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Diplomacy

Diplomacy
Latest news, features and analysis on global diplomatic relations, with a focus on China’s international ties – especially with the US, its Asian neighbours and the European Union.
Open Questions series

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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15
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (centre), Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides (left) and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (right) hold a joint press conference after a trilateral meeting at the Citadel of David Hotel in Jerusalem, on December 22 last year. Photo: EPA
European Union

Israeli spy firm Black Cube involved in Cyprus corruption probe

Black Cube came to prominence in 2017 for its operations aimed at discrediting women who accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.

Bangladesh

Vaccine coverage gaps spur Bangladesh’s deadly measles outbreak

Thailand

Thais celebrate new year despite fuel price shocks delaying travel

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump critique pauses UK handover of Chagos Islands to Mauritius

The Labour government will not include legislation supporting the handover in its parliamentary agenda without support from Washington.

President Donald Trump conducts a news conference in the White House briefing room about the war in Iran, in Washington, US on Monday. Photo: TNS
Pakistan

UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation

As Abu Dhabi signals its displeasure with Islamabad, analysts say other indebted partners will be watching closely.

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Taiwan

Editorial | Cheng’s Beijing visit underscores hope for cross-strait engagement

The rare meeting with Xi is a vital reminder of how the mainland and Taiwan can work together to turn around a fraught relationship.

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US-China trade war

Trump’s tariff powers tested again as court questions ‘deficit’ justification

Court weighs Section 122 tariffs as plaintiffs warn of shifting tactics and judges probe limits of ‘balance of payments’ claims.

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The US Supreme Court ruled in February that Donald Trump could not use emergency powers to impose broad tariffs, reaffirming that such authority rests with Congress. Photo: AdobeStock
China-Latin America relations

China, Russia rally behind Cuba as US squeezes Havana in deepening crisis

‘China is willing to work with the international community to firmly support Cuba,’ said a Beijing spokesperson.

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US, Israel war on Iran

US presses Iran as talks gear up in Pakistan under fragile ceasefire

Vice-President J.D. Vance to lead negotiations in Islamabad as Tehran sets preconditions, Trump warns of military action if diplomacy fails.

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2026 Trump-Xi summit

High fertiliser prices mean more soybeans for farmers – and greater reliance on China

Analysts question the cost of China deploying ‘fertiliser diplomacy’ and boosting soybean purchases ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.

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Fertiliser prices have surged amid global supply disruptions and export curbs, squeezing farmers and reshaping crop decisions. Photo: Shutterstock
Ukraine war

Ukrainians sceptical as Russia’s Putin orders Easter truce

The Kremlin says its forces will stop fighting ‘in all directions’ for 32 hours, and Zelensky says Kyiv is willing to reciprocate.

An Orthodox chaplain sprinkles holy water on a Gara combat drone in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
France

Macron woos Trump to G7 summit with French palace dinner. Will he bite?

An official said the French leader was ‘begging’ the US president to attend the June meeting.

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US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran talks leave Gulf states on edge about the price of peace

The six GCC nations worry that the US will prioritise Tehran’s needs and leave the Gulf monarchies vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

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Taiwan

Xi holds landmark Taiwan meeting, Iran war ceasefire, GDP update

This week: Xi Jinping meets leader of Taiwan’s KMT for first time in nine years, Trump acknowledges China help in Middle East ceasefire, factory-gate prices end three-year decline. Next week: First-quarter GDP data comes out, Spain’s PM returns to China, rugby fans head to Hong Kong Sevens, and more.

KMT head Cheng Li-wun speaks to reporters after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China

As Xi and Trump prepare to meet, the divergence between their visions of global order has never been more acute.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China economy

Opinion | Why Latin America is becoming indispensable to China

Latin America fits Beijing’s need for alternative partners with uncomfortable precision. That is a problem for Washington.

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United States

Russian special envoy in US to meet Trump administration officials: sources

Kirill Dmitriev’s reported trip comes before a US decision on ⁠whether to extend sanctions relief on Russian oil, ‌which expires on Saturday.

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China-Latin America relations

Cattle prices rocket as Brazil set to exhaust Chinese beef quota by May

As Beijing tariff nears, Brazil’s exporters are rapidly reaching their quota for China, forcing South American industry to seek new buyers.

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People shop for beef at a supermarket in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China. Brazil’s beef exporters are rapidly filling their quota for China, leaving them now seeking new buyers. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
War and conflict

Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

What may be coming is neither stable peace nor uninterrupted war, but something in between: a prolonged condition of managed instability.

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US-China relations

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

As Trump loomed large in both Iran war and subsequent pause, analysts weigh the importance of rhetoric vs results in his talks with China.

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War and conflict

Opinion | China’s role in the Iran-US ceasefire reflects its strategic distance

In taking a back seat in de-escalation efforts with Pakistan, China is decoupling its influence from responsibility.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning answers questions from journalists regarding US attacks on Iran, on March 2, in Beijing. Photo: dpa
2026 Trump-Xi summit

Trump-Xi summit set for limited trade-focused agenda

US goals for May’s presidential summit focus on stability and specific trade deals rather than an overall relationship reset.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Photo: Reuters
North Korea

‘No one loses’: why North Korea’s Kim may shake hands with Trump again

At the US-China summit, Beijing may act as a go-between to bring Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un to the negotiating table, analysts say.

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Malaysia

Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves in Malaysia

Singapore said it would not be appealing to Iran for access to the strait as transit through crucial trade waterways was a right.

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North Korea

North Korea tests electromagnetic weapon and carbon fibre bomb: state media

Such weapons use electromagnetic energy rather than explosives to disrupt or damage targets, especially electronics infrastructure.

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A screen displays file footage of a North Korean missile test at a train station in Seoul on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
War and conflict

Editorial | World cannot afford a breakdown in US-Iran ceasefire talks

Eleventh-hour pause in hostilities and global instabilities leave no room for any miscalculation that heightens distrust.

People celebrate after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, in Tehran, on April 8. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump has a ceasefire with Iran. But a confrontation with Congress looms

Two-week truce with Tehran leaves Trump mere days to finalise a deal before a legal cut-off triggers a high-stakes clash with US Congress.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Strait of Hormuz: is a Trump‑Iran joint venture really possible?

With regime change increasingly out of reach, the US president may pivot towards a business deal with Tehran’s fractured leadership.

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