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 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 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen In the hours before Donald Trump’s arrival in Beijing to begin his state visit, an unexpected detail caught the internet’s attention: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s choice of travel attire. Instead of the tailored formalwear typically expected of a top diplomat, Rubio appeared in a grey Nike tracksuit on the Beijing-bound Air Force One – an ensemble social media users quickly recognised as the “Maduro arrest look”. White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a photo of the top... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353447/marco-rubio-dons-maduro-look-he-heads-china-sparking-internet-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353447/marco-rubio-dons-maduro-look-he-heads-china-sparking-internet-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 10:45:36 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he would urge China’s Xi Jinping to “open up” to American business, and belatedly added Nvidia’s Jensen Huang to the list of executives accompanying him on a trip to Beijing. “I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic,” Trump said on social media. “I will make that my very first request.” Huang boarded Air Force One during a refuelling stop in Alaska on Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353415/trump-flies-beijing-nvidias-huang-joins-trip-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353415/trump-flies-beijing-nvidias-huang-joins-trip-last-minute?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 09:00:30 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s state visit, China’s state-controlled media has framed the summit with President Xi Jinping as an opportunity to steer relations towards greater stability and mutual respect, despite grievances and tensions. Xie Feng, China’s ambassador to the US, echoed that message in a wide-ranging Newsweek interview published on the eve of the visit, voicing hope the Beijing meetings would help to manage differences and broaden cooperation along a “steady, sound and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353419/new-historical-juncture-beijing-frames-trump-visit-milestone-stable-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353419/new-historical-juncture-beijing-frames-trump-visit-milestone-stable-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 08:40:11 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The FBI and Chinese police have taken part in a joint operation targeting scam networks in Dubai, in a rare show of cooperation ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China. Dubai Police – which led the operation dubbed Tri-Force Sentinel – said at least nine scam hubs were dismantled and 276 suspects arrested, most of them from Southeast Asia. “The operation delivered a decisive strike against three criminal syndicates and dismantled nine fraud centres behind high-yield investment scams... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353389/us-and-china-unprecedented-cooperation-against-scam-centres-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353389/us-and-china-unprecedented-cooperation-against-scam-centres-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen From Obama’s evening chats on Yingtai island in the grounds of Zhongnanhai to Trump’s tea reception in the Forbidden City, historic settings have long formed a symbolic backdrop to key moments in US-China diplomacy. As Trump prepares for his visit to China from Wednesday to Friday – the first by an American president in almost nine years – all eyes will not only be on the summit agenda, but also on the carefully choreographed details surrounding the reception, including sites featured in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353358/temple-setting-trumps-china-visit-symbolises-cosmic-order-and-political-authority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353358/temple-setting-trumps-china-visit-symbolises-cosmic-order-and-political-authority?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 03:45:16 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Beijing intensified security and prepared key venues on Tuesday as the Chinese capital awaited the arrival of US President Donald Trump and his high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week. Trump is expected to stay at the five-star Four Seasons Hotel in northeastern Beijing after arriving on Wednesday night. His delegation is expected to stay at the nearby Kempinski Hotel Beijing Yansha Centre. While neither country has officially disclosed the delegation’s lodging, rooms... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353318/privacy-screens-and-police-dogs-how-beijing-preparing-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353318/privacy-screens-and-police-dogs-how-beijing-preparing-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:20 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin The United States announced on Tuesday that it would send a delegation to the second Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2026 Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM2) and related meetings in China this month, just hours after US President Donald Trump departed for Beijing ahead of a high-stakes summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The US delegation will head to Shanghai and Suzhou from May 11 to 24 to “continue advancing ‘America first’ foreign, trade, and investment policies,” according to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353339/us-confirms-delegation-apec-meeting-china-hours-after-trump-sets-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353339/us-confirms-delegation-apec-meeting-china-hours-after-trump-sets-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 23:22:51 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has become the first American defence chief in decades to accompany a sitting president on a state visit to China, in a rare departure from long-established diplomatic practice. Hegseth boarded Air Force One bound for Beijing alongside US President Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon, according to the White House. Trump is set to hold highly anticipated bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday. A South China Morning Post tally shows... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353336/us-defence-secretary-joins-trump-china-trip-rare-diplomatic-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353336/us-defence-secretary-joins-trump-china-trip-rare-diplomatic-move?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 20:54:22 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Beijing lashed out at Paraguay on Monday after President Santiago Pena wrapped up a four-day visit to Taiwan, branding Paraguayan leaders as willing “chess pieces” for independence forces on the self-ruled island that China claims as its own territory. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China “firmly opposes and condemns” the trip and urged Asuncion to “change course at an early date” and recognise the one-China principle. “The wheels of history wait for no one. Rejecting the one-China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353335/beijing-calls-paraguay-leaders-willing-chess-pieces-after-disputed-taiwan-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353335/beijing-calls-paraguay-leaders-willing-chess-pieces-after-disputed-taiwan-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 20:06:25 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China’s foreign minister Wang Yi on Tuesday urged Pakistan to ramp up mediation efforts in the Iran crisis, as the war threatens to overshadow US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. In a call with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, Wang lauded Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating negotiations between Washington and Tehran and helping to extend the ceasefire. But he also called for Pakistan to “step up its mediation efforts to contribute to … the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353333/china-presses-pakistan-deepen-iran-mediation-ahead-trump-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353333/china-presses-pakistan-deepen-iran-mediation-ahead-trump-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 19:40:55 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado China aimed to cooperate with Washington in the spirit of “equality, respect and mutual benefit”, Beijing said on Wednesday ahead of US President Donald Trump’s state visit and a pivotal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the two leaders would hold “in-depth exchanges of views on major issues concerning China-US relations as well as world peace and development”. “China stands ready to work with the United States in the spirit of equality,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353332/trump-heads-beijing-seeking-stability-high-stakes-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353332/trump-heads-beijing-seeking-stability-high-stakes-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 18:49:54 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Marco Rubio will become the first sitting US Secretary of State under Chinese sanctions to visit Beijing. Images of Rubio leaving for China on Air Force One with Donald Trump appear to have answered previous questions about whether he would skip such a globally important event. Rubio is also serving as the US National Security Adviser and would normally have been expected to visit China to lay the groundwork for such a high-stakes summit. Instead he has met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi twice... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353330/trump-visit-sees-marco-rubio-become-first-sanctioned-us-secretary-state-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353330/trump-visit-sees-marco-rubio-become-first-sanctioned-us-secretary-state-visit-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 18:40:20 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US President Donald Trump departed for a three-day state visit to China on Tuesday without first lady Melania Trump, travelling instead with Cabinet officials and business executives in a delegation that contrasts sharply with the pageantry of his 2017 visit. Hours before his departure, the office of the first lady confirmed Melania’s no-show in an email response to the South China Morning Post. “First lady Melania Trump is not travelling this time,” a spokesperson said. The confirmation comes a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353328/us-first-lady-not-travelling-china-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353328/us-first-lady-not-travelling-china-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 17:16:45 +0000 SCMP SCMP Cooperative symbolism behind tea with the Trumps in the Forbidden City This article was first published on November 10, 2017 by Laura Zhou Beijing’s Forbidden City was more than just an opulent backdrop for US President Donald Trump’s first day in China. One of the main halls used to stage a set piece on Trump’s tour of the former imperial palace was weighted with meaning and chosen to underscore cooperation between the two countries. As part of their higher-than-usual welcome to the capital,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353280/tea-forbidden-city-how-scmp-covered-2017-xi-trump-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353280/tea-forbidden-city-how-scmp-covered-2017-xi-trump-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 17:00:09 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan A senior Chinese diplomat has accused Europe of taking an outdated, inward-looking approach to China, while signalling that Beijing is open to addressing Brussels’ concerns. Li Jian, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s Department of European Affairs, delivered his strongly worded speech at a high-level forum on Tuesday. At the conference hosted by the European Union delegation to China in Beijing, officials and experts from both sides shared concerns about economic dependencies,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353319/frogs-well-chinese-diplomat-slams-europes-outdated-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353319/frogs-well-chinese-diplomat-slams-europes-outdated-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In a conference centre in The Hague last October, a roomful of Asia-watching European officials and experts were gathered for a symposium on relations with China when news broke that Beijing was expanding export controls on rare earths and other minerals. Crucially, there was now an extraterritorial element: China could deny exports not only to direct buyers, but also restrict products made in third countries if they contained Chinese-origin rare earth content or controlled inputs. In practice,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353228/bind-over-rare-earths-europe-watches-us-china-tussle-sidelines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353228/bind-over-rare-earths-europe-watches-us-china-tussle-sidelines?