https://www.scmp.com/rss/513032/feed Khushboo Razdan is a senior correspondent based in Washington. Prior to this, she worked for the Post in New York. Before joining the team, she worked as a multimedia journalist in Beijing and New Delhi for over a decade. She is a graduate of the Columbia Journalism School. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In the space of roughly 10 days, the two largest democracies in the Americas delivered setbacks to the populist right. In Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva staged a narrow but remarkable comeback, defeating Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, in a run-off election after trailing in the first round. This week, American voters handed control of both chambers of the US Congress to Democrats in a sharp rebuke of candidates riding on US President Donald Trump’s “Make America... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373448/us-and-brazil-deliver-double-blow-populist-right-will-europe-feel-impact https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373448/us-and-brazil-deliver-double-blow-populist-right-will-europe-feel-impact Fri, 06 Nov 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Albee Zhang Khushboo Razdan,Albee Zhang In the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump displayed unwavering confidence in his star power, urging supporters to close their eyes and “pretend I’m on the ballot”. But Tuesday night’s disastrous results for the Republicans – the first time in 20 years both houses of Congress have changed hands at the same time – have punctured the aura of invincibility that once shielded Trump and allowed him to keep potential critics in line with the threat that opposing him... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373299/republicans-face-prospect-civil-war-trumps-air-invincibility-starts-fade https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373299/republicans-face-prospect-civil-war-trumps-air-invincibility-starts-fade Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here In what appears to be an early attempt to distance himself from the Democrats’ historic gains, US President Donald Trump has sought to shift attention away from his party’s performance in the midterm elections, taking to social media to remind voters that he “wasn’t on the ballot”. “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote as early results showed Democratic gains in places... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373226/i-wasnt-ballot-trump-deflects-blame-democrats-track-control-congress https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373226/i-wasnt-ballot-trump-deflects-blame-democrats-track-control-congress Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:48:42 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here For years, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) had little influence over the machinery of the Democratic Party. That is beginning to change. The organisation has more than doubled its membership since 2024, reaching roughly 120,000, while growing numbers of DSA-backed candidates are positioning to expand its presence in Congress from two members to as many as seven. The breakthrough came in New York, where Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the 2025 mayoral... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373209/frequently-labelled-communists-who-are-democratic-socialists-america https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373209/frequently-labelled-communists-who-are-democratic-socialists-america Wed, 04 Nov 2026 03:41:25 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Last week, Somaliland, a breakaway region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991, welcomed its first ambassador from Israel. Diplomat Michael Lotem presented his credentials in Hargeisa, while officials laid the cornerstone for an Israeli embassy. The ceremony, announced by Israel’s foreign ministry on Sunday, formalised a relationship that began with mutual recognition in December. Somalia, the African Union, Arab states and China strongly oppose the move, reaffirming Somaliland as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373170/israel-deepens-somaliland-ties-first-ambassador-testing-horn-africa-balance https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373170/israel-deepens-somaliland-ties-first-ambassador-testing-horn-africa-balance Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:00:23 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In May, Donald Trump touring Beijing’s Temple of Heaven – bathed in golden light as traditional Chinese music played in the background – was an unlikely image of US-China relations. For Julian Gewirtz, a former China official on president Joe Biden’s National Security Council, it also had a familiar Gen Z twist. “Trump, strange as it is to say, is Chinamaxxing,” he wrote in a Substack post at the time. The social media trend celebrates the features of Chinese life, from high-speed trains and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372691/donald-trumps-chinamaxxing-pushing-beijings-soft-power https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372691/donald-trumps-chinamaxxing-pushing-beijings-soft-power Fri, 30 Oct 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan What are Southeast Asian nations doing to help the United States tackle its challenges? A reporter with the American right-wing organisation Turning Point USA put the question bluntly to US President Donald Trump’s defence chief this week in the Philippines. As US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth pitched closer naval ties and maritime security cooperation at a gathering of defence ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other regional powers, the question injected... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372590/hegseth-pitches-new-us-asean-defence-framework-doubts-run-deep https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372590/hegseth-pitches-new-us-asean-defence-framework-doubts-run-deep Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:47:54 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Washington has suspended visa-free entry for Chinese visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands amid allegations of birth tourism and people smuggling in the US territory. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday the suspension of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorisation Programme. US Senator Mike Lee hailed the move on social media, calling the programme a “Biden-era loophole for Chinese birth tourism” and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372309/us-ends-pacific-visa-waiver-over-birth-tourism-people-smuggling-allegations https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372309/us-ends-pacific-visa-waiver-over-birth-tourism-people-smuggling-allegations Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:25:59 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to the Philippines this week to meet regional allies, the Pentagon announced on Sunday. The visit comes amid a push by Washington to tighten security ties in the Indo-Pacific ahead of an expected meeting between the US and Chinese presidents in southern China. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has faced criticism from Democrats and some Republicans over his handling of the war against Iran, as well as concerns that the conflict could divert US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372182/pentagon-chief-hegseth-visit-philippines-meet-us-allies-asean-events https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372182/pentagon-chief-hegseth-visit-philippines-meet-us-allies-asean-events Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:03:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Amber Wang Khushboo Razdan,Amber Wang North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, with both sides underlining their traditional friendship and calling to boost cooperation. The trip, Kim’s first visit to China in more than a year, comes ahead of next month’s Apec summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where Donald Trump and other world leaders are expected to gather. He was welcomed and accompanied on his trip by Wang Huning, China’s fourth-ranked official, according to state... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372026/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-visits-chinese-border-city-dandong https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372026/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-visits-chinese-border-city-dandong Sat, 24 Oct 2026 11:08:27 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Just weeks before Donald Trump’s second trip to China this year and his third meeting with President Xi Jinping, whom he has called a “truly great” friend, his administration is intensifying its crackdown on Confucius Institutes – Beijing-backed centres that promote Chinese language and culture at universities abroad. Long viewed by critics as instruments of Beijing’s soft power and cultural diplomacy, the institutes are back in the crosshairs of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who says the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372023/systematically-dismantled-hegseths-new-offensive-against-chinas-confucius-institutes https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372023/systematically-dismantled-hegseths-new-offensive-against-chinas-confucius-institutes Sat, 24 Oct 2026 09:20:03 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan The Philippines’ dual push for stronger “minilateral” defence links and a more robust Asean security role is dividing analysts, with one calling the move “opportunistic”. Some experts view Manila’s advocacy for the “Squad” alliance as a strategic opportunity to deepen core security partnerships while chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Others question how much actual weight is carried by this informal defence grouping – comprising the United States, the Philippines, Japan and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371952/opportunistic-experts-weigh-manilas-minilateral-agenda-ahead-trump-xi-meeting https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371952/opportunistic-experts-weigh-manilas-minilateral-agenda-ahead-trump-xi-meeting Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan The Philippine ambassador to the United States signalled possible meetings of the “Squad” bloc ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Manila, as Washington confirmed that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would hold its first leaders’ summit in more than two years on the sidelines of the regional talks. An informal defence grouping, the “Squad” forms part of a US-led regional strategy to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. It comprises the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3371804/quad-confirmed-manila-envoy-signals-likely-squad-talks-trump-xi-summit https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3371804/quad-confirmed-manila-envoy-signals-likely-squad-talks-trump-xi-summit Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:00:05 +0000 Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan While US President Donald Trump has said he is open to sitting down with Chinese and Russian counterparts Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the Apec summit, it remains far from certain that the three leaders will actually meet in a few weeks. Observers said much would depend on whether the countries could agree on an agenda, with one expert describing this as a “critical lever”. Russia was set to gain most if the trilateral meeting took place, experts said, as the summit would be a potent symbol... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371544/will-xi-trump-putin-meet-apec-first-they-must-agree-agenda https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371544/will-xi-trump-putin-meet-apec-first-they-must-agree-agenda Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan China and America are talking again. There are leaders’ meetings, phone calls and a new channel for discussing artificial intelligence. Officials are cautiously trying to keep the relationship from veering into crisis. And yet some of the hardest questions remain untouched. Neither side is giving much ground on advanced chips, export controls remain a battlefield and neither Washington nor Beijing appears ready to slow its race to develop increasingly powerful AI. So what, exactly, does it mean... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371126/us-scholars-take-how-shifts-us-china-relations-are-felt-tsinghua-classroom https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371126/us-scholars-take-how-shifts-us-china-relations-are-felt-tsinghua-classroom Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Japan’s hopes for a visit by Donald Trump during his trip to Asia next month may be hanging in the balance as relations between China and the United States steadily improve. The US president spent three days in Japan ahead of last year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, and his meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was hailed as a sign of a “new golden age” in the countries’ relationship. But since then Trump’s growing rapport with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has caused... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371045/why-japanese-pm-takaichi-still-keen-roll-out-welcome-mat-trump https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371045/why-japanese-pm-takaichi-still-keen-roll-out-welcome-mat-trump Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan The United States and China are in regular talks to iron out details of a framework announced last month for handling AI-related incidents and institutionalising bilateral dialogue, multiple sources told the South China Morning Post. The technical teams of the two countries aim to make AI cooperation a potential deliverable when presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen next month – their third face-to-face... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370926/us-and-china-race-shape-ai-agenda-ahead-xi-trump-talks-shenzhen-sources-say https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370926/us-and-china-race-shape-ai-agenda-ahead-xi-trump-talks-shenzhen-sources-say Thu, 15 Oct 2026 01:00:22 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng Senior American diplomats, administration officials and Indo-Pacific military commanders met in Tokyo earlier this month in what one source called an “unusual” gathering ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China in November. People familiar with the meeting said it represented an evolution of a long-standing practice in which US ambassadors stationed across Asia and the Pacific gathered to exchange intelligence, coordinate diplomatic reporting and align regional priorities. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370884/us-holds-unusual-civil-military-meeting-tokyo-ahead-trumps-china-trip https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370884/us-holds-unusual-civil-military-meeting-tokyo-ahead-trumps-china-trip Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:00:07 +0000 William Zheng,Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan William Zheng,Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan Some senior American executives are lukewarm about attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and related business events in Shenzhen next month, according to people familiar with the matter. They cited limited scheduling details, few expected breakthroughs and a lack of opportunity for meaningful engagement. Beijing has invited multiple US business leaders – particularly those who joined President Donald Trump’s May trip to China and later attended the White House state dinner for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370574/china-keeps-extending-shenzhen-apec-deadline-why-are-us-execs-so-unenthused https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370574/china-keeps-extending-shenzhen-apec-deadline-why-are-us-execs-so-unenthused Tue, 13 Oct 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Before she addresses the world from behind the White House briefing room podium this week, 42-year-old Katie Zacharia has a story that stretches far beyond Washington’s power corridors. Years before US President Donald Trump appointed her as his new press secretary, she lived in Beijing, worked at one of China’s leading law firms, and learned enough Chinese to occasionally surprise people. Her reported experience in China spans international law and a communications role with a non-profit... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370473/trumps-new-spokeswoman-devoted-fan-who-lived-beijing-and-speaks-chinese https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370473/trumps-new-spokeswoman-devoted-fan-who-lived-beijing-and-speaks-chinese Sun, 11 Oct 2026 06:00:10 +0000 William Zheng,Khushboo Razdan William Zheng,Khushboo Razdan US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent may skip a meeting of Apec finance ministers in Hong Kong later this month to focus on preparing for President Donald Trump’s historic visit to Shenzhen in November, sources told the South China Morning Post. Bessent is expected to meet Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng in Shenzhen ahead of Trump’s visit – when Trump will again hold talks with President Xi Jinping – as the two sides look to secure a longer extension of the bilateral trade truce, which is due to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370295/bessent-may-skip-apec-hong-kong-focus-trumps-shenzhen-visit-sources-say https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370295/bessent-may-skip-apec-hong-kong-focus-trumps-shenzhen-visit-sources-say Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:00:21 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Wanying “Heather” Zhang be held in custody, after her lawyers – who had fought to keep her out of jail – said she “looks forward to establishing” her innocence at trial. They argued that the US government’s case centred on a single day of alleged surveillance in Seattle and was not evidence that she posed a flight risk. US Magistrate Judge Steve Kim sided with prosecutors, who told him that Zhang’s parents and siblings lived in China and that her brother had... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370146/us-judge-blocks-release-alleged-beijing-agent-accused-filming-taiwan-leaders-son https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370146/us-judge-blocks-release-alleged-beijing-agent-accused-filming-taiwan-leaders-son Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Fan Chen Khushboo Razdan,Fan Chen Washington and Beijing may have signed an agreement built around “reciprocity”. But a more consequential question remains unresolved: does it mean equal status for Beijing? Countries without a seat at the table are watching that ambiguity closely. The spectacle of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington – the tarmac greeting, the flyovers, the state dinner – has been interpreted less as courtesy than as a statement of rank. Some argue that China is no longer being treated as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370028/g2-illusion-after-xi-trump-summit-china-wants-equality-while-us-seeks-deals https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370028/g2-illusion-after-xi-trump-summit-china-wants-equality-while-us-seeks-deals Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:30:06 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Taipei’s foreign minister is in Arizona this week to open a de facto consulate and tour the state’s semiconductor corridor, just days after US President Donald Trump wrapped up the pageantry of a state visit for President Xi Jinping. Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan’s foreign minister, arrived in Phoenix late on Saturday for a three-day visit that highlights the deepening economic ties between Washington and Taipei. His visit will not include stops in Washington or meetings with anyone at the State... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369770/days-after-xi-trump-summit-top-taiwan-diplomat-opens-de-facto-consulate-us https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369770/days-after-xi-trump-summit-top-taiwan-diplomat-opens-de-facto-consulate-us Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:13:01 +0000 Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump is planning to attend the Asean summit next month, the South China Morning Post understands, as Washington vies with Beijing for influence in the region. If the trip happens, Trump’s appearance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting, expected to run from November 16-18 in Manila, will be his second consecutive appearance at the gathering during this term. Trump was in Kuala Lumpur for Asean last year and in Manila for the meeting in 2017. Sources told the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369624/donald-trump-planning-trip-philippines-asean-summit https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369624/donald-trump-planning-trip-philippines-asean-summit Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:38:46 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan As Beijing and Washington take tentative steps to keep a military crisis from erupting, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is reshaping the top ranks of the American military while facing questions about his own future at the Pentagon. Hegseth told junior officers and sergeants on Wednesday that the military had already cut its generals and admirals by 10 per cent and planned to cut another 10 per cent. He called the 20 per cent reduction the bare minimum, dismissing critics who called the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369478/no-beardos-no-weirdos-hegseth-deepens-pentagon-purge-china-channels-reopen https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369478/no-beardos-no-weirdos-hegseth-deepens-pentagon-purge-china-channels-reopen Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:52:15 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Five days after Chinese President Xi Jinping left Washington, the US State Department marked the 77th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China with a greeting short enough to fit on a calling card. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s congratulatory statement landed on Wednesday, a few hours before dawn on National Day in Beijing. It made no mention of Xi’s visit, the trade understandings reached during the trip or the meetings the two leaders have scheduled for later this year. Washington... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369459/days-after-xi-trump-summit-us-marks-chinas-national-day-pared-down-note https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369459/days-after-xi-trump-summit-us-marks-chinas-national-day-pared-down-note Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:02:13 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump denied discussing US arms sales with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their summit last week, though he noted that China would “probably like to buy” them. Trump was asked by reporters on Monday about his recent meeting with Xi and US ambassador to China David Perdue’s remarks in an interview with Fox News a day earlier that Trump had proposed selling weapons to China. “I never heard of that one,” Trump said. “I am gonna have to ask him. You mean we’re going to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368996/trump-asked-xi-if-beijing-wanted-us-weapons-joke-gambit-or-something-more https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368996/trump-asked-xi-if-beijing-wanted-us-weapons-joke-gambit-or-something-more Mon, 28 Sep 2026 04:06:16 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the sixth part of a series, Khushboo Razdan looks at how a presidential appeal to America’s heartland is playing out. Of the countless preparations being made