https://www.scmp.com/rss/521460/feed Scott Bessent is a prominent figure in American finance and currently serves as the US Treasury Secretary, a role he assumed in January 2025. His responsibilities include maintaining a robust economy, fostering growth, managing government finances and addressing global economic threats. Previously, Bessent was Chief Investment Officer at Soros Fund Management, where he achieved significant returns, notably during the 1992 British Pound crisis. He also founded Key Square Group, a global macro... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xiaofei Xu,Frank Chen Xiaofei Xu,Frank Chen As China and the United States wrapped up their sixth and most recent round of trade talks in Paris this March, a minor mishap briefly stole the spotlight. A sudden gust of wind toppled two American flags in the background, where journalists were waiting for US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Officials rushed to tape them to the wall – a fitting tableau for a trade war that, one year on, is patched together by a truce yet remains far from resolved. At their respective press appearances,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348826/us-china-trade-war-1-year-who-really-holds-upper-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348826/us-china-trade-war-1-year-who-really-holds-upper-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Washington’s top trade negotiator suggested on Tuesday that, in a break from usual practice, members of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet will not visit Beijing ahead of the expected mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping to prepare or discuss deliverables. “I don’t think we’re going to need to do that,” Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television when asked about meeting his Chinese counterparts soon, ahead of the much-anticipated leaders’... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348590/trump-xi-summit-us-trade-chief-casts-doubt-pre-meeting-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:19:16 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan As US President Donald Trump heads to a delayed, high-stakes mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, he is already claiming victory, touting on Friday past trade talks with Xi as a win for American farmers, a crucial electoral bloc battered by his tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. “Thanks to our trade deals, you’re now sending over US$40 billion in American soybeans to China,” Trump said on Friday, telling farmers and ranchers at the White House he personally secured the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:21:27 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Treasury Department plans to put US President Donald Trump’s signature on all new US paper currency, the agency announced on Thursday. The move would be a first for a sitting president, since traditionally, US paper currency carries the signatures of the Treasury secretary and the treasurer, not the president. The news was first reported by Vanity Fair. It was the latest instance of Trump putting his name and likeness on American cultural institutions, following his renaming of the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348062/us-currency-bear-trumps-signature-first-sitting-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348062/us-currency-bear-trumps-signature-first-sitting-president?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:33:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump denied on Thursday that he was desperate for a deal with Iran, swinging between threats and diplomacy, while presenting a series of “boats of oil” that reportedly made it through the blocked Strait of Hormuz as an Iranian “gift” – a reveal that he teased a day earlier. This comes as the war he and Israel launched against Iran approaches the one-month mark with little end in sight, driving oil prices up globally and further unsettling the global economy. “I read a story... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348058/trump-claims-iran-begging-make-deal-teases-new-aid-farmers-amid-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348058/trump-claims-iran-begging-make-deal-teases-new-aid-farmers-amid-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:59:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States may need to “escalate” its attacks against Iran to be able to wind down the war, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday, after US President Donald Trump gave seemingly contradictory trajectories for the US military campaign. Trump on Saturday threatened to “obliterate” Iranian energy plants if Tehran did not fully open the pivotal Strait of Hormuz, just a day after saying US objectives were “very close” and that he was considering “winding down” the war. Asked on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347506/us-may-escalate-de-escalate-attacks-against-iran-says-scott-bessent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347506/us-may-escalate-de-escalate-attacks-against-iran-says-scott-bessent?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:42:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Treasury on Friday temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded onto vessels, in Washington’s latest step to stem a supply crisis over the Middle East war. The authorisation allows for the delivery and sale of Iranian crude oil and other petroleum products loaded onto ships before March 20, and will last through April 19, the Treasury said in a statement. The move by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday was under... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3347401/us-approves-sale-iranian-oil-sea-move-ease-crude-supply-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3347401/us-approves-sale-iranian-oil-sea-move-ease-crude-supply-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:55:33 +0000 Reuters Reuters A federal arts panel comprised of members appointed by Donald Trump on Thursday unanimously approved a commemorative gold coin featuring his image, part of a series of coins the US Mint is planning to produce to celebrate America’s 250th birthday this year. The 24-carat gold coin was the latest effort by Trump and his allies to put the president’s name on buildings, government programmes ‌and US currency since his second White House term began in January 2025. During a presentation by a US Mint... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347225/trump-picked-panel-approves-gold-coin-his-image-larger-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347225/trump-picked-panel-approves-gold-coin-his-image-larger-better?