https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/505682/feed Talk of economic decoupling between China and the United States, the world's two largest economies, surfaced amid their prolonged trade war, rising tech rivalry and general geopolitical tensions which have edged up in recent years. Decoupling transcends trade and investment and it could mean a peeling back of goods and services trade, divestment from China and the relocation of the American manufacturing presence out of China, but also a fragmentation of the global supply chain. It is believed a... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Kevin Rudd, president of the Asia Society and a former Australian prime minister, described US-China strategic competition as full-on and multidimensional at a Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics event on Friday. “There is a full-blown strategic competition under way in every dimension of national political power and influence, militarily, economically, trade and investment and technology, in foreign policy, in ideology,” said Rudd, a noted China scholar. “It’s across the world,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371990/us-china-strategic-competition-keep-escalating-world-watches-rudd-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371990/us-china-strategic-competition-keep-escalating-world-watches-rudd-says Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:29:03 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Zhang Tong Lucy Quaggin,Zhang Tong The United States is lulling itself into a “sense of false security” over its military rivalry with China, according to a Republican senator who called for more spending on modern warfare systems and closer cooperation with allies. Speaking at the Hudson Institute after a recent trip to Japan and South Korea, Dave McCormick, a Pennsylvania senator and West Point graduate, claimed up to 90 per cent of US defence spending funded decades-old equipment and technologies. “We convince ourselves; we... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371555/china-close-matching-us-spending-new-way-war-republican-senator-warns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371555/china-close-matching-us-spending-new-way-war-republican-senator-warns Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:12:30 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong The US State Department announced on Monday that it was imposing sweeping sanctions under the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act (PAIPA) on five Chinese entities suspected of stealing trade secrets from American companies. The targets include Shanghai Zhisuan Technology, founded by former Google software engineer Ding Linwei, venture capital firm MiraclePlus and three related entities. Ding was convicted of seven counts of trade secret theft in January. A federal judge subsequently... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371434/us-sanctions-5-chinese-entities-over-ex-google-engineers-ai-trade-secrets-theft https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371434/us-sanctions-5-chinese-entities-over-ex-google-engineers-ai-trade-secrets-theft Mon, 19 Oct 2026 22:36:07 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Asian-Americans are laser-focused on the economy and healthcare costs and increasingly disenchanted with US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party leading into the highly consequential November 3 midterm elections, according to a survey released on Monday. While the general trend among Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) mirrors the broader US electorate, the minority community’s views are frequently more pronounced, seen in part because they have been the object of more raids,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3371430/asian-americans-trust-trump-fading-economic-woes-increase-survey-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3371430/asian-americans-trust-trump-fading-economic-woes-increase-survey-finds Mon, 19 Oct 2026 21:26:43 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China has further reduced its holdings of US Treasuries to an 18-year low in August, as it continued to diversify its foreign exchange reserves amid rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over Washington’s fiscal outlook. China’s holdings fell to US$590.7 billion in August, down US$27.3 billion from US$618 billion in July, data released by the US Treasury Department showed on Friday. That marked the lowest total recorded since August 2008, when its holdings tumbled to US$573.7 billion,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371237/china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-18-year-low-august-american-debt-fears-mount https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371237/china-cuts-us-treasury-holdings-18-year-low-august-american-debt-fears-mount Sat, 17 Oct 2026 06:00:17 +0000 Han Li,Ling Xin,Zhang Tong Han Li,Ling Xin,Zhang Tong A US congressional committee has released details of investigations into dozens of researchers, many of them Chinese-American, revealing the scale of government scrutiny sweeping academia over alleged links to China. The documents – running to hundreds of pages – were released alongside a separate report by the House Select Committee on China. Titled “How to Stop China’s Theft of Taxpayer-Funded Research”, the report pushes back against arguments by universities and academic groups that tighter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3371154/new-details-emerge-us-investigations-chinese-american-scientists-over-china-links https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/science-technology/article/3371154/new-details-emerge-us-investigations-chinese-american-scientists-over-china-links Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:00:16 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Zhang Tong Lucy Quaggin,Zhang Tong A Republican lawmaker is requesting the Pentagon blacklist 58 Chinese universities and 62 technology labs as national security threats, a move Beijing calls Cold War-style overreach and critics warn could freeze US-China scientific collaboration and ultimately undermine American innovation itself. In a letter to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar urged the Pentagon to add several prestigious Chinese institutions – some linked to Nvidia,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371212/china-pushes-back-us-lawmaker-seeks-blacklist-universities-and-tech-labs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371212/china-pushes-back-us-lawmaker-seeks-blacklist-universities-and-tech-labs Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:21:54 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Katie Zacharia was “let go” as White House press secretary on Friday, a White House official said, five days into a tenure dominated by questions over her claimed legal career in China, where she said she had passed a bar exam. Her exit came on the same day Beijing invited her to visit China more often, responding to her remark that the country “doesn’t even have proper toilets”. US President Donald Trump said he had urged her to reconsider the job but denied firing her. “I told her: ‘I think... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3371211/trump-casts-doubt-press-secretary-katie-zacharias-future-were-gonna-talk https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3371211/trump-casts-doubt-press-secretary-katie-zacharias-future-were-gonna-talk Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:08:49 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China on Friday unveiled a draft plan to impose new export bans affecting 14 technologies in sectors ranging from artificial intelligence to biotechnology and photovoltaic solar power. The notice – jointly issued by China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology – proposes export bans for a string of AI-related technologies; certain cell and gene therapy technology platforms; and technology for producing certain kinds of solar cell modules. It also lists a further 26... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371149/china-mulls-new-tech-export-bans-covering-ai-biotech-and-solar-power https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371149/china-mulls-new-tech-export-bans-covering-ai-biotech-and-solar-power Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:31:39 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Mia Nurmamat Sylvia Ma,Mia Nurmamat Talk of global decoupling from China has persisted for years, as has speculation that emerging economies such as India and Vietnam could soon replace it as the “world’s factory”. But for Indian hardware engineer Neeraj Arora, the growth of India’s electronics manufacturing industry has not eliminated the need to source components from China. Instead, it has changed the nature of those imports. A decade ago, Arora imported finished phone chargers from the world’s second-largest economy. Today,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371027/china-decoupling-paradox-why-world-still-needs-its-manufacturing-machine https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371027/china-decoupling-paradox-why-world-still-needs-its-manufacturing-machine Thu, 15 Oct 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth China said on Thursday that the recent government approval allowing American bank card payment giant Visa to operate in the country was the “direct outcome” of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States last month. “The Visa card was granted permission to establish a banking card clearing institution,” said Qiu Wenxing, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese embassy in Washington. “It is a direct outcome of the presidential summit.” Visa received administrative approval... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371067/visas-china-approval-direct-outcome-trump-xi-summit-beijing-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371067/visas-china-approval-direct-outcome-trump-xi-summit-beijing-says Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:53:21 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US investigates 9 universities over alleged visa fraud, with focus on China The Trump administration launched an investigation into nine US universities over alleged J-1 visa fraud, with officials raising concerns about Chinese scholars and the Chinese government. Read the full story... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370921/blast-simulation-university-probes-robotics-fine-ai-spies-7-us-china-relations-reads https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370921/blast-simulation-university-probes-robotics-fine-ai-spies-7-us-china-relations-reads Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Han Li Han Li The world is on the cusp of a “China shock 3.0” driven by exports of artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and robots, which could hit harder than the current wave, a leading economist on China has said. “We are already at the starting point of the China shock 3.0,” Alicia Garcia-Herrero, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel and chief economist for Asia-Pacific at investment bank Natixis, told the South China Morning Post from Taipei after a virtual panel hosted by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370925/china-shock-30-be-driven-ai-biotech-and-robot-exports-economist-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370925/china-shock-30-be-driven-ai-biotech-and-robot-exports-economist-says Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:00:47 +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 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 Fri, 09 Oct 2026 20:54:02 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The World Trade Organization (WTO) has nearly doubled its forecast for merchandise trade volume growth this year amid a stronger than anticipated surge in artificial intelligence-related capital investment. The group raised the forecast to 3.9 per cent from an earlier prediction of 1.9 per cent, it said in its global trade outlook report published on Thursday. “It is somewhat surprising that [merchandise trade growth] is so resilient to all the shocks that have been going on,” said WTO chief... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3370196/wto-nearly-doubles-trade-volume-forecast-ai-surge-counters-middle-east-disruptions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3370196/wto-nearly-doubles-trade-volume-forecast-ai-surge-counters-middle-east-disruptions Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:08 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370108/china-already-has-spies-us-ai-labs-claims-ex-anthropic-researcher Wed, 07 Oct 2026 23:39:15 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370101/us-issues-first-outbound-investment-fine-over-chinese-robotics-ai-deal Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:27:59 +0000 Han Li Han Li China’s economic growth is expected to slow further next year as export strength fades and weak domestic demand persists, even as the global economy remains resilient, according to a new outlook from the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). The Washington-based think tank projects China’s GDP will grow 4.6 per cent this year and 4.3 per cent in 2027, down from 5 per cent growth in 2025, according to its semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report, released on Tuesday. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369965/chinas-economy-slow-global-growth-stays-solid-us-think-tank-report-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369965/chinas-economy-slow-global-growth-stays-solid-us-think-tank-report-says Tue, 06 Oct 2026 22:40:48 +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 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 Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:40:59 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US Republican Senator Steve Daines, a close aide to President Donald Trump and a key interlocutor between Washington and Beijing, has called on the two capitals to stay engaged and “not retreat” over differences on issues including rare earth supply chains. Daines told the South China Morning Post that both sides still had issues that predated Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington last week and that they would continue working on them after the summit. “So that’s again why... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369505/no-retreat-key-trump-ally-urges-continued-us-china-engagement-rare-earths https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369505/no-retreat-key-trump-ally-urges-continued-us-china-engagement-rare-earths Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva named China as a possible partner in his critical minerals plans, three days before Sunday’s closely fought election. Lula told Flow, one of the country’s most-watched podcasts, on Thursday evening that Brazil should stop shipping out raw ore. “We want to transform them here in Brazil,” he said of the minerals. Asked whether China fit into his plans, Lula said it could be a partner “bringing technology to us”, as could the United States. “[Donald]... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369636/brazils-lula-hails-bold-chinese-investors-rival-pitches-rare-earths-trump https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369636/brazils-lula-hails-bold-chinese-investors-rival-pitches-rare-earths-trump Fri, 02 Oct 2026 21:04:21 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi Not so long ago, Washington’s approach to relations with Beijing was anchored by a single assertive phrase: dealing “from a position of strength”. It was rooted in a unipolar mindset: a belief that the United States could dictate terms, manage competition unilaterally and demand compliance from a distance. Yet, at their recent summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump formally established a new strategic framework: a “constructive strategic stability relationship based... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369233/how-us-went-position-strength-gung-ho-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369233/how-us-went-position-strength-gung-ho-china Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Thursday that there is no timeline yet for implementing the US-China Board of Trade, one of the key economic outcomes of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington last week. Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Trade Ministers’ meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Greer said the tariff reductions under the mechanism were “a policy outcome” and that the recommendations would have to go through a legal process before... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3369490/greer-says-no-specific-timeline-set-enforcing-us-china-board-trade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3369490/greer-says-no-specific-timeline-set-enforcing-us-china-board-trade Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:54:03 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Chinese President Xi Jinping has left Washington, but he still has a place at the White House. At least two, in fact. Two different photographs of Xi with US President Donald Trump feature on its walls: a handshake image that Trump showed his guest during last week’s state visit, and another beside a Palm Room doorway showing the presidents standing side by side. Journalist Jacqueline Alemany shared an image of the Palm Room display on social media, noting that photographs of Trump with Xi and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369485/xi-leaves-washington-keeps-least-two-places-white-house-walls https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369485/xi-leaves-washington-keeps-least-two-places-white-house-walls Thu, 01 Oct 2026 19:10:11 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trade, Taiwan and ‘strategic stability’: key Xi-Trump takeaways overall Here are the key takeaways from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s whirlwind 43-hour trip to the United States, his first state visit to the country in more than a decade, after US President Donald Trump pulled out all the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369255/xi-trump-meetings-takeaways-successes-and-fallout-7-us-china-relations-reads https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369255/xi-trump-meetings-takeaways-successes-and-fallout-7-us-china-relations-reads Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:00:21 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth The Chinese ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, has described the personal rapport and “mutual respect” between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump as the “most valuable strategic asset in our bilateral relations”. “Their personal connection and in-depth dialogue have helped keep China-US relations on course at critical moments,” Xie said during a speech on Wednesday marking National Day celebrations at the Chinese embassy in Washington. “Head-of-state diplomacy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369402/xi-trump-rapport-most-valuable-strategic-asset-us-china-ties-envoy-xie-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369402/xi-trump-rapport-most-valuable-strategic-asset-us-china-ties-envoy-xie-says Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:58:50 +0000 Han Li Han Li At a hearing reviewing China’s compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, a senior US trade official said Beijing was targeting entire industrial sectors for global dominance while retaining a non-market economic system. Terry McCartin, Assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) for China, Mongolia and Taiwan Affairs, said China’s anticompetitive behaviour posed a major challenge to the global trading system. “More critically, after 25 years of WTO membership, China still... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369395/us-criticises-chinas-wto-compliance-industry-groups-mount-complaints https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369395/us-criticises-chinas-wto-compliance-industry-groups-mount-complaints Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:43:04 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he does not want to work with China on addressing artificial intelligence (AI) risks, arguing that cooperation could undermine America’s lead in the fast-moving technology, as he announced a voluntary accord signed by the leaders of six major US tech companies to address growing concerns surrounding the technology. “Whoever wins superintelligence wins. You’re gonna have a winner and a loser, and you’re probably not gonna have a second place,” Trump said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369254/trump-rejects-calls-work-china-ai-safety-despite-xi-summit-progress https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369254/trump-rejects-calls-work-china-ai-safety-despite-xi-summit-progress Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:32:03 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US soybean farmers have described the exclusion of US soybeans from China’s import list under the newly announced Board of Trade mechanism as a “missed opportunity”, even as Beijing ramped up purchases of the crop ahead of last week’s summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. The trade forum, unveiled by both sides on Sunday, covered a range of US agricultural products for export to China, including meat, dairy, corn, wheat, sorghum and vegetable oils, but... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3369119/missed-opportunity-us-soybean-farmers-question-exclusion-china-tariff-cuts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3369119/missed-opportunity-us-soybean-farmers-question-exclusion-china-tariff-cuts Mon, 28 Sep 2026 22:48:25 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Scott Kennedy is a senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. His areas of focus include China’s hi-tech drive, US-China relations and global economic governance. Open Questions first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. How would you characterise the outcomes of the China-US summit compared to expectations going in? Is it largely a continuation of that track or do you... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368936/scott-kennedy-chinas-slow-tech-dragon-and-2-more-xi-trump-meetings https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368936/scott-kennedy-chinas-slow-tech-dragon-and-2-more-xi-trump-meetings Sun, 27 Sep 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Scott Kennedy is a senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. His areas of focus include China’s hi-tech drive, US-China relations and global economic governance. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. How would you characterise the outcomes of the China-US summit compared to expectations going in? Is it largely a continuation of that track or do you see it moving the relationship... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368961/scott-kennedy-xi-trump-summit-and-us-china-instability https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368961/scott-kennedy-xi-trump-summit-and-us-china-instability Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:00:13 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The Brics-founded New Development Bank could help launch a fund by the end of the year to guarantee cheap loans for poor families in Africa and Latin America, Brazil’s social development minister said. The scheme would be the Shanghai-based lender’s first financial commitment to Brazil’s global anti-hunger alliance, an initiative sidelined by Washington’s presidency of the G20 this year. Wellington Dias told the South China Morning Post on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368865/china-based-brics-bank-set-lead-role-hunger-alliance-year-brazil-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368865/china-based-brics-bank-set-lead-role-hunger-alliance-year-brazil-says Sat, 26 Sep 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier During their three-day summit that ended on Friday, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping worked overtime to underscore their increasingly close relationship even as the meeting produced few concrete deliverables. But the fact that the two economic and military giants are talking – and pledging to talk some more – suggests some period of relative stability ahead, certainly relative to last year’s all-out trade war, chest-thumping and market turmoil, said analysts, companies... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368875/xi-trump-atmospherics-welcomed-mask-structural-rifts-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368875/xi-trump-atmospherics-welcomed-mask-structural-rifts-analysts Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:02:27 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Washington and Beijing have spent nearly a decade trading tariffs, export controls and blacklists, with each round threatening rupture. Yet they keep recovering from the brink. Tensions soared before summits and plunged immediately after. For example, in 2019 at Osaka, Trump walked back threats to impose tariffs on US$300 billion of Chinese goods and eased curbs on Huawei after Beijing reportedly agreed to buy American farm goods. In Busan last October, he lowered tariffs and shelved export... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368480/china-and-us-can-make-nice-if-not-peace https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368480/china-and-us-can-make-nice-if-not-peace Fri, 25 Sep 2026 21:30:10 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our US and China bureaus all year round. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. After three days in Washington, President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan returned to China with a promise of more face-to-face diplomacy with US President Donald Trump later this year, but not a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368858/last-day-xis-us-visit-begins-trump-white-house-tea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368858/last-day-xis-us-visit-begins-trump-white-house-tea Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:49:31 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the sixth part of a series, Khushboo Razdan looks at how a presidential appeal to America’s heartland is playing out. Of the countless preparations being made for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s highly anticipated American trip, arguably the first came in the form of a personal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368643/what-xi-jinpings-letter-old-friends-iowa-means-struggling-altered-america https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368643/what-xi-jinpings-letter-old-friends-iowa-means-struggling-altered-america Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:00:20 +0000 Dewey Sim,Ji Siqi,Vincent Chow Dewey Sim,Ji Siqi,Vincent Chow Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump delivered remarks at the White House on Thursday morning at the start of the second day of Xi’s closely watched state visit. Both leaders spoke warmly of their countries’ ties and pledged deeper cooperation in comments that sought to project an image of stability between the two sides. Trump said he and Xi would work together to build a “better future for both our countries” while Xi called for the two powers to “coexist in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368716/b-2-spirit-ai-cooperation-no-us-china-conflict-key-xi-trump-takeaways-so-far https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368716/b-2-spirit-ai-cooperation-no-us-china-conflict-key-xi-trump-takeaways-so-far Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:44:16 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen Sylvia Ma,Frank Chen An extension of the US-China trade truce, agreed upon at an unscheduled meeting between the two countries’ top economic officials, underscores a willingness to contain trade tensions, according to analysts who deemed it a positive signal for this week’s presidential summit. While the rollover extends the truce by only two months, the analysts said it provided businesses with a measure of short-term certainty while raising the stakes for the next round of talks to determine whether the truce can... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368663/what-2-month-trade-truce-extension-between-china-and-us-reveals-rifts-persist https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368663/what-2-month-trade-truce-extension-between-china-and-us-reveals-rifts-persist Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:30:15 +0000 SCMP SCMP This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our US and China bureaus. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. President Xi Jinping met US President Donald Trump at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews airbase, in the first face-to-face talks between the Chinese and American leaders since Trump visited Beijing in May. On this first... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368567/xi-begin-3-day-us-visit-rare-airport-welcome-trump https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368567/xi-begin-3-day-us-visit-rare-airport-welcome-trump Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:18:58 +0000 Nayan Seth,Teresa Elena Frontado Nayan Seth,Teresa Elena Frontado US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Wednesday that Washington and Beijing have agreed to extend the trade agreement reached in South Korea for just two months, as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for a state visit. “We have agreed ⁠today that we will extend what ⁠we call the Busan Agreement,” Bessent said in an interview with Fox News, adding ‌the agreement ‌will be extended for two months until January 10. Bessent made the remarks hours after an unscheduled... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368555/bessent-and-he-meet-again-tackle-some-unfinished-business-xi-summit-nears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368555/bessent-and-he-meet-again-tackle-some-unfinished-business-xi-summit-nears Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:52:53 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Hours before President Xi Jinping’s aircraft lands at Joint Base Andrews, Washington is preparing for a scene that seemed unthinkable in recent years: his American counterpart waiting on the tarmac for the leader of a country that much of the US national security establishment regards as its foremost strategic adversary. While the Donald Trump administration is betting on warmth, deals and stability with Beijing, recent public surveys show that American anxiety over China has eased from its 2024... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368501/china-hawks-grumble-over-trumps-lavish-welcome-planned-xi-state-visit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368501/china-hawks-grumble-over-trumps-lavish-welcome-planned-xi-state-visit Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Han Li Han Li Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, starting on Wednesday, US law enforcement agencies have increased security as Chinese diaspora groups organise welcoming events and protest groups plan demonstrations. The US Secret Service, which is leading security for the visit, said it is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all foreign heads of state while they are on US soil. “Secret Service personnel have been planning for the visit of the Chinese president for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368440/us-law-enforcement-tightens-security-xi-summit-welcome-and-protest-events-planned https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368440/us-law-enforcement-tightens-security-xi-summit-welcome-and-protest-events-planned Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:46:26 +0000 Dewey Sim,Igor Patrick Dewey Sim,Igor Patrick US President Donald Trump praised his strong relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in New York on Tuesday, days before he is due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The talks, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, come as relations between Beijing and Tokyo show no signs of thawing. Both leaders hailed their good working relationship, with Takaichi saying the two countries looked forward to deepening ties. Trump lavished praise on the Japanese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368439/trump-praises-takaichi-doing-tremendous-job-ahead-xis-visit-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368439/trump-praises-takaichi-doing-tremendous-job-ahead-xis-visit-us Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:31:34 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma As President Xi Jinping prepares to travel to the United States to meet his American counterpart Donald Trump, attention is turning to the group of business leaders who could join him. The South China Morning Post previously reported that executives from electric vehicle maker BYD, smart manufacturing giant Xiaomi and battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited were likely to accompany Xi on the trip – though Beijing has yet to officially confirm the delegation. What has raised... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368409/why-chinas-frontier-ai-pioneers-are-expected-miss-weeks-xi-trump-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3368409/why-chinas-frontier-ai-pioneers-are-expected-miss-weeks-xi-trump-summit Tue, 22 Sep 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Dong Lei Dong Lei Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House is not just another ceremonial exchange. It is a test of whether the world’s two largest powers can build trust in an age where mistrust has become the default. Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the agenda. Both sides see danger but have yet to come up with meaningful regulatory cooperation. If this summit fails to deliver workable agreements, the tactical detente could collapse into a new cold war. If the leaders succeed in their personal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368065/xi-and-trump-face-their-greatest-challenge-yet-building-us-china-trust https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368065/xi-and-trump-face-their-greatest-challenge-yet-building-us-china-trust Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Howard Liu Howard Liu China is attempting to breathe new life into its nearly 20-year-old Han Xin code by promoting a miniaturised version to use on semiconductors, marking the latest chapter in Beijing’s long-running attempt to secure a foothold for its home-grown standards in global industrial supply chains. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said on Monday that the “Micro Han Xin” code – a scaled-down iteration of the 2007-era symbology – had entered the formal international standardisation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3368357/china-eyes-chip-industry-foothold-tiny-han-xin-code-challenge-us-standard https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3368357/china-eyes-chip-industry-foothold-tiny-han-xin-code-challenge-us-standard Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin The US and China should agree on international regulatory standards for artificial intelligence (AI), akin to atomic-era guardrails, said Ro Khanna, the ranking member of the US House Select Committee on China, in New York on Monday ahead of the two countries’ high-stakes summit. The remarks come two days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump for a closely watched summit where AI is expected to be on the agenda after the two... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368311/us-china-need-nuclear-style-ai-safeguards-congressman-says-xi-trump-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368311/us-china-need-nuclear-style-ai-safeguards-congressman-says-xi-trump-summit Mon, 21 Sep 2026 22:48:38 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The top Democrat on the US Senate’s foreign policy panel urged Donald Trump on Monday not to signal any retreat from Taiwan when he hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. Speaking at the Concordia Summit in New York, Senator Jeanne Shaheen said she hoped the president “will not say anything that indicates a lack of support for Taiwan” during his talks with the Chinese leader. Shaheen is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which reviews US arms sales abroad,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368309/top-us-senate-democrat-warns-trump-not-waver-taiwan-xi-heads-washington https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368309/top-us-senate-democrat-warns-trump-not-waver-taiwan-xi-heads-washington Mon, 21 Sep 2026 21:42:53 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States, Japan and South Korea announced a new economic-security consultation and reinforced their support for stability across the Taiwan Strait on Monday, sending a coordinated message on two of Beijing’s most sensitive issues just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit with US President Donald Trump. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun unveiled the initiative after meeting on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368306/us-japan-and-south-korea-launch-economic-security-talks-xi-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368306/us-japan-and-south-korea-launch-economic-security-talks-xi-summit Mon, 21 Sep 2026 20:22:31 +0000 Nong Hong Nong Hong Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, after the May talks in Beijing and before the November Apec summit in Shenzhen. This sequence of diplomacy will test if the commitment to building a “constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability” translates into practical arrangements. The Washington meeting faces clear limits. Differences over trade, technology, industrial policy, Taiwan and regional security are deeply embedded in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368013/success-trump-xi-summit-lies-what-happens-afterwards https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3368013/success-trump-xi-summit-lies-what-happens-afterwards Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:30:05 +0000