https://www.scmp.com/rss/520836/feed The latest news on Marco Rubio, American politician and 72nd United States Secretary of State, including US politics news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao The original think tank paper was published in Chinese. SCMP Plus members can read an English translation here. A Chinese state think tank has offered a detailed road map to steer China and the US towards peaceful coexistence, as the competition between the two powers has entered a new strategic stalemate. In a paper published on May 13 – the same day US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing for a high-stakes visit – the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (Cicir)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354576/how-china-and-us-can-coexist-peacefully-while-locked-strategic-stalemate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354576/how-china-and-us-can-coexist-peacefully-while-locked-strategic-stalemate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 14:17:35 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China criticised the United States for filing criminal charges against former Cuban president Raul Castro, as the Trump administration stepped up pressure on the Communist-ruled Caribbean island. “The United States needs to stop wielding the big stick of sanctions and judicial measures against Cuba, and stop threatening Cuba with force at every turn,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. Russia also said that US actions “cannot be condoned”. The US on Wednesday... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354503/cuba-clash-putin-visits-beijing-xi-may-go-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354503/cuba-clash-putin-visits-beijing-xi-may-go-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 08:56:26 +0000 SCMP SCMP The presidents of the United States and Russia visited Beijing on separate trips in May to meet with President Xi Jinping. The South China Morning Post produced extensive coverage of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit meetings in Beijing. Here are some of the highlights of our coverage, taking you behind the headlines and beyond the summit stages to show the politics, symbolism and moments that shaped Xi’s meetings with Trump and Putin. If you would like to see more of our reporting,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354442/selfies-and-symbolism-behind-scenes-xis-summit-trump-and-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354442/selfies-and-symbolism-behind-scenes-xis-summit-trump-and-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 06:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday voiced hope of progress on ending the war with Iran, with mediator Pakistan’s army chief poised for talks in Tehran. The role played by Field Marshal Asim Munir, a powerful figure with a growing role in Pakistan’s foreign relations, has taken on increased significance as US President Donald Trump warned that negotiations to end the war were on the “borderline” between a deal and renewed strikes. “I believe the Pakistanis will be travelling to Tehran... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3354435/us-voices-hope-iran-deal-progress-pakistan-army-chief-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3354435/us-voices-hope-iran-deal-progress-pakistan-army-chief-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 21:24:32 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado One day after the United States brought criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro over the 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio portrayed Cuba as both a growing national security threat tied to China and Russia and a candidate for a negotiated political transition. The comments came amid renewed friction between Washington and Beijing over Cuba after China criticised the US charges against Castro and accused... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354434/us-casts-cuba-china-linked-security-threat-while-still-pushing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354434/us-casts-cuba-china-linked-security-threat-while-still-pushing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 21:16:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast has warned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of “Chinese malign influence” in a bid for a major contract in Argentina, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The April 23 letter concerns an auction for a 25-year contract to dredge and operate Argentina’s Parana River, a vital waterway for most of ‌the country’s agricultural exports, that Argentina estimates will reach US$10 billion in investment. The terms of the tender, which is in its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354433/us-foreign-affairs-chairman-warns-china-role-argentina-contract-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354433/us-foreign-affairs-chairman-warns-china-role-argentina-contract-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 20:36:05 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China has condemned the United States for charging former Cuban leader Raul Castro, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on the island’s socialist government. The US on Wednesday announced criminal charges against Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian planes flown by Miami-based Cuban exiles. All four on board, including three American citizens, were killed in the incident. China “firmly opposes” illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354392/china-condemns-us-big-stick-over-castro-charges-and-unauthorised-sanctions-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354392/china-condemns-us-big-stick-over-castro-charges-and-unauthorised-sanctions-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 10:58:23 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States announced on Wednesday criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro over his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue, an incident that killed four people. The indictment, unsealed by acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche in Miami, includes charges of conspiracy to kill US nationals, destruction of an aircraft, and four individual counts of murder against the 94-year-old brother of... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354286/us-charges-raul-castro-trump-administration-ratchets-pressure-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354286/us-charges-raul-castro-trump-administration-ratchets-pressure-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 17:47:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press In New Delhi’s chaotic traffic, where the backs of autorickshaws sometimes double as mobile billboards, some commuters are now being greeted by an unlikely face: US President Donald Trump. Splashed beneath his portrait is the slogan: “Happy Birthday America!” About 100 autorickshaws carrying large images of Trump and the Statue of Liberty have appeared across the Indian capital in recent weeks. In a city where the backs of thousands of three-wheelers are routinely covered with ads for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354268/why-trumps-face-popping-indian-autorickshaws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354268/why-trumps-face-popping-indian-autorickshaws?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 12:48:30 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States is expected to unseal criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro on Wednesday in a move that could further deepen tensions between Washington and Havana and inject new strain into an already volatile regional relationship. Multiple US media outlets, citing US Justice Department sources, have reported that federal prosecutors in Miami are preparing an indictment tied to Cuba’s 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354149/us-plans-charge-raul-castro-increases-trump-administrations-pressure-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354149/us-plans-charge-raul-castro-increases-trump-administrations-pressure-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 20:03:59 +0000 Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan It is hard not to be impressed by the sheer energy Donald Trump displayed during his whirlwind visit to Beijing. Within just 43 hours, the 79-year-old president held two meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, inspected troops, attended a state banquet and walked around the Temple of Heaven in sweltering heat – not to mention making his characteristic social media postings in the wee hours of the morning. Showing no signs of jet lag, Trump seemed to be in high spirits, glad-handing everyone... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353808/how-trumps-china-visit-may-hint-2-eyes-world-are-learning-live-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353808/how-trumps-china-visit-may-hint-2-eyes-world-are-learning-live-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 07:15:22 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The Xi-Trump summit is over. What comes next in the US-China rivalry? Xi described Trump’s visit as “historical” and “a landmark”, adding that “important consensus was made on issues both sides are interested in”, according to the Chinese summary. Read the full story here. 2. US Senate warns... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353614/ai-supremacy-secret-police-station-taiwan-propaganda-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353614/ai-supremacy-secret-police-station-taiwan-propaganda-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 20:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The head of the CIA visited Cuba on Thursday, an extraordinary step-up in contact between Washington and Havana as the communist-run island reels from US pressure, declaring that it was out of oil. John Ratcliffe’s ‌trip appeared to be only the second visit by a CIA director to Cuba since former leader Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution. Ratcliffe met with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former president Raul Castro, Interior Minister Lazaro Alvarez Casas and the head of Cuban... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3353617/cuba-calls-us-lift-blockade-rather-offer-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3353617/cuba-calls-us-lift-blockade-rather-offer-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Josephine Ma,Cao Jiaxuan Josephine Ma,Cao Jiaxuan The meeting may have been delayed but when the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump took place on Thursday, it yielded a forward-looking agreement. Sitting down for talks at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, the two leaders agreed to make stability a key goal of relations over the next three years – and beyond, according to state media. Trump also invited Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan to visit the White House, setting the date for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353608/xi-and-trump-set-sights-stability-china-and-us-note-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353608/xi-and-trump-set-sights-stability-china-and-us-note-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 16:02:44 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang As the US delegation met with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing, some hugely important topics were on the agenda. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also found the time to admire the meeting room’s interior design. Footage of Rubio checking out the ceiling of one of the grand reception rooms in which President Xi Jinping hosted his US counterpart Donald Trump on Thursday went viral online. The candid footage catches Rubio in the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353589/trump-revamps-white-house-rubio-floored-beijing-halls-fancy-ceiling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353589/trump-revamps-white-house-rubio-floored-beijing-halls-fancy-ceiling?