https://www.scmp.com/rss/318199/feed The latest news on diplomacy and diplomatic events in and relating to China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wei Wei Wei Wei Three polls firmly caught my attention over the past month or so. Each was conducted by a different outlet and addressed different questions. However, taken together, they tell one overarching story – implicitly, but unmistakably. Beyond an assortment of data, the story is about direction. The first was a CNN poll. It showed that 76 per cent of Americans now see high prices and the cost of living as their country’s most serious economic problem. Even more striking, nearly seven in 10 expect a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353438/world-chaos-china-signals-stability-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353438/world-chaos-china-signals-stability-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing’s assessment of whether US President Donald Trump can “properly handle” the Taiwan issue and US-China relations will largely come down to arms sales to the island, analysts said. Following the summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Trump said on Friday that he discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Xi and would “make a determination” on the matter soon. A day earlier, Xi had warned him that mishandling the Taiwan question – the most important issue in bilateral relations – could... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353831/how-will-beijing-judge-trumps-take-taiwan-look-1-critical-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353831/how-will-beijing-judge-trumps-take-taiwan-look-1-critical-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 14:00:04 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Both the United States and China appear keen to present this week’s talks between their respective presidents in Beijing as a “historic” and groundbreaking occasion. The way they have tried to frame the interactions between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping revealed both sides’ eagerness to emphasise the importance of the occasion. The messaging began with one of the choices of venue for their talks: the secluded leadership compound in Zhongnanhai in the heart of Beijing, rather than the Diaoyutai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353827/how-china-and-us-felt-weight-history-behind-trump-and-xis-meeting-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353827/how-china-and-us-felt-weight-history-behind-trump-and-xis-meeting-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 12:50:22 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with the United States over the purchase of aeroplanes, jet engines and components. “The two sides have reached arrangements on China’s purchase of aircraft from the US and the US ensuring the supply of aircraft engines and components to China, and agreed to continue advancing cooperation in related areas,” the ministry said in a statement on its website. The world’s two biggest economies agreed to establish a trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353826/china-confirms-deal-buy-us-aircraft-and-engines-after-donald-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353826/china-confirms-deal-buy-us-aircraft-and-engines-after-donald-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 12:43:39 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Global envoys and experts are doubling down on mediation as a preferred way to resolve regional conflicts amid stalled US-Iran peace talks and China’s appeal for more countries to join its new mediation body. According to Cui Jianchun, commissioner of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, mediation ensures “to the greatest extent” the autonomy of disputing parties and its “unique charm” is the high respect given to the will of the parties. Cui made the remarks at a summit in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353806/chinas-new-mediation-body-gaining-steam-western-brokers-influence-wanes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353806/chinas-new-mediation-body-gaining-steam-western-brokers-influence-wanes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Laura Zhou Shi Jiangtao,Laura Zhou Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to the Chinese capital next week to reinforce the Sino-Russian “comprehensive strategic partnership”, just days after a tentative US-China reset. Beijing and Moscow announced on Saturday that Putin would visit from May 19 to 20, confirming an earlier report by the South China Morning Post. “At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China from May 19 to 20,” state news agency Xinhua reported,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353816/after-china-us-reset-putin-heads-beijing-sino-russian-strategic-refresh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353816/after-china-us-reset-putin-heads-beijing-sino-russian-strategic-refresh?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 09:58:18 +0000 Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan It is hard not to be impressed by the sheer energy Donald Trump displayed during his whirlwind visit to Beijing. Within just 43 hours, the 79-year-old president held two meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, inspected troops, attended a state banquet and walked around the Temple of Heaven in sweltering heat – not to mention making his characteristic social media postings in the wee hours of the morning. Showing no signs of jet lag, Trump seemed to be in high spirits, glad-handing everyone... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353808/how-trumps-china-visit-may-hint-2-eyes-world-are-learning-live-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353808/how-trumps-china-visit-may-hint-2-eyes-world-are-learning-live-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 07:15:22 +0000 Mark Magnier,Teresa Elena Frontado,Dewey Sim,Lucy Quaggin Mark Magnier,Teresa Elena Frontado,Dewey Sim,Lucy Quaggin As US President Donald Trump landed back in Washington on Friday after his two-day summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a quick US assessment on one of the most consequential diplomatic visits of Trump’s presidency was: impressive optics, trademark flawless Chinese hosting, but disappointing concrete achievements, according to analysts, industry trade groups and former US officials. “The economic deliverables coming out of the Trump-Xi meeting are way below expectations. In light... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353782/trump-leaves-china-after-much-pomp-and-pageantry-little-show-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353782/trump-leaves-china-after-much-pomp-and-pageantry-little-show-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 22:50:39 +0000 Cyril Ip Cyril Ip What comes to mind when you think of China, Japan and South Korea? This was a question posed in a second-year sociology seminar during my time at Bristol, and it has stayed with me ever since. We were split into three groups and given 10 minutes to create posters capturing our immediate associations. Japan came first. Sketches of anime, sushi platters and temples appeared. My classmates spoke with enthusiasm, drawing on travel memories or aspirations to visit. A country that, less than a century... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353463/how-deal-very-chinese-time-western-lives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353463/how-deal-very-chinese-time-western-lives?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Taiwan has emerged as the first test of Beijing and Washington’s new “strategic stability” formula, according to analysts. In the aftermath of the high-profile summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing, subtle differences have emerged in how the two sides have characterised Taiwan, which Beijing defines as the most important issue in the bilateral relationship. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said on Friday that during Trump’s state visit to China from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353779/taiwan-casts-long-shadow-over-trumps-summit-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353779/taiwan-casts-long-shadow-over-trumps-summit-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 20:32:48 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on the second day of Xi and Trump’s meeting in Beijing. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘We’ll be back’: the latest takeaways from the Xi-Trump talks Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump chat as they stroll through the grounds of Zhongnanhai, with Trump again dangling the idea of a “G2”. 2. Meet Zhou Qunfei: the woman seated between Cook and Musk at China state banquet Zhou... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353778/xi-trump-summit-all-you-need-know-final-day-meeting-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353778/xi-trump-summit-all-you-need-know-final-day-meeting-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 19:08:45 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma In the past, the last day of state visits to China has typically featured a deal-signing ceremony presided over by leaders from both sides. However, the last day of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing was marked by discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a more intimate setting and an assurance that both would continue to meet this year. The two men strolled the gardens of the secluded Zhongnanhai compound, where Communist Party leaders live and work, a rare backdrop for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353774/xi-trump-summit-over-what-comes-next-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353774/xi-trump-summit-over-what-comes-next-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 16:16:03 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao The United States will not fight a war over Taiwan, President Donald Trump has declared, while revealing that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping “talked a lot” about the island during his state visit to Beijing. However, Trump stopped short of approving arms sales to the island, leaving open the future of major arms packages. In an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier in Beijing, Trump said: “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent and we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles (about... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353769/may-do-it-may-not-do-it-trump-keeps-suspense-over-taiwan-arms-deal-says-no-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353769/may-do-it-may-not-do-it-trump-keeps-suspense-over-taiwan-arms-deal-says-no-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 15:04:07 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen US President Donald Trump – known for his combative and prolific social media style – struck an unusually restrained online tone during his state visit to China. Trump has shared only 10 social media updates since landing in Beijing on Wednesday evening – mostly videos of his arrival in Beijing and official greetings received from Chinese President Xi Jinping. The latest posts include hailing Xi as “one of the World’s Great Leaders” and asserting that the US should have a ballroom like China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353766/rapid-fire-restrained-china-state-visit-reveals-changed-trump-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353766/rapid-fire-restrained-china-state-visit-reveals-changed-trump-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 14:03:34 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the US this autumn, the first in more than a decade, as the two powers seek stability amid their deepening rivalry. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed late on Friday that Xi would make the trip at the invitation of his US counterpart Donald Trump. “Both sides should work together to make thorough preparations, create a favourable atmosphere, and achieve more substantive outcomes for the interactions and exchanges between the two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353761/xi-jinping-pay-first-state-visit-us-more-decade-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353761/xi-jinping-pay-first-state-visit-us-more-decade-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 13:31:26 +0000 Albee Zhang,Josephine Ma Albee Zhang,Josephine Ma The summit between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump was watched closely around the world for welcome moves towards stability but it also triggered anxiety among traditional US allies. As he returned home on Air Force One on Friday, Trump had a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. “We exchanged views, centring on various issues surrounding China, including the economy – encompassing economic security – and security matters,” Takaichi wrote in a social media post. She... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353757/what-did-american-allies-make-trumps-trip-china-meet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353757/what-did-american-allies-make-trumps-trip-china-meet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 12:42:11 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai A Chinese-made tiger’s head bag carried by Elon Musk’s young son in Beijing has prompted a wave of interest online. Musk’s six-year-old son X Æ A-Xii, dressed in a Chinese style silk jacket, was pictured carrying the brown shoulder bag with a tiger’s face when he visited the Great Hall of the People with his father in Beijing. The photo quickly went viral on Chinese social media. The Tesla boss was part of a delegation accompanying US President Donald Trump on his visit to Beijing, which ended... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353755/eye-tiger-how-elon-musks-sons-bag-became-hit-chinese-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353755/eye-tiger-how-elon-musks-sons-bag-became-hit-chinese-public?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 12:34:39 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Fans of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace all have their own reasons for loving the epic novel. Some read it as a story of personal growth, reflected in Prince Andrei’s spiritual quest. Others favour its portrayal of the Russian aristocracy in the early 19th century. As for myself, the novel punctured the myth of the military genius – not just Napoleon’s. The book’s final section on Tolstoy’s philosophy of history presented the most significant challenge to G.W.F. Hegel – specifically regarding French... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353547/beijing-had-already-won-trump-xi-summit-even-started?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353547/beijing-had-already-won-trump-xi-summit-even-started?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Beyond the crimson walls west of the Forbidden City, where broad lakes shimmer beside stately pavilions and lush greenery, Zhongnanhai has long stood as the secluded heart of Chinese power – a political sanctuary where phones fall silent and access is tightly controlled. Yet there was a rare glimpse of the interior of the walled-off compound on Friday morning, as President Xi Jinping hosted Donald Trump for talks over tea and a working lunch in the final hours before the US president wrapped up... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353733/inside-zhongnanhai-xi-welcomes-trump-chinas-secluded-heart-bidding-goodbye?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353733/inside-zhongnanhai-xi-welcomes-trump-chinas-secluded-heart-bidding-goodbye?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 11:17:45 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China next week, days after US counterpart Donald Trump concluded a visit that was heavy on ceremony and light on substance. Putin’s one-day trip will take place on Wednesday, the South China Morning Post said, citing unidentified sources. It is unlikely there will be any elaborate parades or welcome ceremony for the routine visit, according to the report (see SCMP Plus Xi meeting tracker). This will be the first time that China has hosted Russian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353692/putin-follows-trump-china-xi-hosts-us-president-baidu-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353692/putin-follows-trump-china-xi-hosts-us-president-baidu-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:58 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen President Xi Jinping’s new formula for China-US relations is “aspirational”, but the “real test” will be ensuring the two powers can work together despite their deepening rivalry, a leading Chinese political observer has cautioned. During his much-anticipated summit with US President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday, Xi said that the two leaders had “agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability”, according to the official Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353694/xi-trump-summit-can-aspirational-new-vision-stability-survive-strategic-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353694/xi-trump-summit-can-aspirational-new-vision-stability-survive-strategic-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:40 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Most readers of foreign news pages this weekend will be assuming that US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing has been dominating everyone’s attention. But across Asia, Trump, with his massive business entourage, was not the only act in town this week. At least two other major sets of meetings should not be overlooked. First, in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosting foreign ministers from the 10 Brics economies and a growing community... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353606/xi-trump-summit-aside-2-meetings-asia-matter-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang US President Donald Trump wrapped up his visit to China on Friday, the first by a US leader in nine years. The three-day trip, originally scheduled for March, had been postponed as due to the Iran war. Following Trump’s departure, Russian leader Vladimir Putin will pay a one-day visit on Wednesday, the South China Morning Post reported exclusively. His trip will mark the first time Beijing has hosted the leaders of the two powers in the same month. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3353670/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-may-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3353670/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-may-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 07:00:14 +0000 Dewey Sim,Cao Jiaxuan Dewey Sim,Cao Jiaxuan US President Donald Trump concluded a “landmark and historical” visit to China on Friday afternoon after Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted him at Zhongnanhai in the heart of Beijing and held small-group talks in the morning. Trees and roses The ancient trees and roses at Zhongnanhai drew Trump’s eye and sparked some light-hearted banter between the two leaders. As they strolled through the Chinese leaders’ compound, Xi pointed out ancient trees, some of them a few hundred years old. “They live... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353660/well-be-back-latest-takeaways-xi-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353660/well-be-back-latest-takeaways-xi-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 05:28:58 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Russian leader Vladimir Putin will visit Beijing next week, just days after President Xi Jinping wrapped up his closely watched summit with his American counterpart Donald Trump. Sources told the South China Morning Post that the one-day visit was expected to take place later next week, on May 20. They also said the trip was part of Moscow’s routine dealings with Beijing, with little expectation that there would be an elaborate parade or welcome. It will be the first time that China has hosted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353648/russias-putin-heading-china-next-week-days-after-historic-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353648/russias-putin-heading-china-next-week-days-after-historic-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 04:29:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Against the backdrop of ceremonial grandeur at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, US President Donald Trump leaned on centuries of shared history to set the stage for the future of China-US relations. In his state banquet address capping a long day of talks, tourism and toasts, Trump blended calculated callbacks with personal touches – carefully crafted to appeal to the hosts, including President Xi Jinping. He framed the relationship as “one of the most consequential” in world history,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353636/confucius-tsinghua-trump-invokes-history-anchor-china-us-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353636/confucius-tsinghua-trump-invokes-history-anchor-china-us-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 03:16:04 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our Beijing and Washington bureaus. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. On Friday, the final day of his Beijing trip, US President Donald Trump met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, this time over tea and a working lunch. Trump arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353622/xi-trump-talks-live-leaders-set-meet-again-over-tea-and-working-lunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353622/xi-trump-talks-live-leaders-set-meet-again-over-tea-and-working-lunch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 00:49:04 +0000 Lijia Zhang Lijia Zhang In recent years, the Brics grouping has attracted attention as it adds members and positions itself as the voice of the Global South. At a Brics forum held in Beijing last month, officials discussed expanding trade within the grouping. Such initiatives reflect both an impulse to reduce exposure to external shocks linked to the US dollar and a long-term ambition to reshape global finance. These gatherings are as much about signalling intent as delivering substance. Brics wants to be seen as a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353220/what-brics-lacks-unity-it-makes-flexibility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353220/what-brics-lacks-unity-it-makes-flexibility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil’s government expressed concern over China’s renewal of US beef import licences, warning the move could reshape competition in the country’s largest meat export market. A senior Brazilian government official told the South China Morning Post that the renewal brought “anxiety” to the sector and could affect domestic cattle prices. China is Brazil’s largest beef market, and the quota system already reduces the country’s competitiveness, the official said. The comments came after Bloomberg... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353616/china-restores-us-beef-trade-amid-trump-xi-summit-alarming-brazilian-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353616/china-restores-us-beef-trade-amid-trump-xi-summit-alarming-brazilian-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 20:46:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage of Xi and Trump’s meeting in Beijing. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Thucydides Trap, personal touches – all you need to know from Xi-Trump summit so far The two leaders began the day with an extravagant welcome on the steps of the Great Hall of the People before heading in for talks. 2. After fanfare and banquet, day 1 of Trump’s China visit draws to a close Xi and Trump are expected to discuss the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353612/xi-trump-summit-day-1-everything-you-need-know-meeting-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353612/xi-trump-summit-day-1-everything-you-need-know-meeting-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 18:02:04 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping offered to help broker an end to the Iran conflict and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring how Middle East tensions have become intertwined with a broader effort by Washington and Beijing to steady relations. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity set to air on Thursday evening in the US, Trump said Xi had personally expressed willingness to assist amid mounting concerns over disruptions in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353610/trump-says-xi-offered-help-iran-china-seeks-keep-hormuz-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353610/trump-says-xi-offered-help-iran-china-seeks-keep-hormuz-open?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 17:28:41 +0000 Josephine Ma,Cao Jiaxuan Josephine Ma,Cao Jiaxuan The meeting may have been delayed but when the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump took place on Thursday, it yielded a forward-looking agreement. Sitting down for talks at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, the two leaders agreed to make stability a key goal of relations over the next three years – and beyond, according to state media. Trump also invited Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan to visit the White House, setting the date for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353608/xi-and-trump-set-sights-stability-china-and-us-note-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353608/xi-and-trump-set-sights-stability-china-and-us-note-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 16:02:44 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai The chandeliers glittered at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday night when Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump raised a toast to a “fantastic” summit. “It was a fantastic day, and in particular, I want to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome ... and for so graciously hosting us on this very historic state visit,” Trump said, nearly nine years after his first presidential trip to the Chinese capital. The banquet capped a day that yielded a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353605/toast-tastes-and-tech-selfie-crowned-us-china-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353605/toast-tastes-and-tech-selfie-crowned-us-china-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 14:17:36 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Statements issued by China and the United States after their summit on Thursday