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Trump’s ‘art of the deal’ playbook is failing as Beijing asserts itself
Industry

Trump’s ‘art of the deal’ playbook is failing as Beijing asserts itself

As the Trump-Xi summit approaches, China will be going into negotiations with a new diplomatic posture This domestic discontent is reflected in Trump’s plummeting approval ratings, which have hit historic lows as voters grow weary of economic instability and the administration’s aggressive rhetoric. These internal fractures are mirrored on the world stage, where protracted conflict with Iran has triggered a sharp decline in US global standing. Washington has reportedly demanded that China make large-scale purchases of US poultry, beef and non-soybean crops, alongside a commitment to buy 25 million metric tonnes of soybeans annually for the next three years. It is also pushing for massive imports of Boeing aircraft, as many as 500 737 Max aircraft along with dozens of widebody jets. In April, the Trump administration brandished the stick of economic warfare, threatening a staggering 50 per cent tariffs should Beijing provide advanced weaponry to Iran. This is bolstered by the Pentagon’s national security blacklist, which has targeted vast swathes of the Chinese tech sector.

US defence secretary joins Trump on China trip in rare diplomatic move
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US defence secretary joins Trump on China trip in rare diplomatic move

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has become the first American defence chief in decades to accompany a sitting president on a state visit to China, in a rare departure from long-established diplomatic practice. Hegseth boarded Air Force One bound for Beijing alongside US President Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon, according to the White House. Trump is set to hold highly anticipated bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday. A South China Morning Post tally shows...

Beijing calls Paraguay leaders willing ‘chess pieces’ after disputed Taiwan trip
Industry

Beijing calls Paraguay leaders willing ‘chess pieces’ after disputed Taiwan trip

Beijing’s anger over President Santiago Pena’s Taipei trade visit comes as Taiwan issue looms large at this week’s Trump-Xi summit “The wheels of history wait for no one. Rejecting the one-China principle will only isolate oneself from the international community,” Guo told a regular press briefing. He questioned whether the visit served the Paraguayan public or had “some ulterior motive”. Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

China presses Pakistan to deepen Iran mediation ahead of Trump-Xi talks
Industry

China presses Pakistan to deepen Iran mediation ahead of Trump-Xi talks

Wang Yi highlights Strait of Hormuz security and regional stability as Middle East tensions loom over Beijing talks China’s foreign minister Wang Yi on Tuesday urged Pakistan to ramp up mediation efforts in the Iran crisis, as the war threatens to overshadow US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. In a call with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, Wang lauded Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating negotiations between Washington and Tehran and helping to extend the ceasefire. But he also called for Pakistan to “step up its mediation efforts to contribute to … the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the early restoration of regional peace”. “China will continue to support Pakistan’s mediation efforts and make its own contributions towards this end,” he said, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Still, tensions in the region remain high and the ceasefire has been repeatedly tested, with the US carrying out “self-defence strikes” against Iranian targets. According to the CCTV report, Dar thanked China for backing Islamabad’s mediation efforts and said he looked forward to closer coordination to “jointly play a positive role in safeguarding regional peace and stability”.

Trump heads to Beijing seeking stability in high-stakes Xi talks
Industry

Trump heads to Beijing seeking stability in high-stakes Xi talks

Trade, Taiwan and Middle East tensions loom as US and Chinese leaders meet for first state visit since Trump’s return Before boarding Marine One for Andrews Air Force Base, Trump struck an optimistic tone about the visit, saying he expected “great things” from the summit and describing Xi as “a friend” with whom he shares a strong personal relationship. “I spoke with Xi, we both look forward to the meeting,” Trump said. “We’ll be talking about many things, but more than anything, it will be trade.” Trump said he did not expect Iran to feature prominently in discussions with Xi, adding that “we have Iran very much under control”. The remarks came a day after Trump dismissed Tehran’s latest peace proposal as “garbage” and said the existing ceasefire was “on life support”. He did, however, indicate that recent developments in Cuba would be discussed during the visit. “Cuba is not doing well, and we’ll be talking about Cuba on the trip,” Trump said.

Trump visit sees Marco Rubio become first sanctioned US secretary of state to visit China
Industry

Trump visit sees Marco Rubio become first sanctioned US secretary of state to visit China

Marco Rubio will become the first sitting US Secretary of State under Chinese sanctions to visit Beijing. Images of Rubio leaving for China on Air Force One with Donald Trump appear to have answered previous questions about whether he would skip such a globally important event. Rubio is also serving as the US National Security Adviser and would normally have been expected to visit China to lay the groundwork for such a high-stakes summit. Instead he has met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi twice...

US first lady not travelling to China with Trump
Industry

US first lady not travelling to China with Trump

US President Donald Trump departed for a three-day state visit to China on Tuesday without first lady Melania Trump, travelling instead with Cabinet officials and business executives in a delegation that contrasts sharply with the pageantry of his 2017 visit. Hours before his departure, the office of the first lady confirmed Melania’s no-show in an email response to the South China Morning Post. “First lady Melania Trump is not travelling this time,” a spokesperson said. The confirmation comes a...

Tea at the Forbidden City: how SCMP covered 2017 Xi-Trump meeting
Industry

Tea at the Forbidden City: how SCMP covered 2017 Xi-Trump meeting

Cooperative symbolism behind tea with the Trumps in the Forbidden City This article was first published on November 10, 2017 by Laura Zhou Beijing’s Forbidden City was more than just an opulent backdrop for US President Donald Trump’s first day in China. One of the main halls used to stage a set piece on Trump’s tour of the former imperial palace was weighted with meaning and chosen to underscore cooperation between the two countries. As part of their higher-than-usual welcome to the capital,...

Trump’s China visit opens door to ‘casual’ networking between business chiefs
Industry

Trump’s China visit opens door to ‘casual’ networking between business chiefs

US business leaders accompanying President Donald Trump on his state visit to Beijing will be given the opportunity to mingle with their Chinese counterparts at an exclusive international business club, according to sources. On Monday, the White House released a list naming dozens of business chiefs accompanying Trump, including high-profile figures such as Tesla chief executive Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook. Two sources familiar with the arrangement said the Capital Club Beijing had been...

China’s Hengrui seals US$15.2 billion deal with US pharmaceutical giant BMS
Industry

China’s Hengrui seals US$15.2 billion deal with US pharmaceutical giant BMS

Company’s shares jump in Hong Kong and Shenzhen after tie-up that bolsters China’s growing drug innovation profile Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceutical, China’s largest drug company by market capitalisation, has signed a global collaboration and licensing agreement with US pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) worth up to US$15.2 billion. Hengrui’s Hong Kong-traded shares climbed 5.3 per cent to HK$69.55 on Tuesday, while its Shenzhen stock rose 4.84 per cent to 56.11 yuan. The collaboration covers four oncology and haematology programmes originating from Hengrui, four immunology assets from BMS, and another five novel programmes to be jointly developed using Hengrui’s discovery platforms. All 13 programmes are at the preclinical stage, according to a filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange. BMS has agreed to pay Hengrui up to US$950 million in near-term consideration, including an upfront payment of US$600 million. The overall deal value could reach about US$15.2 billion if all development, regulatory and commercial milestones are met and options on the co-discovery projects are exercised. Hengrui will also be entitled to tiered royalties on sales of partnered products outside mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Trump rejects ‘garbage’ Iran peace plan before heading to China
Industry

Trump rejects ‘garbage’ Iran peace plan before heading to China

US President Donald Trump said a month-long ceasefire with Iran was on “massive life support” as he rejected Tehran’s response to a peace proposal. The Iranian reply was a “piece of garbage”, Trump told reporters in the White House on Monday. “I didn’t even finish reading it.” The comments helped to push the price of Brent crude oil above US$106 a barrel on Tuesday. Trump is expected to discuss the war with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a Beijing summit on Thursday, as Iran’s 10-week shutdown...

China’s ‘dark factory’ more than doubles production efficiency for J-20 jets
Industry

China’s ‘dark factory’ more than doubles production efficiency for J-20 jets

The plant producing fifth-generation warplanes is designed to operate with little to no human involvement China has more than doubled the production efficiency of stealth fighter components in a “dark factory”, where autonomous vehicles and AI-driven machinery operate nearly 24 hours a day. The process once required employees to monitor its round-the-clock operations, but the plant can now produce the “skeleton” of an aircraft in near darkness, according to the official Science and Technology Daily. Dark factories are facilities designed to operate with little to no human intervention, thereby removing the need for lighting, cutting energy consumption and operational costs. Standing as a symbol of Beijing’s military modernisation, the fifth-generation J-20 jet designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, was declared combat-ready in 2018. Mass production of the fighters began two years later. The J-20 contained thousands of unique components, Song Ge, head of the Chengdu factory’s digital manufacturing centre, told Science and Technology Daily.