US China

In 2011, President Barack Obama declared it was time for America to leave behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and "pivot" to Asia to counter the rise of China. Fifteen years later, the US finds itself still at war in the Middle East and has pulled military assets from the Asia-Pacific as it aims to eliminate the threat posed by Iran's nuclear and missile programs. The demands of the Iran war also caused President Donald Trump to delay by several weeks his highly anticipated trip to China, deepening worries that the US is once again getting distracted at the cost of its strategic interests in Asia, where Beijing seeks to unseat the US as the regional leader. Those skeptical of the US involvement in the Middle East say the war is preventing Trump from adequately preparing for his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month, when economic interests are on the line, and they warn that a failure to focus on Asia and maintain strong deterrence could lead to greater instability, if

Hours after a ceasefire publicly brokered by Pakistan was announced, Iranian officials reportedly credited a last-minute push by China with securing their acceptance, a claim soon validated by Trump

With a fragile ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran holding for now, China is calculating its role in helping find a durable endgame to the war in the Middle East. After prodding China, which is more reliant on Persian Gulf oil than the US, to get involved in reopening the choked-off Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump told French news outlet Agence France-Presse this week that he believed China played a part in encouraging Iran to agree to this week's temporary truce. Three diplomats who were familiar with China's behind-the-scenes efforts also confirmed that Beijing, the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil, used its leverage to urge the Iranians back to the negotiating table. It was a major moment for Beijing, which had decried the US and Israel's war against its economic partner Iran as misguided before getting directly involved in the push to call off the fighting, including discouraging strikes by Iran. Talks between the sides are expected to begin in Pakistan this

Like any ambitious opposition party, Beijing is pointing out the weaknesses of the incumbent while portraying itself as a steadier, more predictable partner with fresh ideas

Trump's proposal reflects push for energy dominance, but raises risks of deeper conflict and global fallout

As US policy grows more erratic, developing nations increasingly see China's steady- if mercantilist- approach as the more reliable bet, reflected in rising adoption of Chinese technology across world

The US on Thursday voiced concerns about over detentions of Panama-flagged vessels by China saying such "bullying" destabilises supply chains, raises costs and erodes confidence in the global trading system. "The United States stands with Panama against any retaliatory actions against its sovereignty and will always support our partners in the face of bullying," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X. "The United States stands firmly with Panama and looks forward to increasing our economic and security cooperation with this important partner," the Department of State said in a statement. The statement came after China reportedly detained Panama-flagged ships for inspections at Chinese ports. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit China on May 14-15. China's action came in the wake of Panama cancelling contracts of Hong Kong-based C K Hutchison to operate two port terminals near the Panama Canal on direction of the Supreme Court and transferred interim operatio

As the US Supreme Court takes up birthright citizenship, President Donald Trump's push to restrict the rule has revived claims about Chinese 'birth tourism'

US President Donald Trump will travel to China on May 14 and 15 for a rescheduled summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the White House announced on Wednesday. Trump, who was earlier scheduled to travel to Beijing by the end of this month, postponed his trip due to the war in Iran. Announcing Trump's "long-awaited" trip to China, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US president and First Lady Melania will also host President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a reciprocal visit to Washington DC at a later date this year. Responding to a question if the two leaders spoke about the conclusion of the war as a precondition to reschedule this meeting, she answered there was no discussion about the rescheduling of the meeting between the president and Xi. "President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout the region right now. He understood, obviously, the request to postpone and accept it, which is why we have a meeting,"

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said recent crackdowns on scam centers had seen Chinese criminals return home to start smaller-scale operations targeting only foreigners

As Iran crisis disrupts key trade routes, China's expanded payment system now offers a pathway to settle transactions outside the dollar system, though its scale remains limited

US firms have warned that China's fast gains in humanoid robots could reshape industry and security, pushing Washington to consider export curbs, procurement bans and a national robotics strategy

War has overshadowed Trump's other priorities, especially with Iran's move to block the Strait of Hormuz sending the price of oil above $100 a barrel

Representatives from Beijing and Washington began their economic and trade talks in Paris on Sunday, paving the way for U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in about two weeks. The delegations, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, convened in the French capital in the morning, China's official news agency Xinhua reported. The White House has said that Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has not officially confirmed it. Bessent said on Thursday that his team will continue to deliver results that put America's farmers, workers and businesses first. The U.S. Treasury Department said Bessent will meet He on Sunday and Monday. China's commerce ministry said Friday the two sides are set to discuss "trade and economic issues of mutual concern." Trump's visit to China will be the first for a U.S. president since he went in his first term in 2017. It will come five .

Representatives from Beijing and Washington began their economic and trade talks in Paris on Sunday, Chinese official news agency Xinhua reported. The meetings, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are expected to pave the way for U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in about two weeks. The White House has said that Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has not officially confirmed it. Bessent said on Thursday that his team will continue to deliver results that put America's farmers, workers and businesses first. China's commerce ministry said Friday the two sides are set to discuss "trade and economic issues of mutual concern." Trump's visit to China will be the first for a U.S. president since he went in his first term in 2017. It will come five months after the two leaders met in the South Korean city of Busan and agreed to a one-year truce in a trade war th

A second trade investigation launched by the US into alleged forced labour practices across 60 economies, including India and China, is expected to place particular scrutiny on Beijing amid allegations of forced labour in the Xinjiang region, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. India's exports of solar panels, electronics and garments to the US may also face closer scrutiny under this new US investigation into forced labour in global supply chains, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. On March 12, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched a Section 301 probe, covering 60 economies. This is the second Section 301 probe this month. The investigations will determine whether acts, policies, and practices of each of these economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labour are unreasonable or discriminatory, and burden or restrict US commerce. The probe will examine whether countries allow

The discussions, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are expected to focus on shifting US tariffs, the flow of Chinese-produced rare earths among others

Two major economic plans unveiled at the annual meeting of China's legislature outline top priorities that have different ramifications for the global economy. In the government plan for 2026, the No. 1 task is "building a robust domestic market". Then comes accelerating technological progress. But longer-term, a plan for the next five years, gives more prominence to achieving advances in tech. The subtle difference highlights the government's balancing act. Its overarching goal is to transform from a low-cost manufacturing to a tech-driven economy. But a more immediate concern is dealing with a prolonged period of sluggishness that has depressed consumer and business confidence. China is such a large exporter that the choices it makes affect countries and jobs around the world. The plans, presented at the recent opening of the National People's Congress, offer a window into the government's thinking. They are set to be formally endorsed by the rubber-stamp legislature at the end o

Failure to engage between the two nations would only lead to misunderstandings and misjudgements, escalating toward confrontation and harming the world," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said