https://www.scmp.com/rss/516996/feed The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or Apec, is an intergovernmental organisation intended to promote free trade among its 21 members located in the Asia-Pacific region, including China and the United States. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang As the new Communist Party chief of China’s southern manufacturing hub Shenzhen, Jin Lei is facing his first major test as the city prepares to host the Apec leaders’ summit in November. Beijing is seeking more cooperation with the bloc in areas like artificial intelligence, and the key regional forum is an opportunity to show the potential in tech-driven Shenzhen, where Jin took the helm last month. In recent weeks, the 56-year-old economist and former Sichuan official has been focused on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349869/shenzhens-new-party-boss-has-taken-wheel-can-he-deliver-ahead-apec?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349869/shenzhens-new-party-boss-has-taken-wheel-can-he-deliver-ahead-apec?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China and Japan’s long-standing rivalry has deep historic roots, and relations between the two have taken a significant turn for the worse in recent months. This article, the third in a three-part series, looks at how US President Donald Trump, Taiwan and war in the Middle East factor into their relationship. Read the second part here. As Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host regional leaders for the Apec summit later this year, observers are closely watching whether the summit could... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347188/uncompromising-takaichis-meeting-trump-seen-key-china-japan-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347188/uncompromising-takaichis-meeting-trump-seen-key-china-japan-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Foreign Minister Wang Yi faced global media on Sunday morning to outline Beijing’s positions on key issues, ranging from the expanding crisis in Iran to China’s deepening dispute with Japan. The annual briefing, held as part of the annual “two sessions”, came as China sought to project its leadership and influence amid mounting global instability and manage its strategic rivalry with the US. This year, the top Chinese diplomat fielded 21 questions in a briefing that lasted nearly 90... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345852/takeaways-foreign-minister-wang-yi-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345852/takeaways-foreign-minister-wang-yi-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:38:36 +0000 Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide election victory has dimmed hopes that ties between Tokyo and Beijing will significantly improve in the near term, analysts and businesspeople said, though some expect tensions to stabilise over time. Her ruling coalition secured the win on Sunday, strengthening the hand of a leader who infuriated Beijing by outlining how Tokyo might respond to a mainland attack on Taiwan. Enterprises caught in the middle of the dispute would have to tread... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342960/china-japan-dispute-what-next-businesses-after-takaichis-election-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342960/china-japan-dispute-what-next-businesses-after-takaichis-election-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:30:10 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Just days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held a two-hour phone call aimed at stabilising bilateral ties, the US confirmed it would play an active role at this year’s first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) senior officials’ meetings in Guangzhou, signalling intensified engagement with Beijing. The US State Department announced on Friday that a “team of experts”, led by senior US official Casey Mace and Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342737/us-steps-apec-role-after-xi-trump-call-ties-china-show-signs-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342737/us-steps-apec-role-after-xi-trump-call-ties-china-show-signs-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:10:15 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell If anyone anywhere this week spares a thought for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, it will almost certainly be linked to the Apec leaders’ meeting set for Shenzhen in November. But this is to miss the massive value and purpose of the 21-member grouping inaugurated in Canberra in 1989. To witness Apec’s unique and distinguishing value, you should have been in Guangzhou this week, where over 1,000 have gathered without pomp or fanfare for the first senior officials’ meeting (SOM1). I... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342541/apecs-quiet-cooperation-still-matters-noisy-divided-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342541/apecs-quiet-cooperation-still-matters-noisy-divided-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China is seizing its role as the chair and host of Apec 2026 to position itself as a staunch defender of multilateralism, according to analysts, and they see the platform being used to elevate the nation’s economic governance initiatives to a global level. The strategic push was on display at the two-day Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting that began on Wednesday in Shanghai, where Vice-Minister of Finance Liao Min called on members to uphold multilateralism. “Closer cooperation is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342353/new-apec-chair-china-positions-global-defender-pivotal-juncture-while-us-retreats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342353/new-apec-chair-china-positions-global-defender-pivotal-juncture-while-us-retreats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:41:33 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Some 500 guests are expected to attend an Apec finance ministers’ meeting in Hong Kong in October, the first to be held in the city, with authorities set to appoint a team led by two senior officials to oversee planning for the event. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu told a Legislative Council panel meeting on Monday that the government proposed setting up an event coordination team under his bureau to prepare for the meeting. “This meeting will provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3342110/government-proposes-planning-team-apec-finance-ministers-meeting-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3342110/government-proposes-planning-team-apec-finance-ministers-meeting-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:36:06 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng America’s top diplomat in Beijing struck an optimistic note on bilateral ties on Tuesday, telling a closed-door gathering in Hong Kong that risks in the relationship had been controlled effectively and talks were under way for a potential Boeing deal, sources told the South China Morning Post. Sources who were present as David Perdue, the US ambassador to China, spoke at the Goldman Sachs Global Macro Conference Asia-Pacific 2026, said his message was “comforting and reassuring” to global... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341442/us-ambassador-china-says-progress-agreements-boeing-deal-among-signs-better-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341442/us-ambassador-china-says-progress-agreements-boeing-deal-among-signs-better-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:59:27 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The dawning of a new year is a time for looking ahead and working towards a better future. We embark on 2026 with the world facing economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, climate change and conflict. Nations need to work together. The strained relationship between China and the US will be key. There could be as many as four face-to-face meetings between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump this year. Trump is due to visit China in April, with Xi possibly heading to the United States later... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338244/hong-kong-must-start-work-better-future-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338244/hong-kong-must-start-work-better-future-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 22:45:08 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell For the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum, which in 2026 will be under China’s leadership for the first time in 12 years, the critical challenge for the year ahead rests at the end of its name – economic cooperation. Never in its 36-year history has the 21-member grouping’s challenges been so daunting. US President Donald Trump’s unilateralist agenda and assault on multilateral institutions and the principles of multilateral cooperation have threatened Apec’s mission to encourage... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3337421/us-pursues-unilateralism-china-faces-challenging-task-apec-host?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3337421/us-pursues-unilateralism-china-faces-challenging-task-apec-host?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,William Yiu Elizabeth Cheung,William Yiu Hong Kong will hold the Apec finance ministers’ meeting in October next year for the first time when China plays host to the regional economic forum. City authorities revealed the news on Friday afternoon, confirming an earlier Post report, and said that the treasury minister would lead the task force coordinating planning for the event. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the 33rd Apec economic leaders’ meeting would be held in Shenzhen next year. The foreign affairs... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336205/hong-kong-host-apec-finance-ministers-meeting-november-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3336205/hong-kong-host-apec-finance-ministers-meeting-november-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 07:43:04 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times After last month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) events in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang province – which saw up to 19,000 police officers deployed daily from across South Korea – Kim Keon-pyo, director of the Korean National Police Workers Council, said the reports he received from officers on the ground were far from commendable. “They said they were treated like homeless people,” Kim said. Angered by their accounts, Kim began collecting photos of the poor working conditions officers... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332473/outcry-south-korean-police-officers-treated-homeless-people-apec-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332473/outcry-south-korean-police-officers-treated-homeless-people-apec-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:29:03 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok Late last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reached a trade truce in Busan, South Korea, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit. Beyond the pre-existing tariffs imposed by the first Trump administration and reinforced by the Biden administration, the current Trump administration will now levy an additional 20 per cent or so in tariffs on China, resulting in an estimated 47 per cent average tariff rate on China. As part of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332206/trump-xi-summit-strategic-turning-point-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332206/trump-xi-summit-strategic-turning-point-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words If your windows are leaking during the monsoon season, you wouldn’t blame the rain; you would replace the windows. Similarly, if you feel Hong Kong’s Legislative Council is not performing as intended, now’s the time to replace the components – by voting in the December 7... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331563/legislative-council-no-ivory-tower-its-leaky-window-your-flat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3331563/legislative-council-no-ivory-tower-its-leaky-window-your-flat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s intelligence agency has reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter is consolidating her position as a potential heir, but analysts urge caution over the latest news as they point to Pyongyang’s silence on the 12-year-old’s name. They also voiced scepticism over the National Intelligence Service’s (NIS) assessment that Kim could hold a fourth summit with US President Donald Trump around March next year. Observers say there is little sign the regime has begun laying the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3331709/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-preparing-daughter-take-power-not-so-fast-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3331709/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-preparing-daughter-take-power-not-so-fast-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 03:15:44 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Taiwan’s participation in next year’s Apec summit in Shenzhen as a regional economy will depend on its adherence to the one-China principle, Beijing said on Wednesday, amid growing cross-strait tensions. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning was responding at a briefing to a Reuters question about Taipei’s claim that Beijing had imposed “numerous conditions” on its attendance at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. “Participating in Apec as a regional economy under the one-China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331657/taiwan-can-join-apec-summit-if-it-sticks-one-china-principle-beijing-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331657/taiwan-can-join-apec-summit-if-it-sticks-one-china-principle-beijing-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 11:18:57 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As Beijing continues advocating for deeper regional economic cooperation in East Asia amid ongoing tensions with Washington – including by working towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan and South Korea – analysts say that making substantial progress remains challenging, given the existing trade framework and conflicting interests. In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Zhao Minghao Zhao Minghao Chinese President Xi Jinping’s high-level meeting with US President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, sends a positive signal for China-US relations. Before the meeting, Trump posted on social media: “THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!” The concept of a Group of Two (G2) refers to China and the United States collaborating to address global challenges. This idea was proposed in the 2000s by economist Fred Bergsten and touted by former US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski. Over the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3331281/following-xi-trump-summit-g2-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3331281/following-xi-trump-summit-g2-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s top diplomat has called the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump “a historic moment” that will help reduce misunderstanding and prevent major fluctuations in their countries’ ties. According to a Chinese foreign ministry statement on Sunday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi also noted that Shenzhen in southern China was getting ready to host next year’s Apec summit, a key diplomatic event for Beijing, noting that the tech hub would “present a spectacular... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331345/xi-trump-meeting-historic-moment-will-help-avoid-missteps-chinas-top-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331345/xi-trump-meeting-historic-moment-will-help-avoid-missteps-chinas-top-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:04:46 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Beijing and Seoul are partners that “cannot be separated”, President Xi Jinping told his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, in their first meeting since the latter took office in June. The two met for an hour on Saturday on the sidelines of the Apec summit in South Korea at the Gyeongju National Museum, the same venue where Lee and US President Donald Trump finalised a US-South Korean trade deal last week. The US agreed to give Seoul the technology to build its first nuclear submarine,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3331334/us-china-rivalry-leaves-asia-walking-g2-tightrope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3331334/us-china-rivalry-leaves-asia-walking-g2-tightrope?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 09:00:31 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A wave of satire on American late-night television over South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s gift of a replica Silla-era gold crown to US President Donald Trump has provoked strong reactions in the country, highlighting lingering sensitivities amid recent strains in the alliance over tariffs and labour issues. The ornate replica crown, presented during the South Korea-US talks on Wednesday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang province, quickly attracted... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3331274/south-koreans-unamused-us-jokes-about-trumps-gold-crown-gift-not-funny-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3331274/south-koreans-unamused-us-jokes-about-trumps-gold-crown-gift-not-funny-all?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 03:07:34 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Beijing has protested to Tokyo over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s contact with a former senior Taiwanese politician on the sidelines of the Apec summit in South Korea, describing the action as “egregious”. Takaichi posted photos of herself meeting Lin Hsin-i on social media on Friday and Saturday, referring to him as “senior adviser to the Presidential Office of Taiwan”. In the comments she said she hoped the “practical cooperation between Japan and Taiwan will deepen”. In a statement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331214/egregious-beijing-criticises-new-japanese-pm-takaichi-meeting-taiwanese-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331214/egregious-beijing-criticises-new-japanese-pm-takaichi-meeting-taiwanese-official?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 07:01:07 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Apec member economies have pledged to strengthen economic cooperation to navigate fast-changing global conditions, capping a two-day meeting in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. In a joint declaration on Saturday, they warned that the Asia-Pacific region stood at a “pivotal juncture”, and the “global trading system continues to face significant challenges”. “We reaffirm our shared recognition that robust trade and investment are vital to the growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331178/robust-trade-vital-apec-says-joint-integration-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331178/robust-trade-vital-apec-says-joint-integration-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:01:53 +0000 Willa Wu,Cannix Yau,Denise Tsang Willa Wu,Cannix Yau,Denise Tsang Hong Kong will support an Apec summit in neighbouring Shenzhen next year in any way it can, the city’s leader has pledged, while revealing new initiatives to foster closer ties with Asean countries, including a high-level official visit to Singapore. Wrapping up his attendance at this year’s Apec meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Saturday that he felt “thrilled” Shenzhen would host the event in November next year. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331177/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-vows-full-support-apec-meeting-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3331177/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-vows-full-support-apec-meeting-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 09:55:49 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Political leaders like to perform on the global stage and there is no greater “performer” in this regard than US President Donald Trump, who has just been swinging across Asia, doing deals while posing as the best buddy of every national leader he met. That kind of showmanship may impress people at home and possibly win more political support, but it hijacks the need for genuine diplomacy and international cooperation in both an economic and political sense. Two cases in point are the most... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330926/trump-asean-and-apec-are-simply-platforms-his-own-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330926/trump-asean-and-apec-are-simply-platforms-his-own-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting in its southern city of Shenzhen in November next year. The announcement was made on Saturday by Chinese President Xi Jinping as world leaders wrapped up this year’s Apec meeting, held in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. Xi, who was speaking at a handover ceremony, said China would use its role as next year’s Apec host to work with countries to promote growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. China, he said, would... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331149/xi-jinping-announces-chinas-shenzhen-will-host-2026-apec-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331149/xi-jinping-announces-chinas-shenzhen-will-host-2026-apec-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 03:26:13 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The leaders of China and Canada held their first formal talks since 2017 on Friday, with both sides agreeing to revive exchanges and cooperation in an effort to repair strained ties. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, telling him that relations showed a “trend of recovery and positive development” following their nations’ mutual efforts. “[China] is willing to work... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331119/xi-carney-talks-open-door-canada-make-lost-time-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331119/xi-carney-talks-open-door-canada-make-lost-time-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong will continue to uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system in the face of global economic uncertainty, the city’s chief executive has pledged at an Apec gathering in South Korea, as he encouraged the leaders of Singapore and the United Arab Emirates to invest in major local projects. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu also pitched Hong Kong’s strengths to officials from around the world on Friday, meeting the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and several... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3331120/hong-kong-will-uphold-global-trading-rules-john-lee-pledges-apec-gathering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3331120/hong-kong-will-uphold-global-trading-rules-john-lee-pledges-apec-gathering?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:58:15 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Conflicts and disagreements should not define Beijing’s ties with Tokyo, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his first sit-down meeting with the new Japanese prime minister on Friday. The 30-minute discussion with Sanae Takaichi, who was formally sworn into office last week, took place on the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. “The two countries should properly manage differences by focusing on the bigger picture, seeking common... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331118/chinas-xi-jinping-tells-new-japanese-pm-conflicts-should-not-define-their-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331118/chinas-xi-jinping-tells-new-japanese-pm-conflicts-should-not-define-their-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:50:37 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Despite the superficial conviviality of Donald Trump’s whistle-stop tour through Asia this week, we watched first-hand the dysfunctional reality of the US’ disengagement from the world of multilateralism. Trump delivered a speech at the US-Asean Summit in Malaysia, but skipped the main Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ meeting in South Korea. Overall, he was more interested in cutting bilateral deals on the sidelines of the summits. In Malaysia, he finalised unilateral tariff... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330940/trumps-asia-tour-made-us-distaste-multilateralism-obvious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330940/trumps-asia-tour-made-us-distaste-multilateralism-obvious?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:30:15 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Jensen Huang’s viral meal is driving a sharp rally in South Korea’s fried chicken-related stocks. The Nvidia CEO shared beers with Samsung Electronics Chair Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun at a local restaurant, Kkanbu Chicken, on Thursday evening. While Kkanbu is not publicly listed, shares of rival Kyochon F&B surged as much as 20 per cent on Friday after photos and videos of the gathering circulated widely on social media. South Korean poultry processor Cherrybro... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3331003/nvidia-samsung-chiefs-bond-over-fried-chicken-seoul-lifting-snack-stocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3331003/nvidia-samsung-chiefs-bond-over-fried-chicken-seoul-lifting-snack-stocks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 03:42:22 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged world leaders to ensure the stability of supply chains, saying countries should be “joining hands” instead of “breaking chains”, as he pointed to growing uncertainty in the Asia-Pacific. According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi also repeated earlier calls for countries to uphold the multilateral trading system and protect the interests of developing economies. “Currently, the world is undergoing profound changes, a once-in-a-century... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330991/chinas-xi-jinping-calls-world-leaders-join-hands-protect-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330991/chinas-xi-jinping-calls-world-leaders-join-hands-protect-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 02:45:10 +0000 Amber Wang,Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Amber Wang,Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng In a stark departure from past China-US summits, Taiwan did not rate a mention on Thursday, prompting speculation that Xi Jinping and Donald Trump had arrived at a tacit and pragmatic understanding to deprioritise the contentious issue. Taiwan – regarded by Beijing as a core interest and “the first red line that cannot be crossed” in bilateral relations – has in recent years occupied a few lines in official readouts following face-to-face meetings between the countries’ leaders, but not in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330958/what-does-xi-trump-summits-silence-taiwan-mean-contentious-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330958/what-does-xi-trump-summits-silence-taiwan-mean-contentious-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 15:00:10 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said Seoul aimed to work with Beijing to advance practical cooperation in trade, supply chains and people-to-people exchanges to improve ties based on “friendly competition” and “equal cooperation”. Lee made the remarks in an interview with China’s state-run Xinhua news agency published a day ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in the South Korean city of Busan on Thursday. This marks Xi’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years, following his last... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330917/south-koreas-lee-calls-friendly-competition-china-ahead-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330917/south-koreas-lee-calls-friendly-competition-china-ahead-xi-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:12:56 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thailand has asked President Donald Trump for a “better” trade deal as the two countries press ahead with tariff talks following a US-brokered peace agreement between Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul made a direct plea to Trump during an informal chat after a dinner with other leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit late on Wednesday in South Korea, according to a Thai government statement. Trump told Anutin that he would talk to US Trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330884/thailand-chases-better-trade-deal-trump-after-signing-cambodia-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3330884/thailand-chases-better-trade-deal-trump-after-signing-cambodia-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:54:07 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han Democrats in the US House of Representatives and Senate are urging President Donald Trump not to ease national security restrictions on China for a trade deal, hours ahead of his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “America’s export controls, investment safeguards, and our long-standing security partnerships must not be on the negotiating table,” a group of 12 senators led by Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s top Democrat, wrote in a letter to the Republican president on... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330831/democrats-urge-trump-not-ease-national-security-restrictions-negotiations-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330831/democrats-urge-trump-not-ease-national-security-restrictions-negotiations-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:58:46 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Hong Kong’s leader has arrived in South Korea for an Apec economic leaders’ meeting and has pledged to share with other attendees the city’s policies and experience in investment promotion and artificial intelligence (AI) application. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who arrived in Korea with his delegation on Wednesday afternoon, is expected to attend an Apec economic leaders’ informal dialogue in the city of Gyeongju and the Apec Business Advisory Council dialogue with Apec economic leaders... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330804/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-eyes-apec-opportunities-he-lands-korea-forum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3330804/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-eyes-apec-opportunities-he-lands-korea-forum?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:04:16 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The now-delayed meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, could have been a turning point towards peace in Ukraine. Instead, it has revealed a deeper fault line. However, it is one that can be overcome. Even the Kremlin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, believes that the parties are close to an end to the war. The global community should offer an off-ramp and seek a middle ground amenable to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330630/only-multipolar-coalition-can-secure-ukraine-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3330630/only-multipolar-coalition-can-secure-ukraine-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:30:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump began the final leg of his Asia trip in South Korea on Wednesday, optimistic about striking a trade war truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping and advancing an unresolved tariff deal with South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung. Arriving from Tokyo hours after North Korea test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile, Trump was treated to a lavish reception by President Lee on Wednesday in Gyeongju, a sleepy South Korean town hosting this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3330723/apec-summit-trump-arrives-south-korea-trade-deal-lee-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3330723/apec-summit-trump-arrives-south-korea-trade-deal-lee-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 04:04:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Mere hours before US President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea for this week’s Apec summit, Pyongyang launched a salvo of ship-based cruise missiles in an act analysts viewed as a calculated bid to reinforce its nuclear credentials. The missiles, described by North Korean state media as enhanced models optimised for ship-based launches, were fired vertically on Tuesday, reportedly soaring for about 7,800 seconds – more than two hours – before striking their land-based target. Pyongyang... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330722/north-korea-welcomes-trump-apec-nuclear-capable-fire-arrow-missile-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330722/north-korea-welcomes-trump-apec-nuclear-capable-fire-arrow-missile-test?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 04:02:50 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A US-North Korea flash summit remains a long shot despite Donald Trump signalling he was open to such talks and describing Pyongyang as “sort of a nuclear power” as he embarked on his Asia trip last week. The choice of words by the US president could be interpreted as a diplomatic concession by Kim Jong-un, some analysts said. Others said the North Korean leader’s focus was on alliances with China and Russia amid the Ukraine war, making it difficult to devote time and resources to a photo-op... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330407/us-north-korea-meeting-2-big-egos-remains-long-shot-despite-trumps-open-offer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330407/us-north-korea-meeting-2-big-egos-remains-long-shot-despite-trumps-open-offer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 01:28:55 +0000 Andy Xie Andy Xie President Xi Jinping is expected to meet with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit later this month. Regardless of how the summit might go, don’t count on China walking back its recently announced export controls on rare earths. Beijing might consider increasing supplies for civilian industries if the US rolls back its own escalatory policies following the trade truce brokered in Geneva, Switzerland earlier this year. The US is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330255/dont-expect-china-compromise-rare-earth-controls-apec?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330255/dont-expect-china-compromise-rare-earth-controls-apec?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s coming visit to South Korea, speculation is mounting about a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. CNN reported that Trump administration officials have privately discussed arranging such an encounter. Meanwhile, the suspension of trips to Panmunjom next week has only fuelled rumours that a repeat of the dramatic 2019 summit is imminent. Back then, Trump tweeted an invitation to Kim within 48 hours before they met at the truce village. Yet... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3329968/if-us-wants-peace-korea-no-talks-are-better-rushed-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3329968/if-us-wants-peace-korea-no-talks-are-better-rushed-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong With the Apec summit in South Korea just days away, the nuclear-armed North fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday in an apparent bid to remind the world of its growing arsenal. The launch, occurring against the backdrop of deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia, has reignited fears of escalating provocations and their implications for global stability. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missile, presumed to be a Hwasong-11da-4.5, was launched from North Hwanghae... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329877/north-korea-prepares-apec-ballistic-missile-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329877/north-korea-prepares-apec-ballistic-missile-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 03:43:16 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok After a video call last Saturday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng are expected to meet in Malaysia this week to hopefully ease tensions before US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping potentially meet on the sidelines of this year’s Apec summit. The meeting was in doubt when Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on China, despite later relenting that it might not be sustainable. Washington blamed Beijing for the escalation,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3329654/can-scott-bessent-see-chinas-trade-counterstrike-clear-eyes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3329654/can-scott-bessent-see-chinas-trade-counterstrike-clear-eyes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:30:10 +0000 Tammy Tam Tammy Tam Ahead of a hugely uncertain yet highly anticipated summit between the leaders of the world’s two major powers at the coming Apec meeting in South Korea, the big question is whether Chinese President Xi Jinping or his United States counterpart Donald Trump has more bargaining chips amid the global trade war triggered by the American’s tariffs. China’s dominance in the rare earth market has proved to be the most effective tool in Beijing’s belt, although the US may still influence some countries,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3329581/opportunities-hong-kong-sidelines-xi-trump-summit-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3329581/opportunities-hong-kong-sidelines-xi-trump-summit-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 11:56:03 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Blame games, tit-for-tat threats, off-again on-again meetings between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and wild tariff swings seem to be the recent order of the day. According to former government officials and analysts, however, this should come as no surprise – it’s just the price you pay when diplomatic norms are brushed off. In the latest twist in the saga, Trump on Friday swung from tough to conciliatory, appearing to reverse threats made a week earlier to cancel... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329484/will-trump-and-xis-shock-tactics-ruin-any-chances-ending-us-china-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329484/will-trump-and-xis-shock-tactics-ruin-any-chances-ending-us-china-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 22:26:31 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged US President Donald Trump to personally attend three major Indo-Pacific summits this fall, warning that his absence could hand China a strategic advantage as Beijing aggressively expands its influence across the region. In a letter released on Friday, members of Congress stressed that the Indo-Pacific region remains “vital to America’s security and prosperity”, and is at the centre of “strategic competition” with China. They called Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329481/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-attend-key-indo-pacific-summits-and-send-clear-message-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3329481/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-attend-key-indo-pacific-summits-and-send-clear-message-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:50:48 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li This year’s intense rally in Chinese stocks will not change course in spite of concerns about a revived trade war between the world’s two largest economies, according to Soochow Securities. The foundation of this round of the global bull market is a weakening US dollar, said Chen Li, CEO and chief global economist at Soochow Securities (Hong Kong), on the sidelines of the firm’s third capital market strategy meeting in Hong Kong on Monday. Chen’s assessment comes as Chinese stocks slumped on... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328828/china-stocks-rally-stay-course-spite-latest-trump-tariffs-threat-soochow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328828/china-stocks-rally-stay-course-spite-latest-trump-tariffs-threat-soochow?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:00:10 +0000