, mainly because the injured Moeen bowled poorly. When Moeen, who turned 36 on Sunday, came off, Australia stalled and England pounced.

Khawaja scored 15 runs in nearly 100 minutes of batting, and six of those came in one shot off Moeen. Though his progress was slow, the left-hander was the barrier between England and a lead.

The came another ingenious Stokes plan. First Khawaja was faced with four catchers on the leg side, then three on either side. Perhaps expecting a cutter, or looking to squeeze the ball through the off side, he gave himself room and was beaten by Robinson’s speared yorker.

Roaring in triumph, Robinson was transformed from the bowler that struggled on day two. He teamed with Broad for a short-ball plan to the tail that will surely set the pattern for the rest of the series.

Nathan Lyon hooked to deep square leg, Boland fended limply to silly point and Cummins miscued to mid-wicket. Australia lost their last four wickets in the space of 22 deliveries. Source; BBC