Day: September 10, 2025

Trump halted deportation of Korean workers to encourage them to train Americans

Media Library

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world Donald Trump halted the deportation of hundreds of South Korean workers arrested during an immigration enforcement raid and proposed they stay to train Americans, according to South Korean officials. President Trump told officials to “encourage” the workers arrested at the Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia to remain in the country, South Korean diplomats said in a Washington briefing. The workers were initially due to fly to Seoul on…

Pacific islands freeze out US and China at annual summit

Media Library

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world Pacific island leaders gathering in the Solomon Islands this week have adopted a novel strategy to prevent US-China tensions from overshadowing the region’s most important annual summit: inviting neither. The Pacific Islands Forum — which brings together 18 countries ranging from tiny island nations Tuvalu and Niue to regional heavyweights Australia and New Zealand — has been dominated in recent years by an escalating competition for influence between…

China launches record-smashing cable-stayed mega bridge over Yangtze River

Media Library

The world’s longest cable-stayed bridge opened to traffic in Jiangsu province, eastern China on Tuesday, connecting the cities of Changzhou and Taizhou and slashing the travel time from over an hour to just 20 minutes. Advertisement The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge stretches 10.3km (6.4 miles) with a main span of 1,208 metres (3,960 feet). It is the river’s first crossing to carry an expressway, regular road and intercity railway, all on the same structure. Officials said the bridge – which took six years to complete and was built using a…

Nasa blocks Chinese nationals from working on its space programs

Media Library

Nasa has begun barring Chinese nationals with valid visas from joining its programs, underscoring the intensifying space race between the the US and China. The policy shift was first reported by Bloomberg News and confirmed by the US government agency. “Nasa has taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals, including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities, materials and network to ensure the security of our work,” Nasa press secretary Bethany Stevens said on Wednesday. According to Bloomberg, Chinese nationals had previously been allowed to work as contractors or…

China eyes C919 jet breakthrough as Malaysian airline in talks to buy aircraft

Media Library

Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia has shown strong interest in acquiring the Chinese C919 passenger jet, its executive said, as part of its strategy to tap into Southeast Asia’s 700 million-strong population and capitalise on growing China-Asean business ties. Advertisement “We’re in active discussions to buy the C919,” Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A – an investment holding company of AirAsia – told the Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong on Wednesday. “We’re the first foreign airline to be working with Comac [on a deal for the C919],” he added,…

White House adviser calls for US to defend its AI lead against Chinese advances

Media Library

The White House on Wednesday reiterated its call to defend its artificial intelligence lead against a quickly advancing China by exporting “cohesive AI tech stacks” that integrate not just chips but also algorithms and applications to foreign countries. Advertisement Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told a Senate subcommittee hearing that the US once commanded a “comfortable” lead in AI over closest competitors, such as China, in 2020, but by 2024 the gap had begun to “close significantly”. “We stood in danger of…

Japan confronts the increased price of US friendship

Media Library

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world There were several moments during Howard Lutnick and Ryosei Akazawa’s celebratory joint video statement last week where you wondered if Japan’s chief trade negotiator was speaking of his own free will. “You . . . think about what was good for Japan. I really felt so . . . You are a very nice guy for me and also for the Japanese people and Japan,” said Akazawa, praising the successful conclusion of trade talks and beaming…

China-Kazakhstan cross-border e-commerce ties to grow: Freedom Holding CEO

Media Library

The founder and CEO of diversified investment group Freedom Holding, Timur Turlov, sees a boost in cross-border e-commerce activity between China and Kazakhstan, following a recent cooperation agreement signed in Beijing. Advertisement Freedom Bank, part of Nasdaq-listed Freedom Holding, last week entered into an agreement with virtual payment provider Verum Payments and UnionPay Business, a unit of the Chinese state-owned financial services firm UnionPay, to support the development of Kazakhstan-China cross-border e-commerce and promote economic ties between the two countries. In an interview, Turlov said the pact marked “another step…

Will the JL-1 missile be China’s final word on airborne nuclear deterrence?

Media Library

Advertisement The JL-1 is a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) and debuted during Beijing’s military parade last week. It appeared alongside land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) – the first time that China has publicly displayed a full nuclear triad. With a range of up to 8,000km (5,000 miles), the JL-1 can move at hypersonic speed and with terminal manoeuvrability, giving it strong penetration abilities and making it difficult to intercept, according to Chinese state media reports. The JL-1 can be carried on a modified H-6N…

Why Asia still hasn’t emerged from the shadows of World War II

Media Library

Eighty years on, the Global South’s pursuit of a just world order remains overshadowed by the unresolved legacies of the second world war. Advertisement At China’s Victory Day parade last week, President Xi Jinping warned that the world stands at a crossroads – between peace and war. He urged nations to learn from history to prevent a repeat of the catastrophe that engulfed the world eight decades ago. In the lead-up to the commemoration, concerns intensified over Japan’s perceived lack of genuine remorse for its wartime actions. Japanese officials continued…