Kinaforum

fredag 22. mai 2026

Trump says he’ll speak to Taiwan’s leader: Why that is significant

President Donald Trump has twice suggested, since his summit with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week, that he may speak with Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te.

That would mark the first direct contact between leaders of the governments since the US switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. It remains committed, however, under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to supporting the defence of the self-governing democracy. In a foreign affairs ministry statement on Wednesday, Taiwan’s President responded to Trump’s comments, saying he would be “happy” to talk to him.

Taiwan was committed to maintaining a stable status quo in the Taiwan Strait, he added, but “China is the disruptor of peace and stability”. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of Chinese territory.

US pausing $14bn arms sale to Taiwan due to Iran war, navy chief says

A top United States military official has said Washington is pausing a $14bn arms sale to Taiwan to conserve munitions for its war on Iran.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao provided the update to lawmakers during a Senate hearing on Thursday, a week after the weapons sale took centre stage in talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.“Right now, we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury – which we have plenty,” Cao told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

“But we’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”

Cao said any decision to move forward with the sale – which would be the largest ever weapons transfer to Taiwan – would be made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Donald Trump's Sanity

President Donald Trump has labeled numerous Americans—from Republican lawmakers to journalists—as “stupid” and even “treasonous.” Such behavior has led many to question Trump’s sanity and to offer the President some labels in turn, including “unhinged,” “lunatic,” and “clearly insane.”

It is easy to understand why Trump’s erratic actions and head-spinning reversals have raised questions about his mental health. For instance, on social media, Trump posts manic and divisive conspiracy theories, false allegations, and insults against his adversaries. Some former associates and partisan rivals even suggest Trump has experienced a pronounced cognitive and emotional decline.

But as a long-standing critic of Donald Trump’s leadership impact, and as someone who has known him for over 30 years, I assert that he is no “crazier” than he ever was. Trump’s penchant for exaggeration, self-promotion, and misrepresentation is hardly new.

Torbjørn Færøvik: Ryktet om USAs snarlige død kan være overdrevet

Det skorter ikke på dommedagsprofetier etter Donald Trumps besøk i Beijing. Vi leser at USA er i ferd med å overlate lederrollen i verden til Kina, og at landet risikerer å havne på dunken. Men er det slik?

Donald Trumps elendige lederskap har uten tvil svekket USA. Men Trump er – får vi håpe – et midlertidig fenomen. Derfor kan ryktet om supermaktens nært forestående død være betydelig overdrevet. I tillegg indikerer tall og fakta at USA ennå har mye å gå på.

Kina gjør uten tvil store fremskritt på de fleste områder. Men hovedbildet er at USA vil forbli større enn Kina det kommende tiåret, økonomisk som militært.

La oss ta økonomien:

Det internasjonale pengefondet (IMF) anslår USAs nominelle BNP til rundt 32,4 billioner dollar, mot Kinas 20,9 billioner dollar. I 2030 vil USAs BNP være rundt 37,7 billioner dollar, mens Kinas anslås til 26,0 billioner dollar. Da vil Kinas økonomi være om lag 69 prosent av USAs, mot 64 prosent i år. Den vil altså nærme seg den amerikanske, men likevel være langt bak.

How Chinese, Iranian companies profit in Russia-occupied Ukrainian regions

In November 2023, representatives of two Chinese companies signed a deal to supply stone-crushing machinery for construction projects.

Despite being inked in Moscow, the contract was not made with a sovereign nation. It was announced by Evgeny Solntsev, then the “prime minister” of the “People’s Republic of Donetsk”, a resource-rich, war-ravaged statelet carved out of southeastern Ukraine by Russia-backed separatists in 2014. “I’m confident that the potential of our cooperation is huge, and we’re only beginning to implement it,” Solntsev wrote on his Telegram channel. The post included photos of four Chinese representatives standing next to separatist officials and the flags of China, Russia and the “People’s Republic of Donetsk”.

The companies – identified as Zhongxin Heavy Industrial Machinery and Amma Construction Machinery – supplied equipment to the Karansky quarry in the southern Donetsk region. The crushed stone has been used for construction projects in Russia-occupied areas in Ukraine.

Putin and Xi hail their friendship and growing energy trade at their meeting in Beijing

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their strategic ties and growing energy trade as they met in Beijing Wednesday only days after a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China.

Putin and Xi oversaw the signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements in areas such as trade, technology and media exchanges. They stressed their growing trade, particularly in oil and natural gas, and declared themselves aligned on international relations. The countries’ ties have reached “the highest level in history,” Xi said after the signing ceremony, speaking to members of the delegations and journalists. The two sides also agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001.

Putin told those in the room that “the driving force behind economic cooperation is Russian-Chinese collaboration in the energy sector.”

Thailand’s Thaksin released from prison after serving 8 months for abuse of power

Thailand ’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose 21st-century political odyssey sharply divided Thai society for decades, was released from a Bangkok prison on Monday after serving eight months of a one-year sentence for a corruption-related charge.

A crowd of about 300 supporters and political allies gathered outside the Klong Prem Central Prison to greet the 76-year-old billionaire populist.

Thaksin was a telecommunications magnate who founded his own political party in 1998 and served as prime minister from 2001 until a military coup ousted him in 2006 while he was abroad. His ouster triggered nearly two decades of deep and sometimes violent political polarization, while his political machine staged several comebacks even as Thaksin himself stayed in self-imposed exile to escape what he said was political persecution through the courts.

The differences — and similarities — in the Trump and Putin visits to China

On the surface, Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s back-to-back summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin looked pretty similar, with formal handshakes in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, enthusiastic greetings from flower-waving children, and marching columns of soldiers with gleaming bayonets. But the visits also revealed how different China’s relationship is with the two countries.

During Trump’s visit, China sought to stabilize ties with the United States, while Putin’s trip served to deepen its strategic partnership with Russia.

Xi emphasized ceremonial hospitality during Trump’s visit, including a rare tour of Zhongnanhai, a former imperial garden that now serves as headquarters of China’s top leadership. Beijing understood Trump valued highly visible displays of respect, said George Chen, partner for Greater China practice for The Asia Group. “Xi knows this is what Trump values: being treated like a VIP, respected in front of the cameras.”

Heat wave empties roads and markets in north India as some farmers turn to nighttime work

Roads and markets have emptied during afternoons and some farmers have switched to nighttime work to avoid scorching temperatures as a heat wave grips large parts of India. The India Meteorological Department forecast maximum temperatures Thursday of around 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in the capital, New Delhi, where authorities have opened temporary “cooling zones” to help people cope.

The weather department warned conditions will likely persist across several northern regions in the coming days, with temperatures staying well above seasonal averages. Authorities urged people to stay indoors during the hottest hours and take precautions against heat-related illnesses.

India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions.

EU says plight of unregistered Tibetans in Nepal a priority

The European Union has said Apr 29 that it has been urging Nepal, as a part of the Refugee Core Group in Nepal, to address the long-standing humanitarian challenges faced by Tibetan refugees in the country as many of them have continued to remain undocumented for decades. It has vowed to bring up the issue during the next annual EU-Nepal joint Commission planned to be held in the second half of this year.

This message was conveyed by the European External Acton Service – the diplomatic service in charge of executing all international relations of the European Union – in response to a Mar 3 letter from MEPs Dainius Zalimas and Hannes Heide, Co-Chairs of the Inter-parliamentary Group for Tibet in the European Parliament, addressed to EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic regarding the precarious status of Tibetan refugees in Nepal.

The EU has been pushing for the issuance of Personal Account Number (PAN) cards as an immediate measure to at least give the Tibetan refugees an identity that should enable them to open bank accounts, access the labour market, and manage daily administrative tasks.

Putin: Ties to Xi's China reach 'unprecedentedly high level'

There is no point comparing the ceremonial parts of Russian leader Vladimir Putin's and US President Donald Trump's visit to China, the Kremlin said. "There is a point in comparing ‌the content," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry ‌Peskov told state television when asked about comparisons with the Trump visit.

"It is not ⁠always easy to compare the content as not everything is ‌shown on the surface. However, the main ⁠value lies in the content, not ⁠in the ceremonial aspects," Peskov added.

Just days after hosting Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Putin with military honors and a red carpet outside the monumental Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Putin's reception had the hallmarks of the typical state-visit welcome, much like what Beijing bestowed on Trump.

Putin-Xi talks revive stalled Russian gas pipeline as Iran war rattles energy markets

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, with the long-stalled Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline on the agenda, as the Iran war disrupts energy supplies.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Tuesday that the project “will be discussed in great detail between the leaders.”The planned 2,600-kilometer pipeline would carry 50 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia’s Yamal fields to China via Mongolia. Moscow and Beijing signed a legally binding memorandum to advance construction in September 2025, but pricing, financing terms, and a delivery timeline remain unresolved.

China reportedly wanted pricing terms for the new pipeline to match Russia’s domestic rate of around $120-130 per 1,000 cubic meters, while Moscow is seeking terms closer to Power of Siberia 1, which analysts estimate would more than double that figure.

Taiwan’s Lai says he would tell Trump he hopes to continue arms purchases from the US

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday that if given the chance he would tell U.S. President Donald Trump of his hope to continue U.S. arms purchases, which Lai called essential for peace, while offering assurances that the island’s future would not be decided by external forces.

Lai is marking two years in office, the halfway point of his term, under growing pressure from China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be retaken by force if necessary. Trump’s recent narrative on Taiwan also raised concerns about U.S. traditional support for the island even without formal diplomatic ties.

Lai said if he could talk to Trump, he would emphasize that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was crucial for global security, alleging China was the “destroyer” of the strait’s peace.

Lai said he also would tell Trump that Taiwan’s increasing defense budget was a response to threats and purchases of U.S. arms would be an essential means to safeguard the strait’s stability. Lai said he believes “only strength can bring peace.”

Trump weighs Taiwan arms package

US President Donald Trump yesterday said he has not made a decision on whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan after hearing concerns about it from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump’s comments on Taiwan came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan.

“I will make a determination,” Trump said, adding: “I’ll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles [15,289km] away.”

President Lai speaks on democracy, security in anniversary address

President William Lai today addressed the nation to mark the second anniversary of his inauguration and 30 years of democracy in Taiwan, speaking on national security amid growing global threats and future economic and social development.

Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by forces beyond its borders, nor can it be held hostage by fear, division or short-term gain, Lai said.

“Taiwan’s future must be determined together by our 23 million people,” he added. The past two years have not been easy, as a changing geopolitical landscape, growing authoritarianism, supply chain restructuring, climate change, energy transition and the rise of artificial intelligence have challenged Taiwan’s competitiveness and resilience, he said.

Putin visits China to reaffirm Russia ties as Xi also seeks stable US relations after Trump summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Tuesday night in China for meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his own trip to Beijing.

Putin’s plane landed in Beijing, where he was greeted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and an honor guard, as well as youths in light blue shirts waving Chinese and Russian flags and chanting, “Welcome, welcome, warmly welcome!” His two-day visit is likely to be closely watched as Beijing seeks to maintain stable relations with the United States while also preserving strong ties with Russia.

The Kremlin has said Putin and Xi plan to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries, but also “key international and regional issues.” The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship signed in 2001.

Xi’s double act: Putin arrives in China days after Trump’s departure

Less than a week after Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump, the Chinese leader is hosting another guest of honor — and this time it’s a close ally. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Chinese capital Tuesday for a state visit clearly calibrated to showcase Beijing and Moscow’s alignment in the face of global geopolitical upheaval.

China and Russia are both navigating shifting relationships with the Trump administration and are weighing up whether to play any role in helping to end a US-Iran conflict that has ensnared global oil supplies and distracted Washington from Russia’s own yearslong war in Ukraine.

Putin Needs Xi’s Help. The 3 Things Russia Wants From China

The red carpet from Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing had only just been packed away before it was rolled out again for Vladimir Putin.

The Russian president's visit to China on Tuesday and Wednesday will see the embattled leader - weakened in the fifth year of fighting in the Ukraine war - push for even more help from its biggest and most important ally. In a video released right before he got on the plane, Putin said the countries' decades-long relations had "reached a truly unprecedented level".

Speaking to "Chinese friends", he said: "I deeply appreciate President Xi Jinping’s commitment to long-term cooperation with Russia", emphasizing the "special nature" of the relationship and "warm and friendly" ties.