When Vickie Wang, a budding standup comedian, gets on stage in New York, she’s not just thinking about what jokes to crack. She’s also thinking about which ones to avoid. “I don’t criticise the administration directly,” she said. Or if she does, she makes sure it’s not recorded for social media. “I would never publicly publish something where I directly criticise the government … I think it’s a learned behaviour from China”. Wang, 39, lived in Shanghai for nearly a decade, leaving in 2022. In 2025 she relocated to the…
Tag: Trump administration
Trump says Maduro’s days are numbered but ‘doubts’ US will go to war with Venezuela
Donald Trump has sent mixed signals about potential US intervention in Venezuela, playing down concerns of imminent war against the South American nation but saying its leader Nicolás Maduro’s days were numbered. The president’s remarks, made during a CBS interview released on Sunday, come as the US amasses military units in the Caribbean and has conducted multiple strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels, killing dozens. Asked during the 60 Minutes program if the US was going to war against Venezuela, Trump said: “I doubt it. I don’t think so.” However, when…
Xi Jinping’s moment and whirlwind diplomatic tours: key takeaways from the Apec summit in South Korea
1. After Trump went awol, this was Xi’s moment Having dominated the headlines for several days during visits to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, Donald Trump flew back to Washington on the eve of the Apec summit in Gyeongju, leaving his treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, to do his bidding. Whether by accident or design, Trump’s absence allowed Xi to fill the void and position himself as a unifying voice and champion of the region’s economic interests, and an alternative to “America first” protectionism. While Trump – who was showered with…
Why is Trump talking about nuclear weapons? – podcast
Less than an hour before Donald Trump met the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to discuss a deal that could end the trade war between the two superpowers, the US president posted on Truth Social that he had directed the Pentagon to match Russia and China in nuclear weapons testing. Jonathan Freedland speaks to Jonathan Czin, the former director for China at the National Security Council, about why Trump did this and whether he or Xi left South Korea feeling the strongest The Guardian
Radio Free Asia suspends news operations amid cuts and US government shutdown
Radio Free Asia (RFA) has said it is suspending its news operations due to the US government shutdown and the Trump administration’s cuts to government-funded news services. “RFA has been forced to suspend all remaining news content production – for the first time in its 29 years of existence,” said Bay Fang, RFA’s president and CEO, in a statement. “In an effort to conserve limited resources on hand and preserve the possibility of restarting operations should consistent funding become available, RFA is taking further steps to responsibly shrink its already…
Trump directs Pentagon to match Russia and China in nuclear weapons testing
Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to immediately start matching other nuclear powers in their testing of nuclear weapons, specifically citing Russia and China. In a post to Truth Social, Trump said that “because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.” The post came less than an hour before Trump met the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, in South Korea on Thursday morning in an effort to come to a trade…
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping hold meeting in South Korea amid hopes for trade deal – live updates
From 34m ago Trump and Xi shake hands Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have greeted each other and shaken hands. Trump said Xi was a “very tough negotiator and that’s not good”. In the comment to reporters in Busan before the meeting got under way, the US president also said: “We have a great relationship.” Asked if he planned to sign a trade deal, Trump said: “Could be.” The Chinese president didn’t make any comments. Share Updated at 22.16 EDT <gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" priority="feature" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"6902ca9e8f0860207cef1005","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" At the table for the talks…
Donald Trump greeted by Emperor Naruhito in Japan before meeting new prime minister – US politics live
From 1h ago Trump gets royal welcome in Japan as he meets emperor Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. I’m Tom Ambrose and I will be bringing you all the latest news lines over the next few hours. We start with the news that president Donald Trump received a royal welcome on Monday in Japan, the latest leg of a five-day Asia trip which he hopes to cap with an agreement on a trade war truce with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Trump, making his longest journey abroad…
Trump says he would be open to meeting Kim Jong-un as he embarks on whirlwind Asia tour
Donald Trump has embarked on a tour of Asia where he is expected to take part in high-stakes trade talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping – telling reporters that he was also open to a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump, who left Washington on Friday night, is set for a five-day trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, his first to the region since taking office in January. Trump is set to meet Xi on the last day of his trip to seal a deal to end…
Trump in Asia: five key questions as US president prepares for diplomatic tour
Donald Trump is about to embark on a tour of Asia that many hope will ease trade tensions with countries in the region and repair damaged ties with China. Trump will begin his trip on Sunday at a meeting of south-east Asian nations in Malaysia, before flying to Japan to meet its new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, early next week. But the most important stop on his itinerary will come at the end of the month, when he is expected to discuss trade, and possibly Taiwan, with Chinese leader Xi…