Could President Donald Trump be forced to cancel his planned visit to China for the second time?
Speculation is running high in both Beijing and Washington. In the Strait of Hormuz, confrontations have now entered their eighth week, and Trump is struggling to find a way out of the الأزمة.
Earlier this year, the White House announced that he would visit China at the turn of March–April. When it became clear that the war with Iran would prevent him from traveling, the visit was postponed to May 14–15. But even that schedule may collapse. In both countries, thousands of people are involved in the preparations, not least the Chinese leadership, which is eager to see a swift end to the war.
“There must be an end to the law of the jungle in international politics,” President and Party leader Xi Jinping said recently. He did not mention the United States by name, but there was no doubt whom he was referring to. Since the beginning, official Chinese media have described the U.S. war against Iran as irresponsible and dangerous.
lørdag 25. april 2026
Is Trump heading to a Pyrrhic victory in Iran?
President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the war in Iran even before the conflict is over. But despite the killing of the country’s leader and seriously degration of its military, there is an argument being made that the Islamic Republic has emerged all the stronger for having simply survived.
Indeed, a phrase that has repeatedly cropped up as the US has sunk more and more military hardware and credibility into Operation Epic Fury is “Pyrrhic victory.”That term also shows up in Iraq War retrospectives, in postmortems of US operations in Libya and in just about every serious attempt to make sense of the past two decades of Western intervention in the Middle East.
But what exactly is a Pyrrhic victory? And is the US really heading toward one in Iran?
Indeed, a phrase that has repeatedly cropped up as the US has sunk more and more military hardware and credibility into Operation Epic Fury is “Pyrrhic victory.”That term also shows up in Iraq War retrospectives, in postmortems of US operations in Libya and in just about every serious attempt to make sense of the past two decades of Western intervention in the Middle East.
But what exactly is a Pyrrhic victory? And is the US really heading toward one in Iran?
US sounds alarm on China’s AI distillation as DeepSeek V4 debuts
Washington has vowed to curb what it sees as the unauthorized extraction of intellectual property from United States-developed artificial intelligence models, sharpening its stance just as China’s DeepSeek unveiled its latest system.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) said on Thursday, April 23),that information indicated that foreign entities, principally based in China, are engaged in deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns to distill US frontier AI models.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) said on Thursday, April 23),that information indicated that foreign entities, principally based in China, are engaged in deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns to distill US frontier AI models.
“Leveraging tens of thousands of proxy accounts to evade detection and using jailbreaking techniques to expose proprietary information, these coordinated campaigns systematically extract capabilities from American AI models, exploiting American expertise and innovation,” Michael Kratsios, an assistant to the president for science and technology director, OSTP, said in a memorandum for the heads of US government departments and agencies.
US chasing AGI myth while China builds the AI future
The United States is increasingly organizing its artificial intelligence strategy around a concept it cannot clearly define, cannot reliably measure and may never achieve in the singular, decisive form imagined.
That concept is Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI. In Washington and Silicon Valley, AGI has become the policy anchor and rhetorical North Star. Lawmakers invoke it to justify massive investments. Tech executives tie timelines to presidential terms or national dominance. Analysts warn that the first country to reach it will shape the global order. The language is urgent: a race, a finish line, a winner-take-all victory.
There is only one problem: no one agrees on what AGI actually is.
That concept is Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI. In Washington and Silicon Valley, AGI has become the policy anchor and rhetorical North Star. Lawmakers invoke it to justify massive investments. Tech executives tie timelines to presidential terms or national dominance. Analysts warn that the first country to reach it will shape the global order. The language is urgent: a race, a finish line, a winner-take-all victory.
There is only one problem: no one agrees on what AGI actually is.
Ex-Philippines leader to go on trial over dozens of murders committed when he was mayor and president
Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for deadly anti-drug crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office.
A three-judge panel found unanimously there were “substantial grounds” to believe the ex-leader was responsible for dozens of murders, first as mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao and later when he was president. Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested in the Philippines last year and flown to The Hague, where the global court is located. He denies the charges against him.
A three-judge panel found unanimously there were “substantial grounds” to believe the ex-leader was responsible for dozens of murders, first as mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao and later when he was president. Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested in the Philippines last year and flown to The Hague, where the global court is located. He denies the charges against him.
Asia’s spiraling supply shock is coming for America
Gas stations are rationing fuel. Hospitals are running out of medical supplies. People are hoarding plastic bags, and factories face packaging shortages. That’s all happening in Asia now.
That could become a problem for the United States: About half the stuffAmericans buy comes from Asia. If Asian factories are dealing with a lack of supplies, should Americans expect shortages, too? Possibly – but not just yet. At least not in any widespread or severe manner. But the longer the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the harder it will become for the United States to avoid the problems piling up elsewhere.
