Quick wins, long march
China, the US, the Middle East, NATO, the UK, and Cuba.
Hello,
Here are the five things you need to know today:
CHINA. UNITED STATES. Trump meets with Xi to show who’s boss.
MIDDLE EAST. The region adjusts to a post-US order.
NATO. The alliance’s frontier scrambles amid new realities.
BRITAIN. A rumoured challenge shows it’s not all about Starmer.
CUBA. Protests break out as the fuel runs out.
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CHINA. UNITED STATES. Thucydides trip
Trump meets with Xi to show who's boss.
Donald Trump visited Beijing with a delegation of officials, chief executives, and son Eric. Trump told Xi Jinping, “There are those who say this may be the biggest summit ever.” Xi said, “When we confront each other, both sides suffer.”
INTELLIGENCE. Outcomes were unverified as of writing, but the summit appears to have at least stabilised ties, allowing for a more substantive meeting in September. Prior to his arrival, Trump insisted he didn’t need Xi’s help on Iran, though Marco Rubio, travelling on Air Force One, said Washington wanted Beijing to pressure Tehran. The two CEOs to join officials on the flight, Elon Musk and Jensen Huang, suggest a technology quid pro quo may be on offer.
FOR BUSINESS. A chips-for-Taiwan “grand bargain”, feared by much of the Asia-Pacific, may be replaced by a chips-for-Tehran one. Trump could yet tilt the scales with another attack, but Hormuz remains relatively quiet, and another ten Chinese ships have reportedly received permission to transit the strait. Chinese firms, meanwhile, are reportedly still doing arms deals with China. As Trump flew to Beijing, US 30-year bonds hit 5% for the first time since 2007.
MIDDLE EAST. Axis of evolution
The region adjusts to a post-US order.
JD Vance said the US was making progress in talks with Iran, contradicting Trump’s earlier statements. Pakistan said Qatar and Turkey may join its mutual-defence pact with Saudi Arabia. The UAE denied Benjamin Netanyahu had visited.
INTELLIGENCE. In the absence of US predictability, the Gulf monarchies are