Colombia tightens security along border with Venezuela

Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday that Colombia has activated its public security forces to anticipate and neutralize any attempted terrorist attack by illegal armed groups operating on the border with Venezuela after the United States carried out an air strike against Venezuela.

Following instructions of President Gustavo Petro, the defense minister said the Unified Command Post (PMU) for humanitarian assistance as well as an action plan was activated in northeastern Colombia's border city of Cucuta in order to assist the migrant population and provide all necessary support to those who require it.

The PMU is a cross-departmental collaboration mechanism in Colombia, typically used to respond to major security issues, disasters, or emergencies, including those related to law enforcement, immigration, and natural disasters.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said in social media posts on Saturday that Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, was being bombed by missiles. He called on the Organization of American States and the United Nations to hold emergency meetings to discuss the act of aggression against Venezuela. He emphasized that Colombia officially became a member of the UN Security Council on January 2.

Colombia also announced on Saturday the temporary closure of its land borders with Venezuela due to the rising tensions.

Earlier on Saturday, explosions were heard in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, followed by air raid sirens.

Witnesses said multiple explosions took place near military facilities in southern Caracas, and power outages were reported in several areas.

There were also reports of helicopters hovering over Caracas and telecommunications services being disrupted in some areas.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday in a Truth Social post that the United States launched "a large scale strike against Venezuela," saying Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.

Over the past months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, an aircraft carrier, and about 15,000 troops, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.

Colombia tightens security along border with Venezuela

China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.

In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.

"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.

This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.

By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.

China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.

The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.

"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.

China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting