https://www.scmp.com/rss/521468/feed Howard Lutnick is the 41st United States Secretary of Commerce, having assumed the role in February 2025. Previously, he was widely known as the long-serving Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, alongside leading BGC Group and Newmark Group. His tenure at Cantor Fitzgerald is notably marked by his resilient leadership in rebuilding the firm after the devastating 9/11 attacks, establishing a significant relief fund for victims’ families. As Commerce Secretary, he is central to US trade... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Carol Yang Carol Yang The US government has unveiled an AI export initiative designed to cement American technological leadership while countering China’s growing influence in the sector. Washington is inviting US companies to form “preset” consortiums to offer full-stack artificial intelligence solutions around the world. Applications will be accepted until the end of June, the International Trade Administration (ITA), an agency under the US Department of Commerce, said in a news release issued on Wednesday. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348951/washington-launches-export-initiative-ensure-future-ai-led-united-states?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348951/washington-launches-export-initiative-ensure-future-ai-led-united-states?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:19 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the US robotics industry will have to rely on China’s supply chain despite the US pioneering the market, as the company bets on physical AI and looks to return to the Chinese market. “I think China is formidable,” Huang said when asked about the country’s rise in the robotics industry during a podcast hosted by Silicon Valley tech executives. “The reason for that is because their microelectronics, motors, rare earth and magnets – which are foundational to robotics –... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347427/nvidias-huang-calls-china-formidable-robotics-company-bets-physical-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347427/nvidias-huang-calls-china-formidable-robotics-company-bets-physical-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:18:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bill Clinton told American lawmakers on Friday that he “saw nothing that gave me pause” when he spent time with Jeffrey Epstein, as the former US president gave closed-door testimony about his relationship with the late sex offender. In a prepared statement, Clinton told the House of Representatives Oversight Committee that he would not have flown on the late financier’s plane if ‌he had known about his alleged sex trafficking of underage girls, and would have reported him if he did. “We are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344938/bill-clinton-grilled-over-epstein-ties-us-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344938/bill-clinton-grilled-over-epstein-ties-us-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:40:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Despite US President Donald Trump having congratulated Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her recent election triumph, Tokyo is under pressure to deliver on colossal investments promised in the United States. Ahead of the possible announcement of the first projects this week and Takaichi’s scheduled visit to the White House next month, what exactly has Japan pledged, what uncertainties remain, and what is at stake? What was agreed? In July, Japan agreed to invest US$550 billion through... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343314/japans-us550-billion-promise-trump-just-signing-bonus-strings-attached?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343314/japans-us550-billion-promise-trump-just-signing-bonus-strings-attached?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:46:42 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick minimised his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein Tuesday even as he acknowledged visiting the disgraced financier at his private island in 2012 after Epstein was a convicted sex offender - and years later than he previously said their relationship ended. Lutnick, speaking to a Senate panel, described going to Epstein’s island after being asked in Tuesday’s hearing about US Justice Department documents showing he had planned a visit. “I did have lunch with him,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343111/trump-commerce-chief-admits-travelling-epstein-island-faces-calls-resign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343111/trump-commerce-chief-admits-travelling-epstein-island-faces-calls-resign?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:50 +0000 Ann Cao,Coco Feng Ann Cao,Coco Feng Taiwan’s move to defend its “silicon shield” is the latest sign of the island’s tech dominance being used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations, as it faces increased geopolitical pressure to shift semiconductor manufacturing capacity overseas, according to analysts. It would be “impossible” to move 40 per cent of the island’s semiconductor capacity to the US, Taiwan officials have told the US, according to Taiwan vice-premier Cheng Li-chiun in an interview with local broadcaster Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3343070/taiwan-says-proposal-move-40-its-chipmaking-capacity-us-impossible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3343070/taiwan-says-proposal-move-40-its-chipmaking-capacity-us-impossible?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Khushboo Razdan Xinmei Shen,Khushboo Razdan The White House’s top trade official has accused Beijing of “weaponising” its dominance in critical minerals, pledging that the US will use pricing, tariffs, and industrial policy to ensure its entire critical minerals supply chain is in the hands of America and its allies. Speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Tuesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the US needed to mine, process and refine critical minerals, and called on its allies to do... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342305/top-us-trade-official-spells-out-plan-break-chinas-grip-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342305/top-us-trade-official-spells-out-plan-break-chinas-grip-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:13:26 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea is bracing for prolonged US tariff pressure after last week’s emergency talks in Washington failed to yield a breakthrough, exposing the growing uncertainty that has come to define trade ties under US President Donald Trump. Korean Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan returned home empty-handed on Sunday after two rounds of meetings with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, fuelling concern in Seoul that negotiations could drag on until the US midterm elections later this year. Trump... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342130/tariff-pain-looms-south-korea-after-us-talks-hit-deadlock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342130/tariff-pain-looms-south-korea-after-us-talks-hit-deadlock?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Seeking to blunt China’s dominance over critical minerals that underpin hi-tech manufacturing, the administration of US President Donald Trump is rolling out a slate of measures this week aimed at reducing US reliance on Beijing. A White House official confirmed to the South China Morning Post that Trump has launched a US$12 billion public-private initiative to build a large commercial stockpile of critical minerals titled “Project Vault”. The project is being billed as a strategic reserve... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3342151/trump-administration-unveil-12-billion-push-curb-chinas-grip-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3342151/trump-administration-unveil-12-billion-push-curb-chinas-grip-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:33:37 +0000 Ann Cao,Iris Deng Ann Cao,Iris Deng In the world’s biggest wholesale electronics marketplace in the bustling Huaqiangbei district of the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, memory is the new gold. On a Tuesday in January, a merchant surnamed Ye held up a list of prices that looked more appropriate for luxury goods than humble computer parts. A pair of 32-gigabyte, 6000-megahertz Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) memory sticks was priced at 6,878 yuan (US$990) – having shot up nearly fivefold since September. “In my over 10 years in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341762/how-hair-raising-prices-memory-chips-could-take-chinas-top-makers-new-heights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341762/how-hair-raising-prices-memory-chips-could-take-chinas-top-makers-new-heights?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Justice Department on Friday published millions of ‌new files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including emails that show Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s commerce secretary, apparently visited Epstein’s private island for lunch years after he claimed to have cut off ties. Todd ‍Blanche, the US deputy attorney general, said Friday’s massive batch of documents marked the end of the Trump administration’s planned releases under a law passed in November that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341898/us-justice-department-releases-3-million-more-pages-epstein-files?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341898/us-justice-department-releases-3-million-more-pages-epstein-files?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:32:05 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will reinstate 25 per cent tariffs on South Korea is less indicative of a sudden rupture in relations but more an attempt to reassert leverage over an ally ahead of a critical US Supreme Court ruling, analysts say. Trump has accused South Korea of failing to follow through on a bilateral trade deal, reviving trade tensions between two close allies and prompting Seoul to seek urgent talks with Washington. The timing also reflected Trump’s mounting... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341385/trump-pressuring-south-korea-lock-deal-us-court-can-strike-down-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341385/trump-pressuring-south-korea-lock-deal-us-court-can-strike-down-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:47:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump stole the show at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but he may have also made the annual gabfest of the global elite relevant again – at least for a week. The relevance of the gathering of CEOs and political leaders in the Swiss Alps is regularly questioned by critics who deride it as an out-of-touch echo chamber where little gets done. But all eyes were on this year’s Davos as Trump barrelled into town with a geopolitical storm hanging over the picturesque ski resort,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341046/how-trump-stole-show-davos-and-revived-wef-never-been-more-relevant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341046/how-trump-stole-show-davos-and-revived-wef-never-been-more-relevant?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:42:10 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s opposition parties are stepping up criticism of the island’s government over a controversial economic deal with the United States, warning that what officials portray as a tariff win could carry heavy long-term costs for the island’s economy and industrial base. The cabinet on Tuesday released further details of the agreement, which allows Taiwan to secure a 15 per cent reciprocal tariff rate. The rate is down from a previously proposed 20 per cent and broadly in line with Japan, South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340583/taiwan-pressure-builds-over-us-deal-critics-question-true-cost-us-tariff-cut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340583/taiwan-pressure-builds-over-us-deal-critics-question-true-cost-us-tariff-cut?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:04:32 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao The shortages and associated price increase in the global memory chip sector could potentially intensify, as the US government threatened to impose hefty new tariffs on some major foreign manufacturers. Speaking at Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony for Micron Technology’s US$100 billion factory in New York, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned that memory chipmakers – without naming any company – had two options: “They can pay 100 per cent tariff, or they can build in America.” Lutnick... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340428/global-memory-chip-crunch-set-intensify-amid-trumps-new-industrial-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340428/global-memory-chip-crunch-set-intensify-amid-trumps-new-industrial-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Fifty Shades of Grey is one of the most tediously boring films I have ever watched. But I do admit being mildly amused watching the young Dakota Johnson being “punished”, and then having to say thank you. I am reminded of the erotic Hollywood blockbuster after reading about Taiwan’s latest tariff deal with the United States, which is not so much an agreement as complete capitulation, and then having to say “thank you, master” to the White House under Donald Trump. There ought to be a separate... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3340338/taiwan-has-just-sold-out-tsmc-and-half-its-chips-industry-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3340338/taiwan-has-just-sold-out-tsmc-and-half-its-chips-industry-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 13:30:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has secured a US deal slashing export tariffs to 15 per cent after more than nine months of talks, with Taipei hailing the result as a “home run” that will put the island on an equal footing with Japan and South Korea. But observers and opposition parties have raised sharp concerns over Taiwan’s commitment to invest up to US$500 billion in the United States in exchange for the tariff cut. The arrangement could hollow out Taiwan’s industrial base – particularly its prized semiconductor... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340216/taipei-hails-us-15-tariffs-home-run-despite-fears-over-us500-billion-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340216/taipei-hails-us-15-tariffs-home-run-despite-fears-over-us500-billion-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:23:48 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Blending economic nationalism with geopolitical leverage, US President Donald Trump’s top trade official delivered a pointed message to Taiwan shortly after Washington announced an ambitious deal on Thursday to bring critical technology manufacturing, including semiconductors, back to the United States. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick framed the massive reshoring initiative as not just a business transaction, but as a strategic imperative for Taiwan to maintain favour with the “America... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3340075/lutnick-warns-taiwan-keep-trump-happy-us500-billion-chip-deal-draws-china-rebuke?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3340075/lutnick-warns-taiwan-keep-trump-happy-us500-billion-chip-deal-draws-china-rebuke?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:52:49 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese companies are expected to shoulder higher costs for deploying advanced chips from the US, owing to a new 25 per cent tariff imposed by Washington on select high-performance semiconductors, according to analysts. The administration of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the new import duties on advanced artificial intelligence chips covered Nvidia’s H200 and Advanced Micro Devices’ MI325X graphics processing units, as well as their equivalent products and derivatives. According to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3340035/chinese-firms-incur-higher-costs-deploying-advanced-ai-chips-us-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3340035/chinese-firms-incur-higher-costs-deploying-advanced-ai-chips-us-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow US President Donald Trump will seek critical-mineral deals with other countries, rather than immediately imposing tariffs, as he strives to loosen China’s stranglehold on global supplies. Trump intends to “negotiate agreements with foreign nations to ensure the United States has adequate critical mineral supplies and to mitigate the supply chain vulnerabilities as quickly as possible”, he said in a proclamation released on Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3340013/trump-tackles-chinas-rare-earth-grip-talks-instead-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3340013/trump-tackles-chinas-rare-earth-grip-talks-instead-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:04:15 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump has put allies and trade partners on notice, invoking national security powers to ease China’s chokehold on critical minerals, warning global suppliers to negotiate agreements to secure reliable, diversified supplies for the US or face new trade barriers, including tariffs. In a proclamation signed on Wednesday, the “America first” president declared that the US’ reliance on foreign-processed critical minerals poses a national security threat. He directed US Trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339939/trump-sets-180-day-deadline-counter-chinas-control-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339939/trump-sets-180-day-deadline-counter-chinas-control-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:09:22 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump’s White House trade adviser predicted American industrial breakthroughs would help boost domestic production and eliminate China’s market dominance of rare earths. “China has been flexing its muscles now in Europe, in India, in the United States saying, basically, we’re gonna do what we want, and if you try to stop us, we’re gonna take away your critical minerals,” Peter Navarro said in an interview on Bloomberg’s The Mishal Husain Show. “Because they have, they think... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339243/us-will-end-chinas-dominance-rare-earths-trump-adviser-navarro-predicts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339243/us-will-end-chinas-dominance-rare-earths-trump-adviser-navarro-predicts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:19:42 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo If you ever question why Beijing is wise to have kept China’s richest in line, just take a look at those unbound American billionaires who run the current government under Donald Trump. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, and his small circle of multibillionaires have an outsize influence on the public policies and agendas of the United States. They are practically a law unto themselves. Last week, Bloomberg dropped a bombshell on Tesla, of which Musk is CEO. “This reporting turned up at least... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3337955/how-elon-musk-and-his-merry-band-billionaires-run-united-states?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3337955/how-elon-musk-and-his-merry-band-billionaires-run-united-states?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 15:53:29 +0000 Raymond Ma Raymond Ma Subscribers: The Daily Pulse won’t be published December 24-26. We resume publication on Monday, December 29. Merry Christmas! The US trade war and the rise of artificial intelligence start-ups were among the biggest topics affecting China in 2025. Policymakers also worked to boost domestic consumption and unveiled proposals for a new five-year plan. Other newsworthy events included a huge military parade in Beijing, the commissioning of China’s third aircraft carrier and a deadly housing estate... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3331922/scmp-plus-year-review-2025-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3331922/scmp-plus-year-review-2025-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng When US President Donald Trump first proposed his “gold card” programme earlier this year, offering permanent residency to the super-rich, Beijing-based emigration consultant Jack Jing received unsolicited inquiries from seven high-net-worth families. But that initial enthusiasm quickly waned after the application details were released last week. None of his clients plan to apply in the near term, said Jing, general manager of the migration service provider WellTrend, who has decades of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3336795/wealthy-chinese-appear-shun-trumps-gold-card-immigration-programme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3336795/wealthy-chinese-appear-shun-trumps-gold-card-immigration-programme?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said he was unsure whether China would accept the company’s H200 artificial intelligence chips should the United States relax restrictions on sales of the processors, following a meeting Wednesday with US President Donald Trump. Addressing reporters at the US Capitol, Huang said he and Trump talked about export controls but declined to offer specifics. The Nvidia chief’s meeting with the president comes after Trump administration officials discussed... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3335119/nvidias-huang-not-sure-if-china-would-accept-its-h200-chips-he-says-after-trump-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3335119/nvidias-huang-not-sure-if-china-would-accept-its-h200-chips-he-says-after-trump-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 22:26:28 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Both China and the European Union have signalled that a dispute over semiconductor maker Nexperia should be resolved at the corporate level, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce, as affected countries continue to seek a solution to supply-chain disruptions. The push for a corporate resolution came after two separate video conferences that Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had on Wednesday – with German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and European Commissioner for Trade Maros... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334389/china-eu-push-nexperia-and-chinese-owner-end-corporate-dispute-amid-chip-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3334389/china-eu-push-nexperia-and-chinese-owner-end-corporate-dispute-amid-chip-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:00:20 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham As they look to keep the United States engaged in Ukraine and push for lower trade tariffs, EU ministers lobbied their US counterparts for joint policies on China on Monday – even as new public opinion polling shows a waning appetite for such a partnership. The China carrot was dangled by successive ministers ahead of and after a meeting of the bloc’s trade council in Brussels, which was attended by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. This is despite... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334031/eu-ministers-court-trump-joint-china-policy-even-public-scepticism-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334031/eu-ministers-court-trump-joint-china-policy-even-public-scepticism-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan The first test for a much-celebrated US–China trade truce is looming. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hopes to finalise a rare earth deal by next week’s Thanksgiving holiday, but experts say a breakthrough is unlikely as the two sides maintain sharply different narratives of what was discussed and agreed on key issues. From rare earths to soybeans, three weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, were photographed smiling and shaking hands after a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3333764/us-china-fragile-truce-divergent-accounts-and-thanksgiving-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3333764/us-china-fragile-truce-divergent-accounts-and-thanksgiving-test?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:52:07 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han A senior US Democrat is urging the Commerce Department to investigate four Chinese semiconductor firms potentially tied to Dutch chipmaker Nexperia, warning they could threaten the safety and reliability of components used in cars across the US and its allies. The request marks the latest twist in the turmoil surrounding the Chinese-owned firm, which has become a flashpoint in broader disputes involving China, Europe, and the US, following months of internal conflicts, regulatory intervention... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3333456/top-democrat-demands-us-probe-4-chinese-firms-potentially-supplying-nexperia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3333456/top-democrat-demands-us-probe-4-chinese-firms-potentially-supplying-nexperia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:27:17 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen With smiles, firm handshakes and warm gestures, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump set a cordial, friendly tone before their historic summit. More than an hour and a half later, they emerged from their first face-to-face encounter in six years with the same genial manner. In front of reporters before the meeting in Busan, South Korea, a grinning Trump said “Good to see you again” as the two leaders shook hands. “Me too,” Xi replied through an interpreter. Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330929/charm-whispers-and-pats-back-xi-and-trump-break-summit-ice-loads-warmth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330929/charm-whispers-and-pats-back-xi-and-trump-break-summit-ice-loads-warmth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:19:06 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier As US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attempt to stabilise US-China trade relations on Thursday, a major problem unlikely to go away, no matter what the outcome, is the disjointed signalling and mixed messaging coming out of Washington, undercutting trust and confidence that any deal will even be implemented, say analysts and former officials. While governments worldwide face coordination problems, experts say the Trump administration is particularly prone to this. Also... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330690/will-trumps-love-unpredictability-and-contradictions-hinder-negotiations-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330690/will-trumps-love-unpredictability-and-contradictions-hinder-negotiations-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 21:43:29 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong When Beijing expanded its rare earth export controls earlier this month, it appeared to mark a fresh escalation in the US-China trade war. But for many observers, the dispute actually began over a week earlier – and its trigger was not a Chinese action, but an American one. Though it drew little fanfare at the time, the decision by the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to widen its trade blacklists in late September has had far-reaching effects. It not only pushed Beijing to take... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329680/how-single-rule-change-sparked-major-flare-us-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329680/how-single-rule-change-sparked-major-flare-us-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:14 +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 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong Top Seoul officials are visiting Washington amid signs of major progress in tough trade negotiations, although analysts warn that a coerced deal could severely damage South Korea’s economy. Kim Yong-bum, policy chief of the presidential staff, and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan left for Washington on Thursday to join Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo. The delegation plans to meet US counterparts to finalise details of South Korea’s US$350 billion investment... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3329211/south-korea-us-edge-closer-us350-billion-trade-deal-breakthrough-gap-has-narrowed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3329211/south-korea-us-edge-closer-us350-billion-trade-deal-breakthrough-gap-has-narrowed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 05:50:35 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Singapore’s government has reinforced its bottomline of zero tolerance for the politics of race and religion as well as foreign interference, arguing that such elements should be rejected swiftly. In parliament on Tuesday, Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh and Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam disagreed on the “timing” and “substance” of the WP in rejecting election endorsements by a self-styled Islamic preacher Noor Deros and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS)... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329017/singapore-doubles-down-zero-tolerance-identity-politics-foreign-interference?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329017/singapore-doubles-down-zero-tolerance-identity-politics-foreign-interference?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 13:51:39 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s pledge to support Washington’s re-industrialisation drive and “help make America great again” has reignited debate over how far Taipei should go in aligning with US objectives. Lawmakers, scholars and business leaders have warned that excessive reliance on Washington could hollow out Taiwan’s industrial base and weaken its geopolitical leverage, underscoring the Lai administration’s delicate balancing act in a shifting global order. Lai expressed support... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328632/william-lais-pledge-help-make-america-great-again-stirs-debate-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328632/william-lais-pledge-help-make-america-great-again-stirs-debate-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 12:00:07 +0000 Zhou Xiaoming Zhou Xiaoming In what Martin Wolf at the Financial Times called “pure gangsterism”, US President Donald Trump has extracted pledged investments of at least US$1.5 trillion from America’s trading partners. This amounts to the Marshall Plan in reverse. The scheme Washington initiated in 1947 essentially provided economic aid to Europe and later Japan. Of the US$13 billion provided, 90 per cent were grants. But in the US-Japan trade deal, seen as a political trophy for Trump, money will flow in the other... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3328264/trump-shaking-down-us-trade-partners-reverse-marshall-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3328264/trump-shaking-down-us-trade-partners-reverse-marshall-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Raymond Ma Raymond Ma Taiwan rejected the idea of splitting semiconductor production “50-50” with the United States amid concerns that such a move could undermine the island’s defences against mainland aggression. “Taiwan has never made any commitment on a ‘50-50’ division, and we will not agree to such terms in the future,” Vice-Premier Cheng Li-chun said on Thursday. Cheng led the island’s negotiating team through five rounds of US trade talks. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick earlier said he pitched the idea... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3327776/taiwan-rejects-us-chip-split-five-year-plan-meeting-golden-week-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3327776/taiwan-rejects-us-chip-split-five-year-plan-meeting-golden-week-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 09:00:34 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has sought to ease public fears that its prized chip industry could be hollowed out following US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s call for semiconductor manufacturing to be evenly divided between the island and the United States. Taiwanese Vice-Premier Cheng Li-chun said on Thursday that Taiwan’s negotiating team had never promised Washington to evenly split chip production. “Taiwan has never made any commitment on a ‘50-50’ division, and we will not agree to such terms in the future,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327666/taiwan-wont-agree-50-50-chip-split-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327666/taiwan-wont-agree-50-50-chip-split-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese models lag behind their American counterparts in performance, cost, security and adoption, despite their growing global popularity, according to a new report from the US government. Describing Chinese models as “adversary AI”, the report released on Tuesday by the Centre for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Commerce claimed that models such as those from DeepSeek posed risks to AI developers, consumers... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3327613/tech-war-chinese-ai-models-deemed-security-risk-new-us-government-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3327613/tech-war-chinese-ai-models-deemed-security-risk-new-us-government-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Pfizer will cut the price of all prescription drugs in the Medicaid programme for low-income Americans and sell new prescription drugs at a “most favoured nation” price in exchange for tariff relief. Trump also said he expects other drug makers to follow suit. US patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations, and Trump has been pressuring drug makers to lower their prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327440/trump-unveils-pfizer-price-cuts-white-house-presses-drug-makers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327440/trump-unveils-pfizer-price-cuts-white-house-presses-drug-makers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:40:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s H-1B visa crackdown will hasten US firms’ shift of critical work to India, turbocharging the growth of global capability centres (GCCs) that handle operations from finance to research and development, economists and industry insiders say. The world’s fifth-largest economy is home to 1,700 GCCs, or more than half the global tally, having outgrown its tech support origins to become a hub of high-value innovation in areas from the design of luxury car dashboards to drug... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3327428/trumps-h-1b-visa-rules-may-accelerate-us-firms-shift-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3327428/trumps-h-1b-visa-rules-may-accelerate-us-firms-shift-india?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:35:13 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung The US commerce secretary’s remark that semiconductor production should be split “50-50” between the United States and Taiwan has fuelled concerns on the island over Washington’s defence commitment. Howard Lutnick told US cable network NewsNation on Sunday that unless Taiwan moved a significant share of its chip production to America, Washington could not guarantee it would defend the island against an attack from Beijing. Taiwan has long seen its semiconductor industry as a “silicon shield”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327340/has-lutnick-signalled-end-taiwans-silicon-shield-against-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327340/has-lutnick-signalled-end-taiwans-silicon-shield-against-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:00:13 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial It is not the best salesmanship to openly tell your biggest customer you won’t sell them your best products, only inferior ones taking up storage space. And yet, in explaining why US President Donald Trump would let Nvidia and other US tech firms sell chips to China, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pretty much said the same. He explained the firms would only be allowed to sell those worse than their “third-best” chips. Before Nvidia had time to uncork the champagne to celebrate regaining a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3327215/china-forges-own-path-ai-ecosystem-free-us-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3327215/china-forges-own-path-ai-ecosystem-free-us-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov A US lawmaker has called for an inquiry into Anker, China’s leading portable charging device maker, for alleged tariff evasion and potential abuse of trade. Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the US Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, wrote to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick asking him to look into Anker for its “history of selling security equipment that allowed unencrypted video streams to be accessed”. In addition to looking into Anker’s “unfair direct subsidies, we... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3326831/chinas-anker-faces-us-scrutiny-alleged-tariff-evasion-and-security-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3326831/chinas-anker-faces-us-scrutiny-alleged-tariff-evasion-and-security-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 10:00:17 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea is digging in as negotiations stall over a US demand for a staggering US$350 billion in direct investments, a condition that critics warn could plunge Seoul into a financial crisis. President Lee Jae-myung indirectly criticised Washington’s pressure tactics at a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in New York on Wednesday. Stressing that any agreement should make sense commercially, Lee warned against forcing Seoul into a deal that could destabilise its economy. Kim... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326784/south-korea-resists-trumps-us350-billion-trade-demand-amid-financial-crisis-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326784/south-korea-resists-trumps-us350-billion-trade-demand-amid-financial-crisis-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 05:11:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Trump administration released a proposal on Tuesday that would rework the H-1B visa selection process to favour higher-skilled and better-paid workers, according to a related Federal Register notice, a move that follows a White House proclamation on Friday introducing a US$100,000 fee for the visas. The new process, if finalised, would give heavier weight to applications by employers who pay high wages if annual requests for the visas exceed the statutory limit of 85,000, the notice... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326598/trump-admin-proposes-new-h-1b-visa-process-favours-highly-paid-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326598/trump-admin-proposes-new-h-1b-visa-process-favours-highly-paid-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:05:34 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese technology workers in the United States saw their travel plans disrupted and reassessed their future in the world’s biggest economy, after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation requiring companies to pay US$100,000 per year for new H-1B applications. The policy change, which initially appeared vague on who was responsible for paying the fee, prompted H-1B visa holders Selena Tang and her husband to skip their planned Chinese wedding on Tuesday in Wuxi, in eastern Jiangsu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3326586/chinese-tech-workers-miss-mainland-wedding-rethink-plans-amid-h-1b-visa-fee-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3326586/chinese-tech-workers-miss-mainland-wedding-rethink-plans-amid-h-1b-visa-fee-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 12:41:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Panic, confusion and anger reigned as workers on H-1B visas from India and China were forced to abandon travel plans and rush back to the US after President Donald Trump imposed new visa fees in line with his wide-ranging immigration crackdown. Tech companies and banks sent urgent memos to employees, advising them to return before a deadline of 12.01am US Eastern Time on Sunday and telling them not to leave the country. A White House official on Saturday clarified that the order applied only to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326292/trumps-h-1b-visa-fee-chaos-erupts-workers-ditch-holidays-dash-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326292/trumps-h-1b-visa-fee-chaos-erupts-workers-ditch-holidays-dash-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 07:23:35 +0000