25 h. ago Can Scott Bessent see China’s trade counterstrike with clear eyes?

After a video call last Saturday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng are expected to meet in Malaysia this week to hopefully ease tensions before US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping potentially meet on the sidelines of this year’s Apec summit. The meeting was in doubt when Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on China, despite later relenting that it might not be sustainable. Washington blamed Beijing for the escalation,...

Events

4 d. ago Bessent, Chinese vice premier to meet to try to defuse US tariff hike

Bessent, Chinese vice premier to meet to try to defuse US tariff hike  CNBC

Politics

4 d. ago Trump confirms Xi meeting, retreats on 100% tariffs: ‘not sustainable’

In a turnaround from the tough stance he took a week ago, US President Donald Trump said Friday that he planned to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea in two weeks and suggested that imposing an additional 100 per cent tariff on all Chinese goods appeared unworkable. But he also blamed China for the latest stand-off in trade talks. The mercurial president called into question his planned sit-down with Xi seven days ago and threatened the draconian tariff increase in addition to...

Politics

5 d. ago Carney walks fine line between Washington, Beijing as Ottawa weighs EV tariffs

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday said he expects to meet senior Chinese leaders in the “coming month or so” as part of a broad re-engagement with Beijing, but declined to say whether Ottawa will lift tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. “We are in the process of having those discussions on a much broader range of issues than single sectors and single trades,” Carney said at a press conference. “And when we look at the auto sector, we take into account the dynamics with the United...

Politics

5 d. ago Global CEOs Meet Chinese Trade Negotiator as Tensions Linger

Global CEOs Meet Chinese Trade Negotiator as Tensions Linger  Yahoo Finance

Events

6 d. ago WATCH: Bessent says Trump still expects to meet Chinese leader as trade tensions increase

WATCH: Bessent says Trump still expects to meet Chinese leader as trade tensions increase  PBS

Politics

7 d. ago South Korea says Yoon wanted special treatment for his pets in 2023 France trips

Former South Korean first couple Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee requested special treatment for their pets from South Korea’s embassy in Paris during their visits to France in 2023, an opposition lawmaker has revealed. The couple “planned to bring their dogs on two visits to France in 2023 and asked the embassy to prepare protocol arrangements for them”, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Jae-jung said during a parliamentary audit on Monday, The Korea Times newspaper reported. “There were...

Politics

7 d. ago Did South Korea’s Yoon make ‘absurd demands’ for pet treatment on Paris trips?

Former South Korean first couple Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee requested special treatment for their pets from South Korea’s embassy in Paris during their visits to France in 2023, an opposition lawmaker has revealed. The couple “planned to bring their dogs on two visits to France in 2023 and asked the embassy to prepare protocol arrangements for them”, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Jae-jung said during a parliamentary audit on Monday, The Korea Times newspaper reported. “There were...

Politics

9 d. ago Trump, hailed in Israel, declares Gaza war ‘over’ as hostages return in ceasefire

Israel said the last 20 surviving hostages returned home on Monday after two years in captivity in Gaza, as US President Donald Trump received a standing ovation from Israeli lawmakers after brokering a ceasefire with Hamas. Trump’s lightning visit to Israel came ahead of a summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh co-chaired by the American president, who has declared the war in Gaza “over”. In Tel Aviv, a huge crowd that gathered to support hostage families erupted in joy, tears...

Events

1 week ago Trump says weighing 'massive increase' in tariffs on Chinese imports, no reason to meet with Xi

Trump says weighing 'massive increase' in tariffs on Chinese imports, no reason to meet with Xi  Reuters

Politics

1 week ago Trump keeps door open to Xi meeting, even after new 100% China tariff bomb

US President Donald Trump on Friday signalled he may still meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this month on the sidelines of a multilateral forum in South Korea, even as he announced an additional tariff of 100 per cent on all Chinese imports, on top of levies already in place – doubling down on his tough trade stance. “I haven’t cancelled, but I don’t know that we’re going to have it, but I’m going to be there regardless. So I would assume we might have it,” Trump told reporters in the...

Politics

2 w. ago Artefacts from Tang dynasty shipwreck, ancient replica boat meet Western art

As China drafts its 15th five-year plan – the next entry in a line of expansive blueprints that have set the tone for the country’s development over more than seven decades – we will explore what China will do in the field of science and technology, particularly regarding the introduction of scientific talent. For more stories in this ongoing series, click here. A shipwreck loaded with Tang dynasty (618-907) ceramics buried off Indonesia; an ancient Chinese sailing boat replica built upon...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Maga loyalty test’, China’s robot dogs get moon training: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Maga loyalty test’: Chinese weigh in on Hegseth and Trump’s military meeting A rare meeting of top US military leaders in Quantico this week sparked heated discussion on the other side of the Pacific, with Chinese media and online commenters pointing to chaos and political division. 2. US government frozen after shutdown, but China talks still in motion:...

Technology

3 w. ago In a Rare Visit to China, U.S. Lawmakers Push for More Military Dialogue

In a Rare Visit to China, U.S. Lawmakers Push for More Military Dialogue  Chrissy Houlahan (.gov)

Events

3 w. ago North Korean envoy due in China soon after Seoul sought help with Pyongyang

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui will begin a four-day visit to China on Saturday, days after South Korea urged China to help broker inter-Korean talks. Choe will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, state-owned Xinhua News Agency and Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Thursday. Her trip closely follows leader Kim Jong-un’s appearance at China’s Victory Day parade on September 3 and his meeting with President Xi Jinping this month – his first since 2019....

Politics

3 w. ago US, Chinese officials to meet at Treasury for technical talks on trade, source says

US, Chinese officials to meet at Treasury for technical talks on trade, source says  Reuters

Politics

4 w. ago Canadian PM Carney expects to meet Chinese President Xi at 'appropriate time'

Canadian PM Carney expects to meet Chinese President Xi at 'appropriate time'  Reuters

Politics

4 w. ago U.S. and China ‘talking past each other’ on key issues, says lawmaker visiting Beijing

U.S. and China ‘talking past each other’ on key issues, says lawmaker visiting Beijing  BNN Bloomberg

Politics

4 w. ago In Rare China Visit, U.S. Lawmakers Call Lack of Military Talks ‘Dangerous’

In Rare China Visit, U.S. Lawmakers Call Lack of Military Talks ‘Dangerous’  The New York Times

Events

4 w. ago US lawmakers urge greater military dialogue on rare China visit

US lawmakers urge greater military dialogue on rare China visit  Financial Times

Events