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 11:43:21 +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 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 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 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 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The Trump administration on Wednesday publicly renewed an offer of US$100 million in humanitarian aid to Cuba, stepping up pressure on Havana despite Beijing’s continued political and economic backing for the island. The announcement came as US President Donald Trump travelled to China this week for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with Trump saying before departure that Cuba would be among the issues discussed during the visit. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the State Department... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353481/us-renews-us100-million-cuba-aid-offer-trump-raises-island-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3353481/us-renews-us100-million-cuba-aid-offer-trump-raises-island-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 20:20:17 +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 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 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 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 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 Alice Li Alice Li With a fragile US-Iran ceasefire barely holding, the Strait of Hormuz still blockaded, and all eyes on the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, investors are embracing a new market narrative: “Nacho”. The acronym – short for “Not a chance Hormuz opens” – reflects a growing bet on prolonged gridlock and high oil prices. This marks a sharp pivot from last year’s dominant trade tactic, “Taco” – “Trump always chickens out”, which was born in the chaos of Trump’s tariff blitz and relied on the assumption that... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353215/taco-nacho-new-buzzword-wall-street-amid-trumps-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353215/taco-nacho-new-buzzword-wall-street-amid-trumps-trip-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 03:09:49 +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 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 Orange Wang Orange Wang The US-Israel war against Iran has now entered its 10th week and there has been little progress on the stalled peace talks. These are the major takeaways from what happened overnight. What did Trump say? Iran reportedly sent a response to Washington’s latest proposal – a one-page memo aimed at ending the war – but it was rejected by US President Donald Trump. “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” he wrote on social media on Sunday. Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing an “informed source”, reported that Tehran’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353073/trump-tehran-and-qatari-tanker-transit-heres-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353073/trump-tehran-and-qatari-tanker-transit-heres-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 00:46:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran has sent its response to a US proposal to begin peace talks to end the war, Iranian state media reported on Sunday, as two carriers were allowed to pass through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. The response, sent to mediator Pakistan, focused on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, and on the safety of shipping through the strait, Iranian state television said, without indicating how or when the vital waterway might reopen. It followed a US proposal to end fighting before... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353029/trump-awaits-irans-response-amid-relative-calm-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353029/trump-awaits-irans-response-amid-relative-calm-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 06:58:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠The US and Iran appeared no closer on Saturday to finding an end to their war after the two sides traded fire in the Gulf amid a tenuous ceasefire, while a US intelligence analysis concluded Tehran could withstand a naval blockade for months. Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began a month ago, and the United Arab Emirates came under renewed ‌attack on Friday. Washington has been awaiting Tehran’s response to a US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353007/us-iran-war-no-closer-ending-gulf-clashes-flare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353007/us-iran-war-no-closer-ending-gulf-clashes-flare?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 12:56:28 +0000 Laura Zhou,Cao Jiaxuan Laura Zhou,Cao Jiaxuan As US President Donald Trump prepares to visit Beijing next week after a six-week delay, the cause of the delay – the war on Iran and the resulting closure of the Strait of Hormuz – risks becoming a fresh point of friction in his summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. While both China and the US stand to benefit from the reopening of the strait and a permanent end to the war, Beijing and Washington have viewed the crisis through different lenses and sharply diverged over how to achieve... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352990/xi-trump-summit-why-iran-war-could-become-fresh-point-friction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352990/xi-trump-summit-why-iran-war-could-become-fresh-point-friction?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 09:04:54 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange following US-mediated talks, saying negotiations to end the war were continuing and “we are getting closer and closer every day”. “I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump posted on social media. “The Celebration in Russia is for Victory Day, but likewise in Ukraine,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352962/trump-announces-three-day-ceasefire-between-russia-and-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352962/trump-announces-three-day-ceasefire-between-russia-and-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 20:24:39 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer called for stability with Beijing days before US President Donald Trump’s closely watched trip to China, saying the US was not out to reshape the Chinese economy but to rebalance trade. The trade chief told Fox News on Friday that while the world’s two largest economies “always had a really robust trading relationship … it’s been wildly unbalanced with China exporting just vast amounts of goods to the United States and largely blocking a lot of US imports... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352961/trump-trade-chief-says-us-wants-balanced-trade-not-change-chinas-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352961/trump-trade-chief-says-us-wants-balanced-trade-not-change-chinas-system?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 18:57:54 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States will host two days of intensive talks between Israel and Lebanon next week in a renewed push for a broader peace and security arrangement, according to a US State Department statement released on Friday. The talks, scheduled for May 14 and 15, will build on a previous round held on April 23 that Washington said was led personally by US President Donald Trump. In the statement, the US said Israeli and Lebanese delegations would engage in “detailed discussions” aimed at advancing... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352960/us-host-new-israel-lebanon-talks-trump-team-presses-hezbollah-disarmament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352960/us-host-new-israel-lebanon-talks-trump-team-presses-hezbollah-disarmament?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 18:30:57 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The Trump administration has expanded its pressure campaign against Cuba into the critical minerals sector, sanctioning a nickel joint venture tied to Canadian miner Sherritt International in a move that could reverberate through China-linked battery supply chains. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on Thursday against Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture between Sherritt and Cuba’s state-owned General Nickel Company, as part of a broader effort targeting Havana’s military-controlled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352815/us-targets-cuba-nickel-operation-move-implications-china-linked-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352815/us-targets-cuba-nickel-operation-move-implications-china-linked-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 18:15:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Beijing’s study of the wars in Iran and Ukraine could sharpen its ability to wage information warfare against Americans during a Taiwan Strait conflict, exposing vulnerabilities in US preparedness, experts said on Wednesday. S. Clinton Hinote, a retired US Lieutenant General, said he was “impressed” with the propaganda coming out of Iran since the outbreak of the war in February, warning that Beijing would deploy similar tactics if conflict erupts over Taiwan. “That’s coming,” he told a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352811/chinas-use-propaganda-may-outwit-us-if-taiwan-conflict-arises-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352811/chinas-use-propaganda-may-outwit-us-if-taiwan-conflict-arises-experts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 17:00:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters US Secretary of State Marco Rubio left the Vatican on Thursday after seeing Pope Leo in what was expected to have been a fraught meeting following President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the Catholic leader over the Iran war. Rubio spent 2-1/2 hours at the Vatican before driving away in a convoy under tight security. He met initially Leo before ‌sitting down with senior Vatican officials, including top diplomat Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin. “The meeting underscored the strong... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352797/rubio-meets-pope-leo-vatican-defuse-tensions-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352797/rubio-meets-pope-leo-vatican-defuse-tensions-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 12:30:15 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The scheduled summit next week between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will almost certainly include proclamations about cooperation, friendship and respect between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies, but beneath the surface, major trade conflict is building, said trade experts on Wednesday. In the past, a weaker China was forced to grit its teeth and grudgingly accept US tariffs, export restrictions and other restrictions, but Beijing has quietly and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352674/trump-xi-summit-hides-simmering-trade-tensions-under-surface-industry-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352674/trump-xi-summit-hides-simmering-trade-tensions-under-surface-industry-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 21:11:48 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US forces struck an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, even as Washington and Tehran appeared to move closer to a tentative agreement to end their two-month war, with US President Donald Trump warning that renewed bombing could begin if Iran rejects the proposed deal. A US fighter jet disabled the tanker by targeting its rudder as the vessel attempted to breach an American naval blockade of Iranian ports, US Central Command said in a social media post. The strike highlighted... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352671/us-strikes-iranian-tanker-amid-reports-washington-and-tehran-near-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352671/us-strikes-iranian-tanker-amid-reports-washington-and-tehran-near-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 19:57:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iranian ⁠FA (FFIRI) chief Mehdi Taj says Fifa must guarantee that ⁠the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are not insulted by the United States if the national team are to travel to the country to play at the World Cup in June. An FFIRI delegation, including Taj, turned back from the Canadian border last week because of what they said was disrespectful treatment at the hands of immigration officials as they tried to attend the Fifa ‌Congress in Vancouver. Taj said the decision to return... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3352612/fifa-world-cup-iran-fa-chief-wants-guarantee-countrys-special-forces-will-not-be-insulted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3352612/fifa-world-cup-iran-fa-chief-wants-guarantee-countrys-special-forces-will-not-be-insulted?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse It was the perfect split-screen for the race to succeed Donald Trump – so long as your name is Marco Rubio and not J.D. Vance. In a packed White House briefing room, journalists shouted over each other in a bid to get a question from the US secretary of state. At the same time Vice-President Vance – Rubio’s most likely rival for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination – was hundreds of kilometres away from the action at a political fundraiser in Oklahoma. “Guys, this is chaos,” said Rubio as... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352603/rubios-star-rising-trump-world-duel-vance-2028-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352603/rubios-star-rising-trump-world-duel-vance-2028-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 08:38:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of Pope Leo, potentially complicating a fence-mending visit that Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to make to the Vatican on Thursday. In an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, Trump said the first American-born pontiff was helping Iran and also making the world less safe with his comments about the importance of not treating immigrants with disrespect. “The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352541/trump-renews-attacks-pope-leo-just-days-rubios-vatican-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352541/trump-renews-attacks-pope-leo-just-days-rubios-vatican-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 18:55:14 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. UN bloated, costly, but China fears to keep US involved, House committee told The United Nations is bloated, costly, badly in need of reform, and too often works against US interests, but pulling out of the international organisation would see China expand its influence and leave Washington... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352090/golden-dome-defence-new-space-rivals-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3352090/golden-dome-defence-new-space-rivals-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 14:30:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Pope Leo on a trip to Rome this week, in the wake of the pontiff’s clash with US President Donald Trump, a Vatican source said on Sunday. The source confirmed Italian media reports about the meeting, which newspapers said would take place on Thursday in an attempt to “thaw” relations. It comes just weeks after Trump’s extraordinary criticism of Pope Leo over the Catholic leader’s anti-war rhetoric. The private visit with the top US diplomat, who is a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352292/rubio-visit-rome-meet-pope-leo-after-trump-row-attempt-thaw-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352292/rubio-visit-rome-meet-pope-leo-after-trump-row-attempt-thaw-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 18:14:18 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Two American military cargo aircraft have been spotted landing in Beijing – another apparent sign that US President Donald Trump’s trip to China will go ahead as expected this month. According to images posted on Chinese social media by several aviation photography enthusiasts, the C-17 US Air Force heavy-lifters – bearing the tail numbers 088204 and 055140 on their vertical stabilisers – arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Friday and Saturday. The planes’ arrival was also noted... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352263/are-us-air-force-c-17s-flying-cars-beijing-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352263/are-us-air-force-c-17s-flying-cars-beijing-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Beijing has labelled Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s surprise visit to eSwatini, the island’s sole African ally, a political “stunt”. In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, Lai said he arrived earlier in the day. The eSwatini government also confirmed his arrival on its own Facebook page. “Hello to my fellow citizens. I arrived earlier today in our diplomatic ally eSwatini,” Lai wrote, adding that his foreign affairs and security teams had spent days securing a revised route that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352238/taiwans-william-lai-lands-eswatini-trip-beijing-calls-political-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 13:11:49 +0000 Holly Chik,Alyssa Chen Holly Chik,Alyssa Chen US President Donald Trump said he is still planning to travel to China as scheduled this month despite the stalemate in the negotiations with Iran. When asked about the trip to Beijing, Trump told reporters on Friday: “It is going to be amazing. The visit with China and Chairman Xi [Jinping] – that’s going to be great. “We have the trip with China coming up. And I think it will be an amazing event.” Trump had initially planned to visit Beijing in late March, but put the trip back to May 14 and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352220/china-trip-will-go-ahead-planned-and-it-will-be-amazing-trump-insists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352220/china-trip-will-go-ahead-planned-and-it-will-be-amazing-trump-insists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:02:17 +0000