revealed stark contrasts in each side’s priorities. Washington focused on trade, fentanyl and Iran, while Beijing emphasised Taiwan, stabilising bilateral ties and Donald Trump’s compliments about President Xi Jinping. Trump’s state visit to China marks the first trip to the country by a US president in nine years and it began in the morning with more than two hours of talks between Xi and Trump in the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353600/how-did-us-and-china-tell-two-different-stories-about-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353600/how-did-us-and-china-tell-two-different-stories-about-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 13:10:09 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Handshakes, taps on the arm, and frequent asides marked the much-awaited meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump on Thursday morning, as the two presidents projected a close rapport during the first full day of Trump’s visit to China. Attention was focused not only on the substance of the high-stakes talks, but also on the personal dynamics between the US and Chinese heads of state – a relationship widely seen as a barometer of the broader diplomatic mood as the world’s two largest economies... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353592/salute-china-protocol-perfect-trump-delights-social-media-he-arrives-meet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353592/salute-china-protocol-perfect-trump-delights-social-media-he-arrives-meet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 12:26:54 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Xi Jinping and Donald Trump struck an optimistic tone at the start of their two-day presidential summit in Beijing, even as the Chinese leader highlighted risks surrounding Taiwan. Pre-summit trade talks “produced generally balanced and positive outcomes”, Xi told the US president at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday, according to Xinhua. “This is good news for the people of the two countries and the world.” Trump repeatedly called Xi a “great leader” in opening comments at the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353545/xi-trump-summit-casts-optimistic-light-lingering-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353545/xi-trump-summit-casts-optimistic-light-lingering-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:24 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen US President Donald Trump’s second son Eric, who oversees the family business empire, met the top Chinese leader as he accompanied his father on a state visit to Beijing. Eric and his wife Lara posed for photos with Chinese President Xi Jinping before they attended a state banquet on Thursday evening. The younger Trump and the Chinese leader were also seen chatting during a visit to the Temple of Heaven in the afternoon. The executive vice-president of his father’s businesses, Eric oversees... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353541/eric-and-lara-trump-new-us-first-family-faces-making-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353541/eric-and-lara-trump-new-us-first-family-faces-making-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 08:01:10 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The US-China summit is “extremely important” to arrest the downward spiral of relations between the two countries, according to Li Cheng, a leading Chinese academic. But a summit would not be enough to change the overall structure of ties, which had been fraught for years, Li said on Thursday as US President Donald Trump began the first full day of his state visit to Beijing – the first by an American leader since 2017. The two presidents began the day with two hours of talks at the Great Hall... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353515/china-us-summit-remarkable-it-enough-change-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353515/china-us-summit-remarkable-it-enough-change-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 05:59:23 +0000 Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Chinese President Xi Jinping held closed-door talks with his American counterpart Donald Trump following an elaborate welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Here are some highlights from Thursday. Defining Ties Xi and Trump agreed to build a “constructive, strategically stable relationship”, a new term to define the framework of ties between the two countries. The new strategic position should be led by cooperation and “measured competition with healthy stability”, Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353500/xi-trump-summit-takeaways-so-far-first-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353500/xi-trump-summit-takeaways-so-far-first-day?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 03:59:54 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Even before US President Donald Trump touched down in Beijing on Wednesday, the first act of the China-US summit was playing out in the skies above the Chinese capital. Hundreds of professional photographers and residents lined up across various points near Beijing Capital International Airport to capture one of the most recognisable symbols of the American presidency – Air Force One. Within minutes of its appearance, Chinese social media was flooded with videos and photos of the aircraft’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353494/flying-white-house-trumps-air-force-one-fuels-fascination-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353494/flying-white-house-trumps-air-force-one-fuels-fascination-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 03:22:38 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our Beijing and Washington bureaus. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. US President Donald Trump is meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a much-anticipated summit that could shape the next stage of rivalry between the world’s two superpowers. It is the first visit to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353488/xi-and-trump-sit-down-far-reaching-talks-china-us-ties-and-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353488/xi-and-trump-sit-down-far-reaching-talks-china-us-ties-and-global-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 01:30:59 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington hopes to convince Beijing to play a “more active role” in resolving the Iran crisis, a clear sign the issue will come into sharp focus when President Donald Trump holds his closely watched summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Speaking to Fox News aboard Air Force One, Rubio said the Iran war was a “huge source of instability” and “threatens to destabilise Asia more than any other part of the world because it’s heavily reliant on the straits for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353485/us-calls-china-play-active-role-ending-iran-war-despite-trump-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353485/us-calls-china-play-active-role-ending-iran-war-despite-trump-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 00:55:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A Chinese-American was found guilty on Wednesday of acting as a Chinese agent in a case involving a Chinese police station set up in New York’s Chinatown. The week-long trial of Lu “Harry” Jianwang, 64, was seen as a test of Washington’s ability to counter what prosecutors said were efforts by Beijing to expand its influence and intimidate Chinese communities well beyond its shores. On the three charges Lu faced in the US Eastern District Court of New York, he was found guilty of acting as an... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353484/chinese-american-found-guilty-new-york-overseas-police-station-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353484/chinese-american-found-guilty-new-york-overseas-police-station-case?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 22:00:53 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Kandy Wong Shi Jiangtao,Kandy Wong US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the US-Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest instalment of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, we look at the likely outcomes from Trump’s trip. As Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday night for the first US presidential visit in nearly a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353422/transactional-pivotal-how-xi-trump-talks-could-redefine-us-china-fault-lines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353422/transactional-pivotal-how-xi-trump-talks-could-redefine-us-china-fault-lines?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Lee Min-Yong Lee Min-Yong The US strikes on Iran sent a clear signal to Pyongyang. But rather than retreat or show renewed interest in denuclearisation, North Korea has doubled down on deterrence. In recent weeks, Pyongyang has tightened security around its leadership and continued its missile launches, underscoring its sensitivity to Washington’s military posture. From Pyongyang’s perspective, these moves are meant not only to gauge how far US military pressure could one day extend, but also to signal that North Korea’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3353183/why-stability-must-come-denuclearisation-korean-peninsula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3353183/why-stability-must-come-denuclearisation-korean-peninsula?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 21:30:04 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang A US Senate hearing on nuclear capabilities issued a warning about China on Wednesday, hours before US President Donald Trump was due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Senator Roger Wicker, the Mississippi Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in his opening statement that China has been engaged in an “unprecedented nuclear expansion” in recent years. China, Wicker said, had “rapidly constructed hundreds of new missile silos, expanded mobile missile and ballistic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353483/us-senate-warns-chinas-nuclear-capabilities-hours-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353483/us-senate-warns-chinas-nuclear-capabilities-hours-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 21:14:01 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Washington and Beijing have piled on irritants in advance of this week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, suggesting that neither side wants to be seen as a deal killer – even as they try to build potential leverage to bargain away, analysts and former US government officials said. Scott Kennedy, senior adviser with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said that both sides had been “picking up some chits which they might be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353432/wary-mood-mark-xi-trump-summit-irritants-aplenty-both-sides-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353432/wary-mood-mark-xi-trump-summit-irritants-aplenty-both-sides-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 15:59:04 +0000 Josephine Ma,Orange Wang Josephine Ma,Orange Wang US President Donald Trump arrived in China – flanked by his top aides and American tech leaders – on Wednesday night as Beijing rolled out a lavish welcome ceremony at the airport. He was received by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng at Beijing Capital International Airport. Trump’s entourage includes Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia and a last-minute addition to the trip, as well as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and Tim Cook... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353471/trump-arrives-china-tech-titans-and-top-aides-high-stakes-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353471/trump-arrives-china-tech-titans-and-top-aides-high-stakes-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The Dutch government has objected to a proposed US law that would further restrict semiconductor equipment giant ASML from selling to China and servicing customers in the country. The Dutch company, the global market leader in the lithographic technology used to laser-print tiny circuits onto microchips, has seen its access to the Chinese market severely hampered by US sanctions. Now, as US lawmakers look to further choke the European outfit off from the Chinese market, The Hague has lodged an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353452/netherlands-protests-us-proposal-further-bar-chip-giant-asml-china-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353452/netherlands-protests-us-proposal-further-bar-chip-giant-asml-china-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 12:00:09 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our Beijing and Washington bureaus. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. US President Donald Trump has arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The state visit is the first by an American president in almost nine years. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353357/donald-trump-set-arrive-beijing-historic-talks-chinese-president-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353357/donald-trump-set-arrive-beijing-historic-talks-chinese-president-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 11:30:07 +0000