US imposes sanctions on a China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iranian oil
President Donald Trump’s administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil. The move, announced Friday and first reported by The Associated Press, makes good on Trump’s threat to impose secondary sanctions on companies and countries that do business with Iran. It’s also part of his Republican administration’s overall ramped-up campaign to cut off Iran’s key source of revenue — its oil exports.
Concurrently, the U.S. this month imposed a physical blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies.
The sanctions, which cut off the companies from the U.S. financial system and penalize anyone who does business with them, come just a few weeks before President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are due to meet in China.
Concurrently, the U.S. this month imposed a physical blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies.
The sanctions, which cut off the companies from the U.S. financial system and penalize anyone who does business with them, come just a few weeks before President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are due to meet in China.
Chinese foreign minister and Thai prime minister agree to collaborate on fighting cyberscams
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday during a visit aimed at strengthening the countries’ strategic partnership and expanding cooperation. The two agreed to strengthen collaboration in fighting transnational crime and cyberscams and other areas, Thai government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said.
She said Anutin thanked China for its continued support for Thailand, while Wang congratulated Anutin on retaining his office after an election and expressed confidence that Thailand-China relations will continue to improve. Anutin greeted Wang at Government House in Bangkok. They shook hands while posing for photographs before the meeting. Wang also talked earlier with his Thai counterpart Sihasak Phuangketkeow, officials said.
Wang arrived in Thailand on Thursday for a three-day visit following meetings with government ministers in Cambodia focused on enhancing their countries’ political and security ties.
She said Anutin thanked China for its continued support for Thailand, while Wang congratulated Anutin on retaining his office after an election and expressed confidence that Thailand-China relations will continue to improve. Anutin greeted Wang at Government House in Bangkok. They shook hands while posing for photographs before the meeting. Wang also talked earlier with his Thai counterpart Sihasak Phuangketkeow, officials said.
Wang arrived in Thailand on Thursday for a three-day visit following meetings with government ministers in Cambodia focused on enhancing their countries’ political and security ties.
fredag 24. april 2026
Torbjørn Færøvik: Bør Trump droppe Kina-besøket?
Kan president Trump bli tvunget til å avlyse sitt planlagte besøk i Kina for andre gang?
Spekulasjonene går høyt i både Beijing og Washington. I Hormuzstredet fortsetter konfrontasjonene på åttende uke, og Trump strever med å finne en vei ut av uføret.
Tidligere i år kunngjorde Det hvite hus at han skulle besøke Kina i månedsskiftet mars-april. Da han innså at krigen mot Iran hindret ham i å reise, ble besøket flyttet til 14. og 15. mai. Men også denne tidsplanen kan sprekke. I begge land er flere tusen mennesker involvert i forberedelsene, ikke minst de kinesiske lederne, som ønsker en rask slutt på krigen.
«Det må bli slutt på jungelens lov i internasjonal politikk», sa president og partisjef Xi Jinping nylig. Han nevnte ikke USA ved navn, men det var ingen tvil om hvem han siktet til. Offisielle kinesiske medier har siden starten omtalt USAs krig mot Iran som uansvarlig og farlig.
Spekulasjonene går høyt i både Beijing og Washington. I Hormuzstredet fortsetter konfrontasjonene på åttende uke, og Trump strever med å finne en vei ut av uføret.
Tidligere i år kunngjorde Det hvite hus at han skulle besøke Kina i månedsskiftet mars-april. Da han innså at krigen mot Iran hindret ham i å reise, ble besøket flyttet til 14. og 15. mai. Men også denne tidsplanen kan sprekke. I begge land er flere tusen mennesker involvert i forberedelsene, ikke minst de kinesiske lederne, som ønsker en rask slutt på krigen.
«Det må bli slutt på jungelens lov i internasjonal politikk», sa president og partisjef Xi Jinping nylig. Han nevnte ikke USA ved navn, men det var ingen tvil om hvem han siktet til. Offisielle kinesiske medier har siden starten omtalt USAs krig mot Iran som uansvarlig og farlig.
China teases new aircraft carrier, vows to build up islands
China on Wednesday teased in a video an aircraft carrier that could be its fourth, and the first using nuclear power, while making an allusion to Taiwan and vowing to further build up its islands, as it looks to boost maritime power, secure resources and bolster territorial claims.
The video, issued on the eve of the 77th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, featured fictional officers with names that are homophones of three commissioned aircraft carriers, the Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian.
Titled Into the Deep, it showed a 19-year-old named “Hejian” (何劍) joining the group, sparking public speculation that it was referring to a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, as the navy recruit’s name is a homophone of “nuclear vessel” (hejian), in Mandarin.