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Shen Yi Shen Yi As US President Donald Trump prepares to visit China, Taiwan is again one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations. For Washington, this is not only a question about the Taiwan Strait. It is a strategic choice that bears on whether the United States can avoid a comprehensive conflict with China, stabilise markets and secure Chinese cooperation on trade, artificial intelligence (AI), Iran and the wider Middle East. This could be the moment when a clear US stance against Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353217/opposing-taiwan-independence-americas-own-interest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353217/opposing-taiwan-independence-americas-own-interest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Nayan Seth,William Zheng Nayan Seth,William Zheng Brett Ratner, director of the documentary Melania and the Rush Hour franchise, is travelling to China as part of US President Donald Trump’s delegation, sources familiar with the filmmaker’s plans have told the South China Morning Post. During the three-day trip, which begins on Wednesday, Ratner intends to advance preparations for the action-comedy franchise’s latest sequel, Rush Hour 4, including meetings with crew members, actors and potential Chinese film distribution partners. He is also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353296/melania-rush-hour-director-returns-china-trumps-delegation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353296/melania-rush-hour-director-returns-china-trumps-delegation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 11:30:04 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng US business leaders accompanying President Donald Trump on his state visit to Beijing will be given the opportunity to mingle with their Chinese counterparts at an exclusive international business club, according to sources. On Monday, the White House released a list naming dozens of business chiefs accompanying Trump, including high-profile figures such as Tesla chief executive Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook. Two sources familiar with the arrangement said the Capital Club Beijing had been... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353283/trump-visit-opens-door-casual-networking-between-us-and-chinese-business-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353283/trump-visit-opens-door-casual-networking-between-us-and-chinese-business-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 10:02:46 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said a month-long ceasefire with Iran was on “massive life support” as he rejected Tehran’s response to a peace proposal. The Iranian reply was a “piece of garbage”, Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “I didn’t even finish reading it.” The comments helped to push the price of Brent crude oil above US$106 a barrel on Tuesday. Trump is expected to discuss the war with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a Beijing summit on Thursday, as Iran’s 10-week shutdown... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353252/trump-rejects-garbage-iran-peace-plan-heading-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353252/trump-rejects-garbage-iran-peace-plan-heading-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A US government witness in a trial of an alleged illegal Chinese police station in New York testified on Monday that he was harassed after holding a protest against establishing the Fuzhou-directed facility, one of several that China purportedly set up overseas. The US government has charged Lu Jianwang, 64, with acting as an unauthorised agent of China; conspiracy to act as a foreign agent and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors argue that it is part of a pattern that underscores China’s bid to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353201/us-trial-hears-witness-claims-harassment-over-chinese-secret-police-station?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353201/us-trial-hears-witness-claims-harassment-over-chinese-secret-police-station?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 23:00:37 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump is expected to be accompanied by more than a dozen business leaders, including Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and Tim Cook of Apple, during his trip to China this week. The White House on Monday released the list of executives set to travel to China alongside Musk and Cook, including Larry Fink of BlackRock, Kelly Ortberg of Boeing, Dina Powell McCormick of Meta and Ryan McInerney of Visa. The delegation spans key industries, including aviation, technology, banking and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353199/trump-heads-china-musk-cook-and-top-ceos-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353199/trump-heads-china-musk-cook-and-top-ceos-xi-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 21:49:13 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong With the war in the Middle East entering its third month, questions have surfaced over its geopolitical ramifications in the region and beyond. An entity that has drawn particular scrutiny is Brics. The 10-member grouping is defined less by a clear set of common values and more by contingently overlapping interests. It does not and cannot speak with one voice on the conflict. Two Brics members, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are at loggerheads: Tehran has launched missile and drone... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352951/brics-doesnt-need-unified-voice-iran-war-have-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3352951/brics-doesnt-need-unified-voice-iran-war-have-future?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Taiwan would be discussed in his talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and pledged to raise the case of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying at their summit in Beijing this week. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said the Chinese President would be more likely than he to bring up the Taiwan issue at their meeting on Thursday and Friday. “He’ll bring up Taiwan, I think, more than I will,” he said. Asked whether the US should... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353197/trump-raise-taiwan-jimmy-lai-case-when-he-meets-xi-beijing-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353197/trump-raise-taiwan-jimmy-lai-case-when-he-meets-xi-beijing-week?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 21:24:26 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump’s coming visit to China is being closely watched by business leaders, policymakers and Chinese-American groups hoping for signs that Washington and Beijing can stabilise one of the world’s most consequential relationships, even as expectations for major breakthroughs remain limited. The trip comes against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing war involving Iran and disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, as well as continued friction... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353195/trumps-china-visit-watched-us-signs-stability-and-tangible-wins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353195/trumps-china-visit-watched-us-signs-stability-and-tangible-wins?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 20:23:01 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters A US congressional commission is pressing President Donald Trump to confront his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping over detained Americans when the leaders meet this week, warning that silence would leave Beijing free to “use human beings as bargaining chips”. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), in a letter to Trump dated May 7, aired concerns over the growing threat arising from the Communist Party’s use of “hostage diplomacy, coercive exit bans and transnational repression”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353107/trump-urged-raise-cases-detained-americans-when-he-meets-xi-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353107/trump-urged-raise-cases-detained-americans-when-he-meets-xi-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen The ruling Labour Party’s dire results in local and regional elections in the UK late last week had damaged Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authority and could lead to policy shifts, Chinese experts said. While some in Starmer’s party might push for changes in policy towards China, a U-turn on the government’s pro-engagement strategy was unlikely, the observers said, arguing that Britain’s economic position would make this move too costly. More than 5,000 seats across 136 English councils and six... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353179/will-starmers-election-woes-force-shake-uks-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353179/will-starmers-election-woes-force-shake-uks-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 13:12:06 +0000 Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos Beijing’s position in Latin America is far from collapsing, looking at the number of countries in the region that have switched diplomatic ties to it from Taipei. But in parts of the continent, governments are increasingly reassessing what their relationships with Beijing are delivering economically and politically. The shift is becoming visible in countries such as Honduras, Venezuela and Cuba, where economic strain, energy instability and geopolitical pressure are exposing the limits of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352923/latin-america-reassessing-benefits-warm-ties-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352923/latin-america-reassessing-benefits-warm-ties-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet for trade talks in Seoul on Wednesday, probably to iron out final details before a presidential summit in Beijing the following day. The discussions would focus on “economic and trade issues of mutual concern”, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday. The country also confirmed that US President Donald Trump will make a state visit from Wednesday to Friday, the first by a US president in almost nine years. Trump... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3353144/china-readies-trump-visit-amid-rebound-trade-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3353144/china-readies-trump-visit-amid-rebound-trade-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 09:03:07 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage History was made this Labour Day, as China’s southern Shenzhen Bay port cleared 24 tonnes of South African apples and central Hunan province processed 6,000 bottles of South African wine – the first time these goods had reached the Asian economic giant under a new zero-tariff arrangement. The duty-free access for African partners from May 1, which saw the 10 per cent tariff rate for apples removed, arrived as a lifeline for South African exporters looking to diversify away from increasingly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353101/why-chinas-new-duty-free-access-lifeline-south-african-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353101/why-chinas-new-duty-free-access-lifeline-south-african-exporters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 08:00:24 +0000 Dewey Sim,Orange Wang Dewey Sim,Orange Wang US President Donald Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 13 to 15 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, the foreign ministry in Beijing said on Monday. It will mark the first visit to China by an American president in almost nine years and comes at a time of heightened bilateral tensions over a range of issues, including trade, technology and defence. The timing also intersects with a precarious US-Iran ceasefire and a dual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that is driving up... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353075/china-confirms-dates-donald-trumps-state-visit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353075/china-confirms-dates-donald-trumps-state-visit-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 01:04:29 +0000