The first test for a much-celebrated US–China trade truce is looming. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hopes to finalise a rare earth deal by next week’s Thanksgiving holiday, but experts say a breakthrough is unlikely as the two sides maintain sharply different narratives of what was discussed and agreed on key issues. From rare earths…
Long-simmering debates in Washington about the benefits of increased investment from China were revived in recent weeks after Beijing reportedly pushed US President Donald Trump’s administration to roll back national security restrictions on Chinese deals in the US. But despite signs of high-level political warming to the idea, analysts say the path forward for Chinese…
Just back from his whirlwind Asia tour, US President Donald Trump on Friday hailed a newly negotiated trade deal with China as a “long-lasting” victory even as he teased the possibility of more tariff concessions. Aboard Air Force One en route to his Palm Beach, Florida, resort, Trump painted the Busan, South Korea, summit with…
US President Donald Trump’s administration needs to reverse the destructive policies undercutting America’s ability to compete with China in strategic hi-tech sectors or see Beijing race ahead, a leading member of the hardline US House Select Committee on China said on Wednesday. China’s commitment to the progress of tech innovation has caused unease in the…
Trade ties between the rival powers remain fraught, even as Bessent held “frank” talks over video with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng on Saturday, with the pair set to hold fresh in-person negotiations this week. Yet, amid the tensions, Trump appears to have shown some restraint by not antagonising his counterpart, Xi Jinping, or challenging Beijing’s…
China’s recent high-profile diplomatic activity, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and the Victory Day parade in Beijing in the same week, conveyed more than international headlines suggested. Although much of the media spotlight focused on the optics of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and North Korean leader…
The legal fight over US President Donald Trump’s global tariffs is deepening after a federal appeal court ruled the levies were issued illegally under an emergency law, extending the chaos in global trade. A 7-4 decision by a panel of judges on Friday night in Washington was a major setback for Trump even as it…
US President Donald Trump’s signature budget bill, signed into law earlier this month, marked a startling pivot towards fossil fuels and nuclear power, reigniting a fierce debate over how best to balance the country’s energy future with its national security. The act, known officially as the One Big Beautiful Bill, rolls back Joe Biden era…
US President Donald Trump, apparently impatient with the slow progress of negotiations, on Monday slapped 25 per cent unilateral tariffs on Japan and South Korea and equal or higher import taxes on several other nations ahead of a self-imposed Wednesday deadline. Analysts said the move shows that the mercurial American leader is using threats to…
New rules on certain Communist Party organs suggest China’s ruling party is aiming to standardise its decision-making process and that President Xi Jinping might be delegating more of his power, according to observers. One analyst said the move could hint at his plan for succession. The 24-member Politburo, the party’s top echelon, on Monday reviewed…