https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325340/feed 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. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Albee Zhang Albee Zhang For nearly five decades, the United States’ Taiwan policy has centred on strategic ambiguity by not declaring whether it would intervene militarily in a potential Taiwan conflict. This policy – designed to deter Beijing from using force while preventing Taipei from formally declaring independence – is being challenged by realist US strategists amid a broader debate over America’s role in the world, growing constraints on US military might and a shifting regional balance of power driven by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370765/best-time-us-strategists-push-abandoning-ambiguity-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370765/best-time-us-strategists-push-abandoning-ambiguity-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military has rejected calls to restore direct communication channels with its Chinese counterpart, despite warnings from Beijing that their absence risks “miscalculation” during confrontations and could further escalate tensions in the South China Sea. On Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it would not communicate with its Chinese counterpart in advance of its maritime operations, arguing that such channels were ineffective without mutual respect for international... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370778/philippines-rejects-chinas-calls-direct-contact-amid-miscalculation-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370778/philippines-rejects-chinas-calls-direct-contact-amid-miscalculation-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:35:57 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji US President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports and allow fresh supplies to reach global markets could give India greater leverage in its own dispute with Washington over discounted crude purchases, analysts said. Beyond the energy dispute, they said the move could also open up diplomatic opportunities for New Delhi, from pressing for more consistent treatment by Washington to building on its efforts to help negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Under the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370749/india-gain-trumps-russian-diesel-deal-offers-delhi-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370749/india-gain-trumps-russian-diesel-deal-offers-delhi-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:15 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa US President Donald Trump said he has appointed conservative commentator and Truth Social communications adviser Katie Zacharia as his new press secretary. “She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of Maga!” Trump posted on social media. “I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she has the respect of, and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3370714/meet-trumps-new-press-secretary-katie-zacharias-husband-tyler-whos-film-producer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3370714/meet-trumps-new-press-secretary-katie-zacharias-husband-tyler-whos-film-producer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi As missiles and drones take a bigger role in modern warfare, major defence contractors gathered in Washington this week to showcase their latest advances in the technologies – and systems to counter them. The three-day Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, which opened on Monday, is one of the largest ground-based weapons shows in the US. This year there was a strong emphasis on air and missile defence systems, reflecting growing concern about how to counter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3370663/systems-counter-missiles-and-drones-take-centre-stage-us-defence-expo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3370663/systems-counter-missiles-and-drones-take-centre-stage-us-defence-expo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Nato’s top military commander said the alliance is “ready to fight tonight” if it is attacked, as European officials warn Russia could test Nato’s defences with increased covert attacks or a limited military incursion. European nations have in recent months faced an escalation of covert Russian activity, including an arson attack on an Estonian defence company and a failed attempt to attack a Ukrainian aircraft at a German airport. If Russia decides to attack Nato, the alliance will respond by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3370653/natos-top-commander-says-alliance-does-not-want-war-ready-fight-tonight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3370653/natos-top-commander-says-alliance-does-not-want-war-ready-fight-tonight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:25:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The European Union will on Tuesday open new negotiation chapters with Ukraine, an essential step in Kyiv’s long path to join the bloc. Ukrainian lawmakers on Monday passed legislation protecting the rights of national minorities, which removes a major hurdle in Kyiv’s bid for membership. The status of the Hungarian-speaking minority in western Ukraine had long caused tensions with Budapest and Hungary had blocked Ukraine’s EU membership bid, officially submitted days after Russia’s full-scale... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370647/ukraines-eu-accession-bid-advances-after-kyiv-passes-minority-rights-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370647/ukraines-eu-accession-bid-advances-after-kyiv-passes-minority-rights-law?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:41:16 +0000 Dewey Sim,Alyssa Chen Dewey Sim,Alyssa Chen China is likely to view the latest US dealings with Russia as “transactional”, according to observers, who said Beijing was likely to wait and see what the longer-term impact would be given the possibility that Donald Trump might abruptly change course again. The US president announced that under a deal with Vladimir Putin, Russia would “immediately” supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets. He wrote on social media that another 500,000 tonnes would follow in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370620/why-china-likely-be-cautious-about-recent-trump-putin-diesel-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370620/why-china-likely-be-cautious-about-recent-trump-putin-diesel-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Azerbaijan and three Balkan countries amid Beijing’s push to shore up its trade corridors and geopolitical influence in the regions. Wang will attend the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday “as special representative