The video, issued on the eve of the 77th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, featured fictional officers with names that are homophones of three commissioned aircraft carriers, the Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian.
Titled Into the Deep, it showed a 19-year-old named “Hejian” (何劍) joining the group, sparking public speculation that it was referring to a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, as the navy recruit’s name is a homophone of “nuclear vessel” (hejian), in Mandarin.
US urged to act over Chinese pressure
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday urged Washington not to normalize Chinese pressure, while a US lawmaker called on the US government to hold countries accountable for yielding to Beijing’s pressure to block President William Lai’s planned trip to Eswatini.
Lai had been scheduled to visit Eswatini to attend birthday events for King Mswati III of Eswatini this week, but on Tuesday, the eve of his planned departure on Wednesday, the Presidential Office said the trip was “suspended” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly withdrew overflight permission.
“China reportedly pressured Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar to deny airspace access to Taiwan’s President Lai, escalating Beijing’s campaign to isolate Taiwan,” the committee wrote on X.
Lai had been scheduled to visit Eswatini to attend birthday events for King Mswati III of Eswatini this week, but on Tuesday, the eve of his planned departure on Wednesday, the Presidential Office said the trip was “suspended” after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unexpectedly withdrew overflight permission.
“China reportedly pressured Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar to deny airspace access to Taiwan’s President Lai, escalating Beijing’s campaign to isolate Taiwan,” the committee wrote on X.
How China is gaining from Iran war by showing it is different from US
As Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz this week, the pragmatic approach Beijing has taken to the US-Israel war on Iran was on full display.
Speaking to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on the phone on Monday, Xi reiterated China’s support for “all efforts conducive to restoring peace and stands for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means”. “The Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,” Xi said, according to a Chinese readout of the call.
The readout did not specifically mention any of the key players in the war, although the United States and Iran have, between them, brought the strategic waterway to a standstill for the past seven weeks. Iran moved to close the strait to most marine traffic following the launch of the war on February 28, while the US launched a blockade of all Iranian ports on April 13.
Speaking to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on the phone on Monday, Xi reiterated China’s support for “all efforts conducive to restoring peace and stands for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means”. “The Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage, as this serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,” Xi said, according to a Chinese readout of the call.
The readout did not specifically mention any of the key players in the war, although the United States and Iran have, between them, brought the strategic waterway to a standstill for the past seven weeks. Iran moved to close the strait to most marine traffic following the launch of the war on February 28, while the US launched a blockade of all Iranian ports on April 13.
Japan builds up its ‘southern shield’ as faith in US security cover falters
Japan’s southern island of Kyushu is known for its volcanic landscape and tonkatsu ramen, but the popular tourist destination is ground zero for one of the greatest shifts in Japan’s defence strategy since 1947, when it formally renounced the use of war to settle international disputes.
In late March, Japan deployed long-range missiles to Kumamoto Prefecture on the island’s southwest coast. Unlike previous defence installations, these missiles could hit China, reflecting the fact that Beijing has ranked as Japan’s top national security threat above North Korea and Russia since 2019.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters at the time that “Japan faces the most severe and complex security environment in the post-war era” and the country must strengthen its “deterrence and responsiveness”.
In late March, Japan deployed long-range missiles to Kumamoto Prefecture on the island’s southwest coast. Unlike previous defence installations, these missiles could hit China, reflecting the fact that Beijing has ranked as Japan’s top national security threat above North Korea and Russia since 2019.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters at the time that “Japan faces the most severe and complex security environment in the post-war era” and the country must strengthen its “deterrence and responsiveness”.
The Ugly Side of Eswatini-Taiwan Relations
Taiwan’s relations with its last remaining African ally are in the spotlight this week after President Lai Ching-te’s trip to Eswatini was canceled at the last minute, reportedly under pressure from China.
Scheduled for April 22 to 27 to coincide with celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Swazi King Mswati III’s coronation, the visit was shelved when Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar rescinded overflight permits, apparently at Beijing’s behest. With no indication that the visit would be rescheduled, at the time of writing, Lai could only bemoan China’s “coercion” and convey his “sincere wishes” to Mswati for his ruby jubilee.
Africa’s only absolute monarch, Mswati, who was born in 1968 – the same year that Taiwan and Eswatini (then Swaziland) established diplomatic relations – recently celebrated his 58th birthday, another reason for the planned program of activities.
Scheduled for April 22 to 27 to coincide with celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Swazi King Mswati III’s coronation, the visit was shelved when Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar rescinded overflight permits, apparently at Beijing’s behest. With no indication that the visit would be rescheduled, at the time of writing, Lai could only bemoan China’s “coercion” and convey his “sincere wishes” to Mswati for his ruby jubilee.
