Trump, Xi might meet ahead of or during October APEC summit in South Korea, SCMP reports
The two countries have been trying to negotiate an end to an escalating tit-for-tat tariff war that has upended global trade and supply chains.
Trump has sought to impose tariffs on US importers for virtually all foreign goods, which he says will stimulate domestic manufacturing and which critics say will make many consumer goods more expensive for Americans.
He has called for a universal base tariff rate of 10% on goods imported from all countries, with higher rates for imports from the most "problematic" ones, including China: imports from there now have the highest tariff rate of 55%.
Trump has set a deadline of August 12 for the US and China to reach a durable tariffs agreement.
A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment about the reported plans for a meeting with Xi in the fall. The two countries' most recent high-level meeting was on July 11, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had what both described as a productive and positive meeting in Malaysia about how trade negotiations should proceed.
Rubio noted then that Trump had been invited to China to meet with Xi, and said that both leaders "want it to happen."
On Friday, China Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said China wants to bring its trade ties with the US back to a stable footing and that recent talks in Europe showed there was no need for a tariff war.
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The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Cyril Ramaphosa faces pressure to appoint US ambassador as tariffs loom
While the Presidency announced the appointment of Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave as the new Seychelles Ambassador to the United Nations in New York on Monday, partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU) are intensifying calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint an ambassador to the United States as a matter of urgency. This comes days before the implementation of 30% tariffs on South African products exported to the US, imposed by President Donald Trump's administration. South Africa has been without an ambassador to the US since March when Ebrahim Rasool was expelled over comments deemed an attack on the Trump administration. In response, Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy. However, the DA revealed that the US government denied Jonas a diplomatic visa in May and informed the Presidency that he would not be recognised as South Africa's official interlocutor. Jonas and Rasool are both seen as Trump's adversaries after they criticised him on two different occasions. In mid-March 2025, the Trump administration expelled Rasool as South Africa's ambassador to the US, following his critical comments about the US government during a webinar. Rasool had characterised the "Make America Great Again" movement as partly a reaction to "a supremacist instinct" and anticipated demographic changes in the US, specifically the projected decline of the white population to minority status. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly denounced Rasool as a "race-baiting politician who hates America" and declared him persona non grata. In 2020, Jonas referred to Trump as "a racist, homophobic, and narcissistic right-winger", which resurfaced following his appointment as Special Envoy to the US. This exclusion of the two officials coincided with escalating tensions between the US and South Africa, fuelled by the US disapproval of South Africa's legal proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the US freezing aid to South Africa. GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron emphasised the need for Ramaphosa to take the nation into his confidence and update citizens on the Washington strategy. "Ramaphosa must update the nation on Washington strategy. President Cyril Ramaphosa owes the nation an update on progress... with the nation's diplomatic relationship with the US," Herron said. Another GNU partner, the IFP, during a media briefing on Monday, also urged Ramaphosa to appoint an ambassador as a priority. IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the party is expecting the president to appoint the ambassador as a matter of urgency, given the diplomatic fallout between the two countries. He further stated that urgency was also necessary because South Africa will hand over the G20 Presidency to the US. Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, referred questions to the Presidency. However, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya did not respond to questions on what the status of appointing an a mbassador was. Last week, the Presidency and the DA were engaged in a war of words after the DA revealed that despite being aware of the US rejection of Jonas's credentials, the Presidency continued to present him as the special envoy to North America. "The United States of America denied Mcebisi Jonas a diplomatic visa in May this year. The US government has formally rejected Jonas's credentials...," the DA initially stated. In response, the Presidency warns against treating DA disinformation on international relations as official government policy. "Special Envoys do not present credentials, and Mr Jonas's role, while supportive of DTIC (Department of Trade, Industry and Competition) and DIRCO in trade negotiations and diplomatic relations, does not supersede them. He has been assisting in developing trade proposals and resetting diplomatic ties. "President Ramaphosa has not urgently required Mr Jonas to visit the US due to ongoing processes and recent contact with President Trump. The Presidency is concerned about the DA's persistent campaign against South Africa's national interest, originating from their ideological visit to the US earlier this year. The DA is attempting to use a foreign state to change national policies and is exploiting critical engagements to protest President Ramaphosa's removal of Mr Andrew Whitfield,' Magwenya said. He further said the DA's insults against other nations and international organisations harm South Africa's international relations and could negatively impact businesses and livelihoods dependent on global trade. The impending 30% tariffs on South African exports to the US, expected to take effect next month, pose significant challenges to South Africa's economy. Additionally, South Africa is on the brink of losing its African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) status when it expires this year. AGOA enables economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa by providing eligible countries with duty-free access to the US market for thousands of products. [email protected]