of President Xi Jinping”, according to China’s foreign ministry. Aside from Azerbaijan, Beijing’s top diplomat will visit Croatia, Montenegro and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370626/chinas-top-diplomat-visit-azerbaijan-croatia-montenegro-and-bulgaria-boost-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370626/chinas-top-diplomat-visit-azerbaijan-croatia-montenegro-and-bulgaria-boost-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:11:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are considering firing US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after a series of reports alleging she has engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens. A senior US official said on Sunday that Trump and Rubio are “extremely p***** off” by Guilfoyle’s reported conduct and are likely to decide on what action to take this week after Monday’s Columbus Day holiday. The official, who spoke on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370518/trump-rubio-consider-firing-us-envoy-greece-after-mounting-reports-improper-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370518/trump-rubio-consider-firing-us-envoy-greece-after-mounting-reports-improper-conduct?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:41:21 +0000 Gaurav Kumar Gaurav Kumar Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi three times in the past three years. Indian pilgrims are back at Kailash, the Tibetan mountain sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Air China has restarted flights to New Delhi. But can trust grow between two armies that meet only in a crisis? And why does the Pentagon now talk to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) more easily than India’s army does? In September, Xi made his first visit to India in nearly seven years; Beijing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370226/despite-china-india-thaw-military-relations-are-stuck-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370226/despite-china-india-thaw-military-relations-are-stuck-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters Republican and Democratic US senators called on President Donald ⁠Trump on Sunday to “reverse course” on his diesel supply deal with Russia, saying it runs counter to US law barring imports of energy until Russia ends its aggression against Ukraine. “Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,” the seven senators – four of Trump’s fellow Republicans and three Democrats – said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370512/trumps-russian-diesel-deal-may-be-illegal-says-prominent-republican-senator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370512/trumps-russian-diesel-deal-may-be-illegal-says-prominent-republican-senator?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 17:15:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump has sowed more confusion, announcing an “energy ceasefire” between Ukraine and Russia that sparked astonishment in Kyiv, silence from Moscow and support from Ukraine’s Western allies. But the ceasefire appeared shaky at best as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia struck multiple Ukrainian power plants on Sunday, including one in the capital and another in Kharkiv, leading to power outages and outrage. Trump’s announcement on Sunday came two days after he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370510/trump-says-russia-ukraine-agree-energy-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370510/trump-says-russia-ukraine-agree-energy-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 15:12:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Polish police are investigating after arresting a man suspected of plotting an attack against Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the interior ministry said on Sunday. Searches were continuing at the suspect’s home, ministry spokeswoman Karolina Galecka said, adding: “information about this man will of course then be verified by the police”. This came after Tusk and Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said that a suspect had been detained. “The man... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370502/poland-probes-suspected-assassination-attempts-pm-defence-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370502/poland-probes-suspected-assassination-attempts-pm-defence-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:18:31 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The denuclearisation of North Korea has become an “increasingly improbable” goal and the United States and its allies should move beyond it to devote their diplomatic efforts to talks on arms limitations and crisis communication, the director of the US-based North Korean analysis website 38 North said. Recalling the 20 years since North Korea carried out its first nuclear test on October 9, 2006, Jenny Town said in a written interview that “a pivotal moment” in Pyongyang’s weapons development... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3370470/denuclearising-north-korea-would-defy-history-us-allies-missed-boat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3370470/denuclearising-north-korea-would-defy-history-us-allies-missed-boat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 04:00:19 +0000 dpa dpa US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of rejecting multiple opportunities to end the war with Russia. “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday. “Zelensky could have settled this war many times, many many times, and he chooses not to,” Trump said. The US president suggested that Ukrainians should choose a new leader capable of negotiating an agreement to end the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3370462/trump-demands-ukraine-get-new-president-lashes-out-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3370462/trump-demands-ukraine-get-new-president-lashes-out-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:31:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday postponed legislative elections due next month until September 11, 2027, and called a presidential poll for the same date, blaming Israel and ‌the security situation in the Palestinian territories for the delay. Abbas’ decree cited “obstacles posed by Israeli measures” and the need to establish suitable political, security and on-the-ground conditions for “free, fair and inclusive elections”, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370455/palestinian-leader-abbas-postpones-elections-september-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370455/palestinian-leader-abbas-postpones-elections-september-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 15:09:00 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, a day after US President Donald Trump announced a deal to buy Russian diesel that Kyiv warned would help bankroll Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Three children were among those killed when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said on Saturday. At least 18 people were wounded in the attack. Missiles also struck Kyiv in a daytime... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370451/russian-attacks-kill-15-ukraine-after-trump-strikes-diesel-deal-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370451/russian-attacks-kill-15-ukraine-after-trump-strikes-diesel-deal-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 12:25:26 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong Last month, President Xi Jinping travelled to New Delhi to attend the Brics summit – his first visit in seven years. On the summit’s sidelines, Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an in-depth conversation that explored topics of shared interest between them, such as leveraging open-weight artificial intelligence (AI) for mutual benefit. Even so, such sanguine signals were soon drowned out by a spate of downbeat headlines. One recent story warned of the “asymmetric” relationship... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370033/modi-and-xi-cant-bridge-india-china-divide-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370033/modi-and-xi-cant-bridge-india-china-divide-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 01:30:04 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim When China and the United States agreed in May to frame their relationship as a “constructive relationship of strategic stability”, the phrase left many observers trying to guess what it actually meant. Four months on, they have added an elaboration that offers further insight into the two sides’ respective priorities. After presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met in Washington last month, the two sides pledged to build a “constructive relationship of strategic stability on the basis of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370323/what-are-concerns-and-priorities-behind-new-language-used-define-china-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370323/what-are-concerns-and-priorities-behind-new-language-used-define-china-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth The Port of Los Angeles, the largest container port in the United States and the country’s leading gateway for imports from China and other Asian countries, had its busiest three-month period on record from July through to September, despite persistent uncertainty over tariffs and shifting global trade supply chains. “If there was ever a time for a drum roll, this is it,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, during a media briefing on Friday. “July through September... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370410/key-us-port-china-imports-records-best-ever-quarter-despite-trade-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370410/key-us-port-china-imports-records-best-ever-quarter-despite-trade-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 20:54:02 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong US President Donald Trump has opened the American market to Russian diesel, reversing years of sanctions pressure on Moscow just three weeks after signing a law to punish buyers of its energy, as record fuel prices threaten his party in next month’s midterm elections. Trump said on Truth Social on Friday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had reached the supply deal in a phone call that had been expected to focus on suspected plague cases in Russia. According to Trump, Russia will... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370409/trump-says-us-get-diesel-russia-stunning-bid-ease-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370409/trump-says-us-get-diesel-russia-stunning-bid-ease-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 19:23:30 +0000 Patrick Mendis Patrick Mendis As Russian President Vladimir Putin watched the final stage of the massive Tsentr-2026 military exercise in the Urals recently, Chinese troops were training alongside forces from Russia, Belarus and other countries. More than 47,000 military personnel joined the exercise, which incorporated lessons from the war in Ukraine. The symbolism extends beyond Chelyabinsk. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to Chinese military exercises with Belarus – and now China’s participation alongside Russian and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370030/us-japan-poland-strategic-triangle-can-encourage-peaceful-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370030/us-japan-poland-strategic-triangle-can-encourage-peaceful-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Flavio Bolsonaro said he would work with the US and China if he becomes Brazil’s president, after a surprise election performance left him poised to join a wave of conservative leaders pushing Latin America closer to Washington. “I’m not going to pick sides,” Bolsonaro said at an event in Brasilia on Thursday. “My side will be the Brazilian people, whether we’re dealing with China, Israel, the Middle East, Argentina or India. It doesn’t matter. That’s how I’m going to govern.” Bolsonaro finished... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370246/flavio-bolsonaro-says-he-would-work-china-and-us-brazils-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370246/flavio-bolsonaro-says-he-would-work-china-and-us-brazils-president?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 23:37:31 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States has downgraded Hong Kong to the lowest tier in its annual human trafficking report, citing shortcomings in prosecutions and victim identification, an assessment the city’s government rejected as “entirely unfounded”. The US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released on Thursday, moved Hong Kong from the Tier 2 Watch List, where it had been listed for two consecutive years, to Tier 3. That places the city alongside mainland China and Macau among 20... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370244/hong-kong-rejects-us-downgrade-lowest-tier-human-trafficking-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370244/hong-kong-rejects-us-downgrade-lowest-tier-human-trafficking-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:43:50 +0000 Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Educational and cultural exchanges have become a new casualty of rising tensions between the Philippines and China. About 150 Chinese teachers have left the Philippines months after Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr renewed warnings that such people-to-people ties could pose security concerns. Families of volunteer instructors have expressed safety concerns. Beyond disrupting classes and potentially harming tourism in the Philippines, this could further narrow interaction between the two... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3369991/national-security-must-not-kill-philippines-china-academic-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3369991/national-security-must-not-kill-philippines-china-academic-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Han Li Han Li The Trump administration is launching an investigation into nine US universities over alleged J-1 visa fraud, with officials raising concerns about Chinese scholars and the Chinese government. The J-1 programme covers exchange visitors including international researchers, scholars and students, who may receive temporary authorisation to work or conduct research in the US. At a Thursday press conference, Anthony D’Esposito, inspector general of the US Department of Labor, announced what he called... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3370239/us-investigates-9-universities-over-alleged-visa-fraud-focus-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3370239/us-investigates-9-universities-over-alleged-visa-fraud-focus-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:05:23 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Washington’s policy towards Taiwan is increasingly tied to its relationship with Beijing, according to former American officials who also warn that the war on Iran is weakening US military readiness for a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. During a fireside chat in an annual symposium hosted by the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington on Wednesday, Brent Christensen, former director of the Taipei Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said Washington’s policy towards the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3370204/washingtons-transactional-taiwan-policy-puts-indo-pacific-risk-ex-us-officials-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3370204/washingtons-transactional-taiwan-policy-puts-indo-pacific-risk-ex-us-officials-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:00:21 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A second visit by one of the top US naval officers to India this year has raised expectations that the two countries can insulate their growing military ties from trade tensions. US Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, who leads the US Pacific Command, is scheduled to leave India on Thursday after spending six days meeting with senior Indian defence officials and others. The talks, which follow Paparo’s visit to India in February, come as Washington weighs further tariff pressure on India over its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370206/india-aims-anchor-military-ties-us-indo-pacific-resident-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370206/india-aims-anchor-military-ties-us-indo-pacific-resident-power?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump pressed Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during last month’s summit to end a deep freeze in relations with Japan’s Sanae Takaichi, the South China Morning Post reported. Trump raised Japan’s grievances over Chinese restrictions imposed following Takaichi’s comment in November that the Japanese military might intervene in the event of conflict in the Taiwan Strait, according to Thursday’s report, which cited people familiar with the discussions. Beijing regards Taiwan as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370186/trump-pushed-xi-end-japan-freeze-chinese-leader-unmoved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370186/trump-pushed-xi-end-japan-freeze-chinese-leader-unmoved?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:11:27 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday said Malaysia would do “whatever is possible” to strengthen cooperation with Myanmar and fully reintegrate the diplomatically isolated nation into the Asean fold. The pledge came during an unusually high-profile official welcome for Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, despite Malaysia’s position that such engagement does not amount to recognition of his government. Min Aung Hlaing inspected a guard of honour in Putrajaya before holding private talks with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370161/anwars-push-return-myanmar-asean-sparks-criticism-over-weakened-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370161/anwars-push-return-myanmar-asean-sparks-criticism-over-weakened-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:16:15 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Dewey Sim Finbarr Bermingham,Dewey Sim German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is planning to visit China in the coming weeks, even as relations between the two countries sour over trade, according to multiple sources familiar with the arrangement. It will mark the first official visit to China since 2018 for Steinmeier, a former foreign minister whose decade-long tenure as president ends in March next year. The visit will coincide with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trips to Japan and South Korea this month. When asked about the visit... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370140/german-president-steinmeier-targets-china-trip-berlin-sharpens-trade-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370140/german-president-steinmeier-targets-china-trip-berlin-sharpens-trade-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:06:24 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon said he was 90 per cent certain that China already had spies inside both US artificial intelligence (AI) companies, without providing evidence. Coxon made the allegation in an interview with entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David on the PBD Podcast, arguing that China could steal advances from leading US AI labs and quickly close any technological gap. “Right now, if we just stopped, they would try and catch up. But I think one really important thing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370108/china-already-has-spies-us-ai-labs-claims-ex-anthropic-researcher?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370108/china-already-has-spies-us-ai-labs-claims-ex-anthropic-researcher?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 23:39:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President ⁠Donald Trump, who waged war ⁠with Iran and has ⁠yet to broker peace in Ukraine, said on Wednesday that he should win the Nobel Peace Prize but acknowledged doubt about his chances. “I don’t know what their decision is going to be,” Trump said of the ‌2026 award, which the Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce on Friday. “They have a reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me.” Since his return to the White House last year, Trump has repeatedly said he deserves what may... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370107/trump-says-he-deserves-nobel-peace-prize-has-doubts-hell-get-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370107/trump-says-he-deserves-nobel-peace-prize-has-doubts-hell-get-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 22:41:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday flexed American power and called on Europe to shake off its “long slumber” in a rousing speech delivered beneath the Acropolis in Athens. “We believe that Europe can awaken from its long slumber and rekindle the fire that was lit here millennia ago,” Rubio said in a speech attended by senior Greek officials at Pnyx hill, praising ancient Greece’s civilisation as the cradle of Western democracy. “Across this continent, we are witnessing what we hope... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370105/rubio-touts-us-power-calls-europe-emerge-slumber?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370105/rubio-touts-us-power-calls-europe-emerge-slumber?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 22:17:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are expected to face new criminal charges ‌in the United States over allegations that Americans detained in Venezuela were tortured, a US official said on Wednesday. The new charges could come as soon as Thursday, according to the official, who was briefed on the investigation. Maduro, who led Venezuela for 13 years, and Flores were captured by the US military from their home in Caracas on January 3 and brought to New York ⁠to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370104/venezuelas-maduro-face-new-us-charges-over-alleged-torture-americans-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370104/venezuelas-maduro-face-new-us-charges-over-alleged-torture-americans-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 20:58:12 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The US Treasury on Wednesday announced its first penalty under rules governing American investment in sensitive Chinese technologies, revealing a US$200,000 fine against the parent of Plug and Play Tech Centre for failing to report an investment in a Shanghai robotics AI company. The Treasury said on Wednesday that Amidi, LLC failed to submit a required notification after its Chinese fund subsidiary invested around US$92,478 in Shanghai Qiongche Intelligent Technology Company Limited, known as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370101/us-issues-first-outbound-investment-fine-over-chinese-robotics-ai-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370101/us-issues-first-outbound-investment-fine-over-chinese-robotics-ai-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:27:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump wants to turn his luxury Florida golf course into retreat for future American leaders modelled on the historic Camp David getaway, the White House said on Wednesday. The plan would make the Trump International Club in West Palm Beach – where the 80-year-old billionaire often spends weekends on the fairway – into an official sanctuary for his successors. “The United States government has asked to look into developing a presidential retreat at Trump International Golf... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370098/trump-wants-turn-florida-golf-course-presidential-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370098/trump-wants-turn-florida-golf-course-presidential-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:00:31 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States has proposed requiring universities and other certified schools to pay US$70,000 for each foreign student entering a post-graduation work programme, a measure that could sharply raise the cost for thousands of Chinese graduates seeking employment experience in the country. The Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that the proposed fee would apply to initial participation in Optional Practical Training, or OPT, with a further US$30,000 charge for subsequent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3370097/us-proposes-us70000-fee-foreign-students-work-after-graduation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3370097/us-proposes-us70000-fee-foreign-students-work-after-graduation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:18:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese contractors will build Latin America’s longest cable-stayed bridge, a trans-bay span in Brazil, as their latest stamp on new infrastructure overseas. A consortium of Chinese companies is set to construct much of the Salvador-Itaparica Bridge, which is due to become the region’s biggest cross-sea project supported by cables once completed in 2031, Chinese and Brazilian media said. They would contribute to a 46.8km (29-mile) project including 12.4km crossing the Bay of All Saints along the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369850/chinese-consortium-build-latin-americas-longest-cable-stayed-bridge-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369850/chinese-consortium-build-latin-americas-longest-cable-stayed-bridge-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Parliament voted for a significantly tougher China position on Wednesday, despite strong and long-standing lobbying from Beijing to tone down its official stance. The chamber backed stronger actions against Beijing, stating it is a “decisive enabler” of Russia, calling for a “continuous [European] naval presence and joint exercises” in and around the Taiwan Strait, and urging swift action to counter Beijing’s industrial policy, which it described as an “existential threat to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370075/no-more-dumping-no-more-spying-european-parliament-hardens-line-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370075/no-more-dumping-no-more-spying-european-parliament-hardens-line-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:48:55 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Los Angeles County prosecutors are seeking bail of US$100 million each for a Chinese-born couple charged on Tuesday with conspiring to abuse young children who were born through surrogacy and raised in their California mansion. Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Zhang, 39, allegedly directed nannies to physically punish the children, watched the beatings through an extensive surveillance system and coached children before police arrived to deny the abuse, according to a felony complaint. At least 14... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3369963/us-seeks-us100-million-bail-each-chinese-born-couple-surrogacy-child-abuse-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3369963/us-seeks-us100-million-bail-each-chinese-born-couple-surrogacy-child-abuse-case?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:59:33 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. The latest meetings between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping ended, yet again, with little to show in the way of a breakthrough. What grabbed international headlines was the pageantry, from Trump’s unprecedented greeting of Xi on the tarmac to a personal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3369758/trump-xi-meeting-mattered-more-was-first-apparent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3369758/trump-xi-meeting-mattered-more-was-first-apparent?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 03:30:06 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The alleged murder of an Okinawan woman by a US marine has raised questions over the American military presence on the island, piling pressure on its newly elected governor just as the prefecture assumes greater importance in Japan’s regional security strategy. Anna Yagi, 39, was found dead at a hotel in Naha in the early hours of Saturday morning. A postmortem determined she died from suffocation. The killing sparked protests the following day, with around 100 people rallying outside the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369802/marines-arrest-murder-japan-fuels-anger-over-us-military-presence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369802/marines-arrest-murder-japan-fuels-anger-over-us-military-presence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The US Justice Department (DOJ) is seeking to revoke the citizenship of a former Navy sailor convicted of spying for China and a Florida man convicted of conspiring to act as an agent of Beijing, it announced on Monday. Jinchao Wei and Ping Li are among 40 people facing denaturalisation actions in what the department described as the largest batch of such filings under the Trump administration. The civil proceedings remain pending, with no determination of liability, the DOJ said. The case... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369845/us-seeks-revoke-citizenship-two-china-born-men-convicted-beijing-linked-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369845/us-seeks-revoke-citizenship-two-china-born-men-convicted-beijing-linked-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:40:59 +0000 Nayan Seth,Han Li Nayan Seth,Han Li The United States has accused mainland China of hiring an American citizen of Chinese origin to surveil the family of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te, days after President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington. The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Sunday arrested 34-year-old Zhang Wanying at Los Angeles International Airport, alleging that she attempted to flee the country and charged her with acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government. The FBI accused her of surveilling... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3369844/us-accuses-mainland-china-targeting-taiwan-leaders-family-surveillance-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3369844/us-accuses-mainland-china-targeting-taiwan-leaders-family-surveillance-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:16:58 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Mainland Chinese prefer coercion over military force to settle the “reunification question” with Taiwan, and their opinion of the US remains low, although they favour engaging with Washington on trade and security. These are the results from the latest survey of mainland citizens, conducted between April 16 and June 26. This straddled the first summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing but came before the second one in Washington last month. “The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369842/mainland-chinese-favour-diplomacy-achieve-taiwan-reunification-caveats-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369842/mainland-chinese-favour-diplomacy-achieve-taiwan-reunification-caveats-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:14:15 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington in September was steeped in pageantry. The Chinese president received two 21-gun salutes in three days, watched a flyover by the powerful B-2 stealth bomber, and viewed the founding documents of American democracy at the National Archives. US President Donald Trump called his summit with Xi a “great meeting” and rated it a “12 out of 10”. Xi was also positive, saying “everything is done to the highest order of perfection, and there is thought in every... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369774/beijing-wanted-more-xis-washington-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369774/beijing-wanted-more-xis-washington-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:00:09 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Bogota mayor Carlos Fernando Galan has called on the Chinese-led consortium building the city’s first metro line to send more workers to its stations, after the country’s top auditor warned that delays in several parts of the project could push back its opening in March 2028. “We are entering a critical stage, which is the final stretch,” Galan said in an interview published by local news magazine Semana on Monday. “We have to ask Metro Linea 1 to get moving and put more staff in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3369839/bogota-mayor-presses-chinese-led-consortium-more-metro-workers-auditors-flag-delays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3369839/bogota-mayor-presses-chinese-led-consortium-more-metro-workers-auditors-flag-delays?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:40:37 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado For more than eight decades, the remains of US fighter pilot Morton Sher lay unrecovered in China. A photograph of a memorial to him in a Hunan village eventually helped investigators find where his plane crashed in 1943. Sher was buried in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, in December 2025, a homecoming that offers a rare example of what US-China cooperation can achieve for families of missing servicemen. That cooperation has now drawn fresh attention. After the recent summit between... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3369832/us-search-missing-airmen-china-gains-new-attention-after-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3369832/us-search-missing-airmen-china-gains-new-attention-after-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:10:35 +0000