Latest news with #securitytalks
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
‘Tactical move': why Japan pulled plug on US security talks amid defence spending row
Japan 's abrupt cancellation of scheduled security talks with the United States reflects a calculated effort to deflect mounting American pressure and prevent Washington from intertwining trade disputes with defence obligations, analysts say. Advertisement Tokyo is also angling to re-engage with Washington after the Upper House election on July 20, hoping to negotiate from 'a position of domestic strength', according to observers. The Financial Times first reported on Friday that Japan had called off a planned high-level meeting after the Trump administration demanded Tokyo increase its defence spending. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had been expected to meet Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defence Minister Gen Nakatani in Washington on July 1 for the annual '2+2' security talks. But Tokyo cancelled the meeting, according to the report citing unnamed sources, after the US had pressed Japan to raise its defence budget to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product – up from an earlier request of 3 per cent. Advertisement Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported on Saturday that Washington was now pressuring all its Asian allies, including Tokyo, to target defence spending as high as 5 per cent of GDP.
Reuters
20-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Japan scraps US meeting after Washington demands more defense spending -FT
WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) - Japan has canceled a regular high-level meeting with its key ally the United States after the Trump administration demanded it spend more on defense, the Financial Times reported on Friday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had been expected to meet their Japanese counterparts in Washington on July 1 for annual 2+2 security talks. But Tokyo scrapped the meeting after the U.S. side asked Japan to boost defense spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, higher than an earlier request of 3 per cent, the paper cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter, including two officials in Tokyo, as saying. A U.S. official who did not want to be identified confirmed Japan had "postponed" the talks but said the decision was made several weeks ago. The source did not cite a reason. A non-government source familiar with the issue said he had also heard Japan had pulled out of the meeting, but not the reason for it doing so. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said she had no comment on the FT report when asked about it at regular briefing, and the Pentagon also had no immediate comment. Japan's embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. The Financial Times said the new higher spending demand was made in recent weeks by Elbridge Colby, the third-most senior Pentagon official, who has also recently upset another key U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific by launching a review of a project to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. In March, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said that other nations do not decide Japan's defense budget after Colby called in his nomination hearing to be under secretary of defense for policy for Tokyo to spend more to counter China. Japan and other U.S. allies have been engaged in difficult trade talks with the United States over U.S. President Donald Trump's worldwide tariff offensive. The FT said the decision to cancel the July 1 meeting was also related to Japan's July 20 Upper House elections, at which the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is expected to suffer a loss of seats. It comes ahead of a meeting of the U.S.-led NATO alliance in Europe next week, at which Trump is expected to press his demand that European allies boost their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
Globe and Mail
11-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Canada, U.S. exchanging potential terms on economic and security deal
Canada and the United States are exchanging potential terms of agreement in closely held talks on an economic and security deal, The Globe and Mail has learned, but these do not represent the draft text of an actual pact. These exchanges are an effort to spell out what both sides might be able to agree upon as Ottawa and Washington try to find enough common ground to end their damaging trade war, sources said. The Globe is not naming the sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly. It's also far from clear whether a deal will be landed anytime soon as the United States is negotiating with close to 20 other countries that are seeking relief from tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed on their products. One government official compared the documents being exchanged to term sheets in the corporate sector, which outline the ingredients of a possible deal and serve as the basis for negotiations. Canada and the U.S. are engaging in talks on a new economic and security relationship that could amount to the first phase of talks with a second phase being the renegotiation of the trilateral United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement possibly to follow as already scheduled in 2026. ArcelorMittal laying off 153 workers in Hamilton as Trump tariffs hammer the steel industry Opinion: Carney was right to not retaliate against Trump's latest tariffs The economic-defence talks are being conducted among a very small circle of officials including International Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative. It's possible this deal may be an executive-handshake agreement such as the one the British government signed with the White House in May. Sources said Canada and the United States are talking about working together to counter China's unfair trade practices, a topic that could affect U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, and further border security arrangements to stop the illegal distribution of the opioid fentanyl. The United States also wants Canada to take a great role in securing the Arctic and join Mr. Trump's ambitious Golden Dome missile shield project – a project Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly said would make sense for Canadians to be part of. They said each side is putting ideas on paper and sharing them as part of the talks. CBC News on Friday reported it had learned of the existence of a working document outlining details of a potential deal. CBC, citing an unidentified source, said the working document states that Canada is willing to participate in the Golden Dome security program, and it also mentions Canadian commitments to build more infrastructure in the Arctic, Canada's pledge to meet its NATO defence spending targets, as well as previously announced border security investments.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Canada-U.S. talks on economic and security deal intensify: sources
Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump meet in the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld The U.S. and Canada have intensified talks for an economic and security deal in recent weeks, with a framework for such an arrangement trading hands between the two parties, CTV News can confirm. Sources who spoke to CTV News on the condition of anonymity all universally cautioned the finalizing of such a deal requires sign-off directly from U.S. President Donald Trump, and there are no explicit assurances that will happen on a certain timeline. This is a breaking news story. More details to come... With files from CTV News' Vassy Kapelos
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Starmer to visit Canada amid Trump threats
Sir Keir Starmer will visit Canada for security talks next week amid Donald Trump's threats to annex the country. The Prime Minister will meet Mark Carney, his Canadian counterpart, on June 14 for discussions concerning security and economic co-operation, according to The Times. It comes after the US president warned that he was prepared to wreck the Canadian economy in an attempt to force it to become the 51st US state. Mr Trump has already doubled tariffs on steel imports to 50 per cent, piling pressure on Ottawa following a meeting with Mr Carney in Washington. Fears have been raised of 'catastrophic' job losses, factory closures and disruption to supply chains in Canada in the wake of the tariffs. The UK is exempt from the 50 per cent tariff following a deal between London and Washington. But the US president, in a post on Truth Social, said there would be financial consequences of Canada remaining independent. He said the country would be faced with the $61 billion (£49 billion) cost of being covered by his proposed Golden Dome missile defence system. However, he added it would be 'zero dollars if they become our cherished 51st State'. The post was written hours after King Charles opened the 45th Canadian Parliament in May. During his speech the King underlined the Commonwealth country's sovereignty in 'dangerous and uncertain' times. Mr Carney told the Canadian broadcaster CBC he wished to join ReArm Europe, a plan designed to beef up European defence, in a drive to make Canada less reliant upon the US. The EU has also indicated it is looking to forge stronger ties with Canada given its links to Nato and the level of support it is offering to Ukraine. Mr Carney said: 'Seventy-five cents of every [Canadian] dollar of capital spending for defence goes to the United States. That's not smart.' The Canadian prime minister, in an interview with Sky News last month, was highly critical of Mr Starmer's decision to offer the US president a second state visit to the UK as the move had sparked fury in Canada. 'To be frank, we weren't impressed by that gesture … given the circumstance. It was at a time when we were being quite clear about the issues around sovereignty.' He made clear that the invitation for the King – Canada's head of state – to be in attendance at the opening of Parliament in Ottawa was 'not coincidental'. Sir Keir, who is yet to meet the former Bank of England governor since he won the Canadian election in April, wished to hold talks with Mr Carney due to them both being centre-left leaders within the G7. Number 10 has declined to comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