for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s highly anticipated American trip, arguably the first came in the form of a personal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368643/what-xi-jinpings-letter-old-friends-iowa-means-struggling-altered-america https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368643/what-xi-jinpings-letter-old-friends-iowa-means-struggling-altered-america Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:00:20 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Nayan Seth Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Nayan Seth A small group of Chinese CEOs holding US visas has arrived in Washington after travelling separately from President Xi Jinping’s official entourage, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. But with the clock ticking and the business optics of the Chinese leader’s White House visit hanging on the final twists of diplomatic negotiations, the executives are still waiting to find out whether they will secure a seat at Thursday’s state dinner for Xi. “Beijing’s security protocol is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368683/chinese-ceos-fly-us-own-await-invites-trumps-state-dinner-xi-jinping https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368683/chinese-ceos-fly-us-own-await-invites-trumps-state-dinner-xi-jinping Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:41:59 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Hours before President Xi Jinping’s aircraft lands at Joint Base Andrews, Washington is preparing for a scene that seemed unthinkable in recent years: his American counterpart waiting on the tarmac for the leader of a country that much of the US national security establishment regards as its foremost strategic adversary. While the Donald Trump administration is betting on warmth, deals and stability with Beijing, recent public surveys show that American anxiety over China has eased from its 2024... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368501/china-hawks-grumble-over-trumps-lavish-welcome-planned-xi-state-visit https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368501/china-hawks-grumble-over-trumps-lavish-welcome-planned-xi-state-visit Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan I grew up in Delhi. Not Lutyens’ Delhi, that quieter, greener stretch of tree-lined avenues and high-walled colonial bungalows where the VIPs live. But close enough to know that two cities share one name. One Delhi is generally messy. Rubbish piled into small mountains by the roadside. No footpaths to walk on. Narrow streets marked as one way, with every kind of traffic coming at you from every direction, and then simply stuck. And the dust. Not a film on the windowsill, but something you... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368120/reporters-note-two-delhis-one-weekend-when-world-came-dinner https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368120/reporters-note-two-delhis-one-weekend-when-world-came-dinner Sun, 20 Sep 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will host Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan across two days in Washington next week. The itinerary: a White House welcome, a state dinner at which both presidents speak, a private tea and a tour of the United States’ founding documents. At a briefing late on Friday, senior US officials described a state visit built around the two couples as a diplomatic “double date” – with the hard bargaining underneath. The pageantry will... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368082/trump-melania-host-xi-and-peng-white-house-double-date-full-schedule https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368082/trump-melania-host-xi-and-peng-white-house-double-date-full-schedule Sat, 19 Sep 2026 01:01:10 +0000 Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim The United States is considering postponing the announcement of major arms sales to Taiwan until after November’s Apec summit in Shenzhen, multiple sources told the South China Morning Post. The potential delay comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares to travel to Washington next week for a state visit. The sources said there was a strong possibility US President Donald Trump could extend the delay through to the end of the year, pointing to a planned bilateral meeting between the two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368060/us-weighs-delaying-taiwan-arms-sales-until-after-apec-and-g20-summits https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368060/us-weighs-delaying-taiwan-arms-sales-until-after-apec-and-g20-summits Sat, 19 Sep 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump will personally greet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews when Xi lands in Washington next Wednesday, a rare airport reception, a US official confirmed on background. Trump will attend Xi’s arrival ceremony at Andrews, where the Chinese president’s aircraft is expected around 4pm local time on September 23. The president almost never meets visiting heads of state at the airfield. He typically waits at the White House. The gesture is not a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367905/rare-honour-trump-will-greet-xi-andrews-not-just-white-house https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367905/rare-honour-trump-will-greet-xi-andrews-not-just-white-house Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:13:49 +0000 Nayan Seth,Dewey Sim,William Zheng,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Dewey Sim,William Zheng,Khushboo Razdan China and the United States are discussing possible announcements to strengthen military-to-military ties during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington next week, multiple sources familiar with the discussions told the South China Morning Post. Another item that is being discussed, and a possible deliverable, is restarting the arms-control talks that were suspended in 2024 over US weapons sales to Taiwan, with the dialogue potentially including military personnel. In a phone... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367849/china-us-may-unveil-measures-boost-military-ties-when-xi-visits-washington https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367849/china-us-may-unveil-measures-boost-military-ties-when-xi-visits-washington Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A US federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked a new visa cap for international students, visiting scholars and foreign journalists, saying the Trump administration’s national security justification “borders on the absurd”. Judge F. Dennis Saylor in Boston said the rationale for the restriction was “exceptionally weak”, and the connection between the rule and the problems it purported to address was “exceptionally attenuated”. He wrote that the US Department of Homeland Security had built the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367589/us-judge-blocks-trumps-absurd-visa-caps-students-journalists https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367589/us-judge-blocks-trumps-absurd-visa-caps-students-journalists Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:07:07 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Cao Jiaxuan Khushboo Razdan,Cao Jiaxuan The family photograph did the political work the summit’s final declaration could not. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood shoulder to shoulder as the Brics summit closed in New Delhi on Sunday – a single frame capturing an 11-nation bloc that now spans four continents and nearly half the world’s population. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres attended the gathering of emerging economies... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367477/brics-leaders-act-hedge-not-revolt-against-us-dollar-dominance https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367477/brics-leaders-act-hedge-not-revolt-against-us-dollar-dominance Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Cao Jiaxuan Khushboo Razdan,Cao Jiaxuan Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his brief trip to India on Sunday with an offer to help Brics members develop open-source AI and smart manufacturing. Summit host Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, warned against turning technology and critical minerals into economic weapons. Experts said the exchange captured the wider picture of the Brics summit. Two days of diplomacy produced a united front against US tariffs, sanctions and “America first” pressure with a joint declaration, while... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367341/chinese-leader-pledges-help-brics-nations-ai-and-smart-manufacturing https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367341/chinese-leader-pledges-help-brics-nations-ai-and-smart-manufacturing Sun, 13 Sep 2026 06:45:56 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Brics countries agreed on Saturday to expand trade and payments in local currencies, making another step towards de-dollarisation as the bloc seeks to counter an assertive United States. Facing pressure from Washington, the member nations found enough common ground to overcome some of their biggest diplomatic splits. The pledges were part of the “New Delhi Declaration 2026”, adopted unanimously on the opening day of the 18th Brics summit. After a closed session, Indian Prime Minister Narendra... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367315/under-trumps-shadow-brics-takes-step-towards-de-dollarisation https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367315/under-trumps-shadow-brics-takes-step-towards-de-dollarisation Sat, 12 Sep 2026 13:13:46 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Orange Wang,Mark Magnier,Nayan Seth Khushboo Razdan,Orange Wang,Mark Magnier,Nayan Seth Chinese President Xi Jinping told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday that China and India, as the world’s most populous nations and key members of the Global South, bore “significant responsibilities” in an international landscape “fraught with turbulence and change”. Xi said that although the countries had different national circumstances, “there is ample scope for us to learn from each other’s strengths, offer mutual support, achieve shared success and pursue common... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367314/xi-tells-modi-there-ample-scope-learn-each-others-strengths https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367314/xi-tells-modi-there-ample-scope-learn-each-others-strengths Sat, 12 Sep 2026 13:02:31 +0000 Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Brics members agreed in New Delhi on Saturday to continue the push to expand trade and payments in local currencies to counter US pressure. The member nations also found enough common ground to overcome some of their biggest diplomatic splits. In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping used his address at the Brics summit to deliver a thinly veiled critique of US policies, calling on members to deepen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence. Xi proposed an initiative on “AI-empowered... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367303/chinese-leader-xi-urges-brics-play-its-due-role-bringing-peace-middle-east https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367303/chinese-leader-xi-urges-brics-play-its-due-role-bringing-peace-middle-east Sat, 12 Sep 2026 10:21:03 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Dewey Sim Rising tensions over artificial intelligence are shaping the final preparations for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States. Washington and Beijing are discussing the possibility of folding a long-awaited AI dialogue into a broader economic meeting in the days before Xi meets US President Donald Trump, according to several people familiar with the arrangements. The two leaders agreed in Beijing in May to launch an intergovernmental dialogue on AI. For months, that channel was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367242/ai-fight-shadows-final-preparations-xi-jinpings-white-house-visit https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367242/ai-fight-shadows-final-preparations-xi-jinpings-white-house-visit Fri, 11 Sep 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng Beijing is weighing plans to send a group of top tech, electric vehicle and aerospace executives to accompany Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington later this month, as the two sides race to finalise details for the closely watched visit. The South China Morning Post first reported on August 28 that Chinese and US officials were negotiating whether business leaders would join Xi’s delegation to the US. However, details about who might be included have not been previously reported. According... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367094/tech-ev-and-aerospace-executives-likely-join-xis-us-trip-mirror-trump-team https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367094/tech-ev-and-aerospace-executives-likely-join-xis-us-trip-mirror-trump-team Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Nayan Seth,Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan China is willing to help broker a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, sources have said just weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected in Washington for a bilateral summit. Multiple people familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post that Beijing was stepping up to play an “active” and “constructive” role in reviving US-North Korea diplomacy, underscoring its resolve to remain a central player in negotiations on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366918/once-sidelined-china-stands-ready-broker-fourth-trump-kim-handshake https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366918/once-sidelined-china-stands-ready-broker-fourth-trump-kim-handshake Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan International students in the United States are facing new hurdles when it comes to internships and off-campus work after several major universities paused or restricted certain forms of Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT is a form of work authorisation that allows foreign students to take part in internships and other practical training related to their studies. The changes follow two directives in August from the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP), a division of US Immigration... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366105/us-universities-curb-international-student-internships-following-federal-warning https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366105/us-universities-curb-international-student-internships-following-federal-warning Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:03:37 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan An American journalist who lived in Beijing, worked for Chinese state media and pleaded guilty to acting as an agent for Beijing was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in federal prison. Thomas Weir Pauken II, 51, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and barred from overseas travel during that period, according to the US Justice Department. He also used the alias Tom McGregor. His father, Thomas Pauken, chaired the Texas Republican Party in the 1990s and later ran for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366062/us-journalist-jailed-2-years-working-chinese-agent https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366062/us-journalist-jailed-2-years-working-chinese-agent Wed, 02 Sep 2026 05:07:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump has already announced the date: September 24. That is when, Trump says, Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to the White House for a visit following the “America first” leader’s own three-day trip to Beijing in May. But there is a diplomatic wrinkle. The Trump administration has publicly put the date on the calendar. Beijing has not formally announced Xi’s Washington visit. According to sources familiar with the plan, Xi is expected to arrive in Washington on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365846/prediction-markets-have-priced-trump-xi-summit-do-bets-have-any-value https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365846/prediction-markets-have-priced-trump-xi-summit-do-bets-have-any-value Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:00:17 +0000 Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan The Central Asian country of Uzbekistan has approached the United States about joining Pax Silica, Washington’s flagship initiative on artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains, a month after signing up for China’s own global grouping, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico). Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the US, Furqat Sidikov, said Tashkent had formally notified the US State Department in a diplomatic note last week requesting to join the US-led initiative. “Now, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365645/uzbekistan-tests-us-china-ai-rift-bid-join-rival-tech-bloc https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365645/uzbekistan-tests-us-china-ai-rift-bid-join-rival-tech-bloc Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:02:42 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US green card interviews are on hold worldwide, student and work visas are subject to new restrictions, and citizenship is under fresh scrutiny. Here’s what the latest US immigration crackdown means for people planning to study, work or settle in America. Why did the US cancel immigrant visa interviews? US embassies and consulates around the world have postponed immigrant visa interviews so that officers can train on a stricter “public charge” test: whether an applicant is likely to rely on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365449/path-america-narrowing-heres-what-means-legal-immigrants https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365449/path-america-narrowing-heres-what-means-legal-immigrants Fri, 28 Aug 2026 01:00:08 +0000