Iran issues stark warning to Trump 'the gambler': We will end this war
U.S. President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One to depart from the White House en route to New Jersey, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 20, 2025. (Reuters
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South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Can China build on eased trade tensions with US amid Trump's many distractions?
While the US-China talks in London earlier this month suggested Beijing had the negotiating edge over Washington's other major trading partners, observers warn that China may need to temper expectations of a restoration of senior-level exchanges. Advertisement US President Donald Trump's competing priorities – both domestically and internationally – could distract his administration from the pressing need to establish a lasting agreement on US-China trade relations, they said. But while the Trump administration remains in the early stages of formulating its China policy, Beijing should advance a leader-driven process to stabilise bilateral ties, laying the groundwork for a trade agreement ahead of a potential summit. Sourabh Gupta, a senior policy specialist with the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington, said the framework reached in London was 'a genuine de-escalation of trade tensions'. 'At least, that's how the two sides envision it,' he said, noting that the framework essentially marked a return to last month's Geneva agreement, with both parties having 'a vested interest in getting to 'yes' on a trade deal'. Advertisement According to Gupta, the outcome of the talks – alongside the first call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump since the latter started his second term – has placed China as a 'front-runner' in Washington's negotiations with major trading partners. While the London framework represents a temporary truce rather than a comprehensive deal, no other US trading partner has secured a comparable agreement, despite parallel negotiations with the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Canada, India and others.
RTHK
an hour ago
- RTHK
Israel targets Tehran and Fordow in latest strikes
Israel targets Tehran and Fordow in latest strikes Iranians protest in Tehran against the US attack on nuclear sites. Photo: West Asia News Agency/Reuters Iran's underground enrichment site at Fordow was hit again on Monday while Iran fired a salvo of missiles and drones at Israel and warned the United States that its military now has a 'free hand' to attack American targets in the wake of the Trump administration's massive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The Fordow facility was one of those hit in Sunday's attack, and it was struck again on Monday, Iranian state television reported. There was no immediate word on damage nor who launched the attack, though Israel said earlier it was conducting airstrikes on Iran. In Vienna, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he expected there to be heavy damage at the Fordow facility already following the Sunday's US airstrike with sophisticated bunker-buster bombs. 'Given the explosive payload utilised... very significant damage... is expected to have occurred,' said Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. With the strikes on Sunday on Iranian nuclear sites, the United States inserted itself into Israel's war, prompting fears of a wider regional conflict. Iran said the United States had crossed 'a very big red line' with its risky gambit to strike the three sites with missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs . Israel said its defence systems were operating to intercept the latest Iranian threat, which apparently targeted the north and central areas of the country, and told people to head to shelters. Iran described the attack a new wave of its Operation 'True Promise 3,' saying it was targeting the Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state television. Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem. There were no immediate reports of damage. In Iran, witnesses reported Israeli airstrikes hit areas around Iran's capital, Tehran, around midday. They hit a power supply system in the Iranian capital, triggering outages in some areas around the city, Iranian media reported. The power distribution line in northern Tehran "was damaged, causing outages in some areas", Fars news agency reported. (AP)
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Have Trump's Iran strikes given China a strategic advantage?
The US' direct engagement in the Israel-Iran conflict over the weekend could intensify its drive to secure critical resources – particularly rare earth minerals – a development that could strengthen China's position in its ongoing geopolitical and economic rivalry with Washington, analysts said. A potential escalatory spiral in the Middle East could push forward trade negotiations between the world's two largest economies, said Xu Weijun, an assistant research fellow at South China University of Technology's Institute of Public Policy. 'An intensifying situation would force the US to allocate more strategic resources there, leaving fewer resources available for competition with China in the Indo-Pacific, thereby easing pressure,' he said. 'On the other hand, one key focus of trade talks is rare earths, which are critical to modern technology and defence industries – and arguably a strategic vulnerability for the United States. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Washington's urgency to secure these resources is likely to grow, giving Beijing more leverage at the negotiating table.' US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States had conducted a 'very successful attack' on three nuclear sites in Iran. Tehran has pledged retaliation, and threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz. The strike has fuelled fears among various countries that tensions in the region will further intensify, and deepened Washington's military entanglements abroad at a time when its trade relationship with China remains stalled. China and the US remain locked in a tense stalemate over tariffs and other trade issues, with the most recent talks in London yielding little tangible progress.