Africa’s only absolute monarch, Mswati, who was born in 1968 – the same year that Taiwan and Eswatini (then Swaziland) established diplomatic relations – recently celebrated his 58th birthday, another reason for the planned program of activities.
Chinese foreign minister and Thai prime minister agree to collaborate on fighting cyberscams
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday during a visit aimed at strengthening the countries’ strategic partnership and expanding cooperation. The two agreed to strengthen collaboration in fighting transnational crime and cyberscams and other areas, Thai government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said.
She said Anutin thanked China for its continued support for Thailand, while Wang congratulated Anutin on retaining his office after an election and expressed confidence that Thailand-China relations will continue to improve. Anutin greeted Wang at Government House in Bangkok. They shook hands while posing for photographs before the meeting.
She said Anutin thanked China for its continued support for Thailand, while Wang congratulated Anutin on retaining his office after an election and expressed confidence that Thailand-China relations will continue to improve. Anutin greeted Wang at Government House in Bangkok. They shook hands while posing for photographs before the meeting.
Trump administration vows crackdown on Chinese companies ‘exploiting’ AI models made in US
The Trump administration is vowing to crack down on foreign tech companies’ exploitation of U.S. artificial intelligence models, singling out China at a time that country is narrowing the gap with the U.S. in the AI race.
In a Thursday memo, Michael Kratsios, the president’s chief science and technology adviser, accused foreign entities “principally based in China” of engaging in deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns to “distill,” or extract capabilities from, leading AI systems made in the U.S. and “exploiting American expertise and innovation.”
The administration, Kratsios wrote, will work with American AI companies to identify such activities, build defenses and find ways to punish offenders.
In a Thursday memo, Michael Kratsios, the president’s chief science and technology adviser, accused foreign entities “principally based in China” of engaging in deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns to “distill,” or extract capabilities from, leading AI systems made in the U.S. and “exploiting American expertise and innovation.”
The administration, Kratsios wrote, will work with American AI companies to identify such activities, build defenses and find ways to punish offenders.
China’s DeepSeek rolls out a long-anticipated update of its AI model
DeepSeek, the Chinese artificial intelligence startup that shook world markets last year, launched preview versions of its latest major update Friday as the AI rivalry between China and the U.S. heats up. DeepSeek’s V4 has been keenly anticipated by users looking to test how it compares to U.S. competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini. Anthropic and OpenAI have accused DeepSeek of unfairly building its technology off their own.
Some industry analysts had expected the new model to arrive more than two months earlier at the start of the Lunar New Year.
DeepSeek says the new V4 open-source models, which include “pro” and “flash” versions, have big improvements in knowledge, reasoning and in their “agentic” capabilities – the ability to perform complex tasks and workflows autonomously. Another big change is they are supported in part by computer chips made by Chinese tech giant Huawei, reducing DeepSeek’s reliance on U.S. chipmakers like Nvidia.
Some industry analysts had expected the new model to arrive more than two months earlier at the start of the Lunar New Year.
DeepSeek says the new V4 open-source models, which include “pro” and “flash” versions, have big improvements in knowledge, reasoning and in their “agentic” capabilities – the ability to perform complex tasks and workflows autonomously. Another big change is they are supported in part by computer chips made by Chinese tech giant Huawei, reducing DeepSeek’s reliance on U.S. chipmakers like Nvidia.
At Beijing auto show, Chinese carmakers flaunt new technologies as global competition heats up
China’s top automakers are showcasing their latest models and technologies from intelligent driving to ultrafast charging in Beijing as they compete with global rivals in overseas markets.
Analysts say the biennial auto show in China’s capital, which opened to media on Friday, shows how its auto industry is setting the global pace for cutting-edge technologies in areas such as electric vehicles and batteries, eclipsing many foreign brands that used to dominate the global market.
More than 1,450 vehicles are on display at this year’s show, including 181 global debuts. The show runs until May 3. Chinese EV maker XPeng is showing off its latest GX model, a six-seater SUV with a third row seats that can lie completely flat, among other new displays and technologies.
Analysts say the biennial auto show in China’s capital, which opened to media on Friday, shows how its auto industry is setting the global pace for cutting-edge technologies in areas such as electric vehicles and batteries, eclipsing many foreign brands that used to dominate the global market.
More than 1,450 vehicles are on display at this year’s show, including 181 global debuts. The show runs until May 3. Chinese EV maker XPeng is showing off its latest GX model, a six-seater SUV with a third row seats that can lie completely flat, among other new displays and technologies.
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