Trump’s Call With Xi
By experts and staff
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Top of the Agenda
Trump and Xi were due to discuss a draft deal to keep TikTok operating in the United States in a call today that could pave the way for an in-person meeting. It marks only the second conversation between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House in January. They were also expected to discuss tariffs, agricultural trade, and technology restrictions. So far in Trump’s term, disputes on these issues have been handled through senior official meetings.
The context. The United States and China are in the midst of a tariff pause following a trade tit-for-tat that saw levies as high as 145 percent on Chinese goods and 125 percent on U.S. goods earlier this year. Despite that detente, tensions have persisted over other issues. Among them, Washington has objected to Chinese restrictions on the purchases of Nvidia chips and slowing Chinese imports of U.S. soybeans. Meanwhile, as Trump explored the possibility of a broader deal with China, he declined to greenlight more than $400 million in military aid for Taiwan in recent months, the Washington Post reported. An unnamed White House official said that decision was not finalized.
What’s on deck. Trump said ahead of the call that the countries may due “an extension based on the same terms” of the tariff truce. If he moves forward with plans to meet with Xi, the meeting could take place on the sidelines of a late October summit in South Korea. Regarding TikTok, tech policy specialists are awaiting details about how control of its recommendation algorithm would operate under a possible sale. The push to sell or ban TikTok comes as some U.S. lawmakers have argued that continued Chinese control of the algorithm constitutes a national security threat.
“Beijing wants face-to-face negotiations with Trump, focused on economic and trade issues, to tie his hands with a commitment to positive and friendly U.S.-Chinese relations for the next three years at least. But its plan could backfire. China’s inflated sense of empowerment on trade could leave its policymakers too comfortable, which could provoke a harsher U.S. response and send bilateral relations back into a tailspin of mutual distrust and hostility.” —the Stimson Center’s Yun Sun, Foreign Affairs
Across the Globe
Trump-Starmer talks. The United States would help secure peace after Russia’s war in Ukraine is settled, Trump said in an interview that aired yesterday. Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer yesterday discussed how to pressure Putin toward peace, with Trump calling for European countries to stop buying Russian oil as a prerequisite for new U.S. sanctions on Russia. Trump said Starmer’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state was one of the few areas where the leaders disagreed.
Country emissions plans. Australia announced its new 2035 emissions target yesterday, while European Union (EU) countries said they could not agree on a binding 2035 target ahead of next week’s global deadline. Instead, the EU vowed to announce an agreement by the COP conference in November. Australia pledged to cut emissions by between 62 and 70 percent below 2005 levels by 2035.
Intelligence sharing in the Gulf. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries agreed yesterday to step up intelligence sharing, establish new warning systems for incoming missile attacks, and hold joint air defense exercises. The decision follows Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders earlier this month in Qatar, a GCC member; the country said it received no advance warning about the strike.
Gaza vote at UN. The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution yesterday that called for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, saying it did not sufficiently condemn Hamas. At least eighty-five Palestinians were killed across the territory yesterday, the Gaza Health Ministry said. Internet and phone lines were cut in parts of Gaza City yesterday as Israeli forces continued to advance there.
Colombian peace court. A special reparations court established under Colombia’s 2016 peace deal between the government and the guerilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) issued its first sentences this week. On Tuesday, former guerillas who admitted their role in kidnappings were sentenced to assisting memorial projects and demining efforts, while on Thursday, former soldiers who admitted their role in killings were sentenced to providing services for victims’ families.
Taliban internet ban. Fiber-optic internet connections were down across six Afghan provinces this week as part of a ban that the Taliban said aims to “prevent immorality.” While mobile internet remains active, this is the first Wi-Fi ban since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The measure has prompted warnings from free expression advocates.
Canada-Mexico partnership. The two countries will coordinate ahead of an upcoming review of their trilateral trade agreement with the United States, their leaders said yesterday. So far this year, Canada and Mexico have largely dealt with the onslaught of U.S. tariffs via bilateral channels with Washington. In addition to the review coordination, they announced a pact to step up Canada-Mexico trade and investment as well as cooperation on migrant integration.
Ebola’s spread in DRC. Thirty-one people have died from an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday. Cases have been detected in four districts. It is the country’s first Ebola outbreak in three years and the first in recent history to which it is responding without U.S. assistance. The WHO is seeking $21 million in contributions to support the DRC’s response efforts.