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 21:12:36 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Beijing’s global pharmaceutical push is following a playbook seen in rare earths, semiconductors and electric vehicles, US lawmakers said on Wednesday, as concerns grow over the United States’ reliance on Chinese drug ingredients. “China is cornering the market on our medicines – from the supply of generic drugs that Americans depend on every day, to the cutting-edge biotech pipeline that will determine who leads medicine in the years and decades ahead,” said John Moolenaar, the chair of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347087/fears-grow-over-us-drug-supplys-rising-dependence-chinese-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347087/fears-grow-over-us-drug-supplys-rising-dependence-chinese-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 21:33:43 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing is unlikely to attack Taiwan next year, given security and economic deterrents, including its belief that an amphibious assault could fail and that the technological, supply chain and investor costs would be huge, according to a US threat assessment released on Wednesday. The intelligence overview appeared to walk back a projection by the Pentagon last year that Beijing wanted to take the self-governing island by force as early as 2027 and comes as US President Donald Trump takes a more... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347083/us-assesses-mainland-china-not-planning-attack-taiwan-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347083/us-assesses-mainland-china-not-planning-attack-taiwan-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 18:12:46 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Washington’s request to reschedule US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing reflects the reality that the war in Iran has not followed the script. It was anticipated that superior American power would result in a quick victory over Iran, which China considers a strategic partner and oil supplier, well ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping. The United States has done all the running in the preparations for the visit, including announcing the dates of March 31 to April 2. China had made... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346909/china-policy-stay-course-despite-delay-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346909/china-policy-stay-course-despite-delay-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Vanessa Cai Alyssa Chen,Vanessa Cai Beijing has confirmed it remains in communication with Washington about a landmark visit by US President Donald Trump, who has requested to delay the trip by a month due to the US-Israel war on Iran. Chinese analysts characterised the delay as a strategic opportunity to ensure more substantive results. They also suggested the shift in timing was unlikely to derail the momentum towards stabilising ties between the two global powers. The White House previously announced that the trip – the first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346923/why-trumps-china-trip-delay-could-open-door-more-substantive-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346923/why-trumps-china-trip-delay-could-open-door-more-substantive-results?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Kandy Wong Xiaofei Xu,Kandy Wong With US President Donald Trump’s trip to China postponed and the countries’ recent trade negotiations in Paris ending with no apparent breakthroughs, analysts said the world’s two largest economies are likely to hold another round of talks before Trump touches down in Beijing. “We can see this as more of a pause than a breakthrough overall. This resembles ‘unfinished business’ between both sides,” said James Downes, director of the Europe-Asia programme at the Centre for Explanatory Research and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346908/trumps-china-trip-limbo-further-trade-talks-loom-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346908/trumps-china-trip-limbo-further-trade-talks-loom-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he had asked China to postpone his planned trip to Beijing by “a month or so” due to the war in Iran. “I think it’s important that I be here,” Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “So it could be that we delay a little bit, not much.” The visit, including a summit with President Xi Jinping, is scheduled to take place from March 31 to April 2. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed suggestions that the potential delay was designed to pressure... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346883/trump-xi-summit-delay-may-suit-china-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346883/trump-xi-summit-delay-may-suit-china-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:22 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen China said Tuesday it remained “in communication” with the United States over President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, after Trump said he had requested a delay of about a month because of the ongoing war with Iran. “China and the US are in communication on the timing of President Trump’s visit to China,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said when asked to comment on Trump’s remarks about the much-anticipated visit. When pressed further about what dates were under discussion, Lin said he... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3346807/trump-pressures-china-over-hormuz-experts-see-possible-delay-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3346807/trump-pressures-china-over-hormuz-experts-see-possible-delay-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:30:00 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Trump’s threat to postpone his Beijing trip unless China helps break Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has fused two crises Beijing had sought to keep apart: the unravelling of Middle East stability and the fragile thaw in US–China relations. China, the world’s largest buyer of Gulf oil, is now being forced to weigh its economic reliance on stable energy routes against its tradition of non‑interference in diplomacy, according to observers. While Beijing is eager to host Trump for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346792/china-under-pressure-trump-ties-high-stakes-summit-strait-hormuz-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346792/china-under-pressure-trump-ties-high-stakes-summit-strait-hormuz-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China and the US wrapped up their sixth round of trade talks in Paris on Monday, with the agenda ranging from a possible extension of bilateral tariff and non-tariff measures as well as bilateral investment. “China and the US conducted deep, frank and constructive consultations,” Chinese vice commerce minister Li Chenggang said. Both sides agreed to “continue to maintain the stability of tariffs” and discussed the possibility of establishing a mechanism for promoting bilateral investment, said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346787/china-and-us-end-trade-talks-doubts-form-over-trump-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:48:53 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China and the US ended the first day of trade talks in Paris on Sunday without any major developments. Talks will continue tomorrow when the US delegation is set to leave. The Chinese delegation will stay one more day before leaving on Tuesday. The first day of the sixth round of trade talks between the world’s two biggest economies – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – was rather uneventful for journalists waiting outside the venue, the headquarters... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346687/us-china-trade-talks-low-key-start-negotiations-after-first-meeting-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346687/us-china-trade-talks-low-key-start-negotiations-after-first-meeting-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 17:33:25 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Trade talks between China and the United States in Paris this weekend are likely to focus on setting the scene for the Beijing summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump later this month, analysts said, downplaying the prospects of any significant breakthroughs. Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are expected to discuss potential deals on tariffs, investment, and trade in soybeans and rare earths, which would be presented as deliverables for the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346505/us-china-trade-talks-what-expect-senior-officials-meet-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346505/us-china-trade-talks-what-expect-senior-officials-meet-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 dpa dpa UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has accused Russia and Iran of attempting to “hijack the global economy” as Tehran continued to blockade a major oil shipping route. Iran’s new supreme leader has vowed to continue attacking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for ongoing US-Israeli strikes on his country. The blockade has seen oil prices jump to around US$100 per barrel, threatening higher inflation across the globe. Speaking to the media during a visit to Saudi Arabia, the UK... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346523/uk-says-russia-iran-trying-hijack-global-economy-amid-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346523/uk-says-russia-iran-trying-hijack-global-economy-amid-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:57:13 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow United States and Chinese trade negotiators will meet in Paris on Sunday and Monday, seeking to ready a deal ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing at the end of the month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, according to US and Chinese government statements. Neither side gave specific details about the discussions. The sixth round of Bessent-He trade talks comes amid volatility in oil markets due to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346494/trade-talks-raising-lobsters-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346494/trade-talks-raising-lobsters-tech-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:00:59 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The United States has imposed sanctions on two companies and six individuals for their roles in operations that used information technology workers in foreign countries to raise money for North Korea. The Treasury Department said the schemes, orchestrated by the North Korean government, had systematically defrauded US businesses and generated revenue to fund North Korea’s weapons programmes, including nearly US$800 million in 2024. The department also accused workers associated with North Korea... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346426/us-sanctions-2-firms-6-individuals-funding-north-korean-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346426/us-sanctions-2-firms-6-individuals-funding-north-korean-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 01:35:07 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit China with President Donald Trump later this month after appearing to show little interest in previous invitations from Beijing, the South China Morning Post has learned. According to sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, Rubio had been invited to visit but had not been receptive until recently. Rubio’s attendance could smooth over some of the problems surrounding... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346383/sanctioned-rubio-take-part-trumps-china-trip-despite-previous-missed-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346383/sanctioned-rubio-take-part-trumps-china-trip-despite-previous-missed-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The United States’ decision to launch Section 301 investigations into alleged unfair trade practices by China and several other economies – which could allow Washington to reimpose higher tariffs – is a “bluff” designed to give US President Donald Trump some perceived leverage ahead of his expected trip to China, analysts said. But the threat is unlikely to work on Beijing, which has grown used to the president’s “art of the deal” tactics, they added. “Trump’s move before his China trip is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346365/trumps-tariff-investigation-bluff-will-not-work-china-analysts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346365/trumps-tariff-investigation-bluff-will-not-work-china-analysts-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong could emerge as the world’s leading financial centre as the central government pushes to internationalise the yuan – a move that will advance the nation’s development under the 15th five-year plan while also driving the city’s own growth, a National People’s Congress (NPC) deputy has said. Li Yinquan said the city stood to benefit from increased capital as the yuan became more internationalised, since most global renminbi reserves and transaction volumes would naturally be held in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346011/hong-kong-tipped-be-worlds-top-financial-centre-amid-global-yuan-expansion-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346011/hong-kong-tipped-be-worlds-top-financial-centre-amid-global-yuan-expansion-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India received some welcome news last week about its energy supply: it had been granted permission, by the United States, to take delivery of oil it had already bought. The tankers were already at sea – Russian crude, loaded and paid for, stranded in limbo by the disruptions sweeping out of the war on Iran. They needed a waiver, which US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Thursday: a 30-day exemption allowing Indian refiners to receive the cargoes before American sanctions... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345954/indias-30-day-russian-oil-waiver-tied-us-crude-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345954/indias-30-day-russian-oil-waiver-tied-us-crude-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran’s president said on Saturday that a demand by the United States for an unconditional surrender is a “dream that they should take to their grave”. President Masoud Pezeshkian made the statement in a pre-recorded address aired by state television. He also apologised for Iran’s attacks on regional countries, saying that Tehran would halt them and suggesting they were caused by miscommunication in the ranks. He blamed the killing of the country’s supreme leader and other top officials for what... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345818/iran-defies-us-demands-surrender-apologises-strikes-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345818/iran-defies-us-demands-surrender-apologises-strikes-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:18:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters A group of 24 US states sued President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday in the first legal challenge to his newly imposed 10 per cent global tariffs, alleging that the president cannot sidestep a recent US Supreme Court ruling that invalidated most of his previous tariffs on imported goods by citing new legal authority, according to ‌the states. The Democratic-led states, including New York, California and Oregon, argued that the new tariffs, which Trump announced immediately after the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345632/24-us-states-suing-stop-trumps-latest-global-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345632/24-us-states-suing-stop-trumps-latest-global-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:27:57 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Though a Hong Kong operator has lost control of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most pivotal waterways for merchant ships, researchers said this week that Chinese state institutions have funded hundreds of other seaports around the world. Specifically, they have invested a total of US$23.9 billion over the past quarter century in 363 ports and related activities abroad, according to AidData, a research lab at US university William & Mary. The lab called the investments a safeguard against... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345361/panama-out-study-says-china-investing-us239-billion-worlds-seaports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345361/panama-out-study-says-china-investing-us239-billion-worlds-seaports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that President Donald Trump’s plan to increase a broad 10 per cent tariff rate to 15 per cent is likely to be implemented this week. “That’s likely sometime this week,” Bessent said on Wednesday on CNBC in response to a question about when the increase to 15 per cent would be made. Bessent’s comments offer the clearest indication yet regarding when the US will follow through on Trump’s pledge to raise tariffs. The president last month imposed a 10 per... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345479/trumps-15-global-tariffs-likely-start-week-us-treasury-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345479/trumps-15-global-tariffs-likely-start-week-us-treasury-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:14:01 +0000 dpa dpa Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of failing to show “solidarity” with Madrid in the face of criticism from US President Donald Trump. Albares told broadcaster RTVE that he had communicated his “surprise” over the chancellor’s response to Trump’s tirade against Spain in a White House meeting on Tuesday. “When you share a currency, a common trade policy and a common market with another country, you expect the same solidarity that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345459/germanys-merz-lacked-solidarity-amid-silence-during-trump-attacks-spain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345459/germanys-merz-lacked-solidarity-amid-silence-during-trump-attacks-spain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:42:30 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese and US trade officials will meet in Paris at the end of next week, laying the groundwork for President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will lead discussions on trade and investment deals, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified sources. Trump is due to arrive in Beijing on March 31, for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tariffs, investments, soybeans and rare earths will all be... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345416/iran-war-leaves-china-foreign-policy-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345416/iran-war-leaves-china-foreign-policy-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:16:14 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Khushboo Razdan,Ji Siqi Xiaofei Xu,Khushboo Razdan,Ji Siqi China and the United States will hold a new round of high-level trade talks in Paris at the end of next week, according to sources from both sides, as preparations press on for US President Donald Trump’s visit to China. Led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, the two delegations will meet in the French capital to discuss trade and investment deals – including on tariffs, investment, soybeans and rare earths – that would be presented as deliverables... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345336/china-and-us-hold-high-level-trade-talks-paris-trumps-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345336/china-and-us-hold-high-level-trade-talks-paris-trumps-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 02:25:27 +0000 Mark Magnier,Xinmei Shen,Finbarr Bermingham,Lucy Quaggin Mark Magnier,Xinmei Shen,Finbarr Bermingham,Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump used a White House meeting with the German Chancellor on Tuesday to blast European allies, praise China, waffle on tariffs and argue that the attack he launched against Iran prevented a nuclear war. Attended by Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that his order to attack Iran even as negotiations were under way was justified. “If we didn’t do what... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345327/trump-says-hell-cut-trade-spain-over-iran-war-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345327/trump-says-hell-cut-trade-spain-over-iran-war-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:25:20 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US and Chinese trade negotiators are slated to meet in mid-March, according to people familiar with the matter, signalling that a planned summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping is pushing ahead despite American strikes against Iran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng are expected to convene in Paris at the end of next week to discuss business deals that could stem from the leaders’ meeting, said the people who... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345326/us-and-china-trade-chiefs-meet-mid-march-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345326/us-and-china-trade-chiefs-meet-mid-march-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:35:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Treasury Department said on Monday it is ending use of all Anthropic products, following US President Donald Trump’s government-wide ban on the AI start-up after it rejected the Pentagon’s demands. The US Treasury “is terminating all use of Anthropic products, including the use of its Claude platform, within our department”, said Secretary Scott Bessent in a social media statement. The decision comes at the direction of Trump, he added. “Under President Trump no private company will ever... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345184/us-treasury-says-it-stopping-use-anthropics-tech-including-its-claude-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345184/us-treasury-says-it-stopping-use-anthropics-tech-including-its-claude-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:15:04 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Less than six weeks ahead of a likely summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, preparations are inadequate, bilateral contacts anaemic and outcomes diminished, according to analysts and former government officials familiar with planning. The shortfall reflected in part Trump’s reluctance to delegate, disdain for process and focus on quick wins, banking instead on personal magnetism and his “gut” as summit organising principles, they said. The planning deficit also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344769/trump-xi-summit-preparations-falter-planning-gaps-unsettle-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344769/trump-xi-summit-preparations-falter-planning-gaps-unsettle-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s trade chief Maros Sefcovic has railed against the bloc’s glacial trade defences, warning that years-long probes and rigid rules will not protect the bloc from China’s increasingly fierce export machine. Speaking in the European Parliament on Tuesday, Sefcovic lashed out at Beijing’s “unsustainable” trade surplus and called for an urgent overhaul of world trading rules to account for “overcapacities”, “unfair trade policies” and “state subsidies”. He confirmed, meanwhile,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344517/eu-too-slow-act-china-rewrites-global-trade-rules-trade-chief-sefcovic-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344517/eu-too-slow-act-china-rewrites-global-trade-rules-trade-chief-sefcovic-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:55:55 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China is reviewing its trade countermeasures against the United States as Washington’s new global tariffs take effect, following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Trump administration’s sweeping levies imposed last year. The Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday also confirmed that Beijing would soon hold a new round of high-level trade talks with Washington, expected to pave the way for US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the country in late March. “China has consistently opposed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344491/china-weighs-response-trump-imposes-new-global-tariff-after-court-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344491/china-weighs-response-trump-imposes-new-global-tariff-after-court-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma With Hong Kong set to unveil its annual budget, economists have said the city should strengthen its role in pushing the internationalisation of the Chinese yuan as Beijing presses ahead with financial opening while keeping stability firmly in view. From expanding offshore yuan products to using its stablecoin regulations as a sandbox for potential cross-border payment channels, the experts said that Hong Kong could help realise the nation’s vision of becoming a “financial powerhouse”, especially... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344264/should-hong-kongs-next-budget-make-room-taking-yuan-global-experts-weigh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344264/should-hong-kongs-next-budget-make-room-taking-yuan-global-experts-weigh?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:30 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters 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. Trump faces rare pushback within his party over tariffs as polls slide President Donald Trump faced noteworthy pushback in February over his signature tariff policy in the US Congress while his popularity slipped and more lawmakers in his party appeared willing to risk his wrath. Read the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343380/secret-nuclear-testing-claims-military-ai-race-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343380/secret-nuclear-testing-claims-military-ai-race-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen,Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen,Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier China has confirmed that discussions were under way about US President Donald Trump’s planned visit in April, when sources said the two sides were expected to extend their current trade truce by up to one year. Lin Jian, a foreign ministry spokesman, said President Xi Jinping had repeated an invitation to Trump to visit when the pair spoke by phone last week. “The two sides are in communication on this,” Lin added, stressing the importance of talks between the two heads of state. The two reached... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343240/trump-and-xi-expected-extend-trade-truce-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343240/trump-and-xi-expected-extend-trade-truce-beijing-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:43:33 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The United States is seeking a fair and enduring competition with China, along with strengthening its economic and political relationships with Latin America, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday. He termed this the strategy of reducing vulnerabilities without cutting ties with Beijing. Speaking at an investor conference in Sao Paulo, hosted by the Brazilian bank BTG Pactual, Bessent said that Washington did not want to sever economic ties with China. Still, it was trying to... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3343118/treasury-chief-says-us-seeks-fair-china-competition-eyes-latin-america-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3343118/treasury-chief-says-us-seeks-fair-china-competition-eyes-latin-america-realignment?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:05:24 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Any coming high-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington will be in preparation for US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in April, analysts say, as both sides wish to keep a fragile trade truce intact, even though significant breakthroughs in the bilateral relationship remain up in the air. On Monday evening in the US, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent posted on social media that senior Treasury staff had travelled to China last week, “to strengthen channels of communication... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he “would not be surprised” if China is already looking into ways to challenge the US’ pre-eminence in digital assets, given Hong Kong's efforts to develop the industry. When testifying before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, Bessent said that there are “lots of rumours of Chinese digital assets” possibly being backed by something other than its currency yuan, such as gold, but that the US could not confirm such claims. “We don’t know that for... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342569/us-treasury-chief-warns-china-could-challenge-us-digital-asset-lead-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342569/us-treasury-chief-warns-china-could-challenge-us-digital-asset-lead-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:12:01 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg British Columbia Premier David Eby said Alberta separatists who have sought help from Washington in their quest to gain independence from Canada are carrying out an act of immense disloyalty. “To go to a foreign country and to ask for assistance in breaking up Canada, there’s an old-fashioned word for that – and that word is treason,” said Eby, the leader of Canada’s westernmost province, which is Alberta’s neighbour. The Financial Times reported that officials in the Trump administration have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341747/canadas-eby-slams-separatists-seeking-us-help-word-treason?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341747/canadas-eby-slams-separatists-seeking-us-help-word-treason?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:58:44 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that the US and Canada were likely ‍to end up in a “good place” on trade but warned Washington’s northern neighbour not to launch a political fight in advance of coming talks on the US-Mexico-Canada ‌free trade deal. In an interview on CNBC, Bessent added that he ‍was disappointed by Europe’s decision to strike a major trade deal with India and defended US President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on South Korean goods. As... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3341595/us-treasury-chief-bessent-cautions-canada-says-hes-disappointed-eu-india-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3341595/us-treasury-chief-bessent-cautions-canada-says-hes-disappointed-eu-india-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:38:39 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Most Americans favour cooperation with China in spite of Washington’s tougher stance on visas, research collaboration and tariffs, according to a new survey by the Committee of 100 (C100) civic group. The results of the polling, conducted in June 2025 shortly after US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff onslaught and released this month, found relatively broad support for greater cooperation between Washington and Beijing on “diplomatic issues and policies that affect both... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341469/us-china-cooperation-backed-most-americans-new-national-survey-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341469/us-china-cooperation-backed-most-americans-new-national-survey-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 20:44:44 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday that he told US President Donald Trump that he meant what he said in his speech at Davos, and told him Canada plans to diversify away from the United States with a dozen new trade deals. Carney rolled his eyes and rejected US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s contention to Fox News that he aggressively walked back his comments at the World Economic Forum during a phone call with Trump on Monday. “To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341465/carney-rolls-eyes-us-treasury-chief-says-he-told-trump-he-meant-what-he-said-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341465/carney-rolls-eyes-us-treasury-chief-says-he-told-trump-he-meant-what-he-said-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:26:49 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan After a bruising 2025 that pushed him to the brink of bankruptcy, Arkansas soybean farmer Randall Shelby starts the new year worried that US farmers could once again be caught in the crossfire as tensions between Washington and Beijing threaten to escalate anew. This comes as US President Donald Trump addressed farmers on Tuesday in Iowa, the United States’ second-largest soybean producer, to try to convince them that he has their best interests at heart in advance of the November midterm... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3341313/us-soybean-farmers-fear-china-trade-blowback-trump-ramps-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3341313/us-soybean-farmers-fear-china-trade-blowback-trump-ramps-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:00:07 +0000