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
The MOST popular countries South Africans are moving to
We bring empirical data to the question of where South Africans are moving to in a bid to free themselves from our struggling economy. Interestingly, according to the United Nations' latest migrant data, South Africa has lost more the one million people to countries abroad over the years. But where exactly are these expats choosing to make a new life? Of course, Trump's 'Afrikaner refugees' grabbed plenty of headlines recently, so is the majority of South Africa's diaspora relocating to the US? Here's where South Africans are moving … Moving abroad is often a pecuniary motivation. However, South Africa still boasts one of the most affordable costs of living in the world. Image: File Specifically, the United Nations provides the following data on where South Africans are moving to, reports BusinessTech : Top South African expatriate populations by country (where known): 1. United Kingdom – 245 000+ (2024 estimate). (2024 estimate). 2. Australia – 213 000+ (2024 estimate). (2024 estimate). 3. United States – 161 000+ (2024 estimate). (2024 estimate). 4. New Zealand – 101 000+ (2024 estimate). (2024 estimate). 5. United Arab Emirates – (specific numbers not available). 6. Canada – (specific numbers not available). 7. Germany – (specific numbers not available). 8. Netherlands – (specific numbers not available). The Springboks winning back-to-back Rugby World Cups has galvanised the nation. Image: Ashley Vlotman While the US is only third on the all-time list, between 2020 and 2024, it's proven most popular for immigrants. Since COVID, the US has topped the list as most sought-after destination South African are moving to, with 31 000 out of 107 000. This is followed by New Zealand with roughly 19 000, and Australia, UK, and the Netherlands each receiving around 10 000 over the same period. However, before you decide to pack your bags and go. Heed some advice from the one-million-strong diaspora who have paved the way for you. They say be informed and consider what South Africa truly has to offer before heading overseas. It's not about which place is better or worse, they're all just different. Yes, you might feel safer overseas. And the financial opportunities might be greater. But don't underestimate the cost of living, the culture and sense of belonging in South Africa. Plus, the weather is fantastic, the nature is breathtaking, and South African people are the friendliest in the world. Just a few pros to consider when drawing up that list … Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Trump's Golden Dome looks for alternatives to Musk's SpaceX
The shift marks a strategic pivot away from reliance on Musk's SpaceX, whose Starlink and Starshield satellite networks have become central to U.S. military communications. It comes amid a deteriorating relationship between Trump and Musk, which culminated in a public falling-out on June 5. Even before the spat, officials at the Pentagon and White House had begun exploring alternatives to SpaceX, wary of over-reliance on a single partner for huge portions of the ambitious, $175 billion space-based defense shield, two of the sources said. Musk and SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. After Reuters reported initially that SpaceX was a frontrunner to build parts of Golden Dome, Musk said on X that the company had 'not tried to bid for any contract in this regard. Our strong preference would be to stay focused on taking humanity to Mars.' Due to its size, track record of launching more than 9,000 of its own Starlink satellites, and experience in government procurement, SpaceX still has the inside track to assist with major portions of the Golden Dome, especially launch contracts, sources say. Project Kuiper, which has launched just 78 of a planned constellation of 3,000 low-earth orbit satellites, has been approached by the Pentagon to join the effort, signaling the administration's openness to integrating commercial tech firms into national defense infrastructure and going beyond traditional defense players. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's executive chairman, told Reuters in January that Kuiper would be 'primarily commercial,' but acknowledged 'there will be defense uses for these [low-earth orbit] constellations, no doubt.' A spokesperson for Project Kuiper declined to comment for this story. The Pentagon declined to comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Golden Dome's ambitions mirror those of Israel's Iron Dome – a homeland missile defense shield – but a larger, more complex layered defense system requires a vast network of orbiting satellites covering more territory. In the search for more vendors for the satellite layers of Golden Dome, 'Kuiper is a big one,' a U.S. official said. While SpaceX remains a frontrunner due to its unmatched launch capabilities, its share of the program could shrink, two of the people said. Officials have reached out to new entrants like rocket companies Stoke Space and Rocket Lab RKLB.O are gaining traction and will be able to bid on individual launches as the program matures, according to the U.S. official. Later in the development of Golden Dome 'each individual launch is going to get bid, and we have to actually give bids to other people,' besides SpaceX, the official said. NEED FOR SATELLITES There is an urgent need for more satellite production. Last year Congress gave Space Force a $13 billion mandate – up from $900 million – to buy satellite-based communication services in what was widely seen as one of many efforts to stimulate private sector satellite production. Amazon's Project Kuiper, a $10 billion initiative led by former Starlink managers dismissed by Musk for slow progress, Reuters has reported, has lagged behind SpaceX in deployment. But its potential defense applications – such as communications that could aid missile tracking – have drawn renewed interest as the administration prepares to allocate the first $25 billion tranche of funding authorized under Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill. Traditional defense giants Northrop Grumman NOC.N, Lockheed Martin LMT.N, and L3Harris LHX.N are also in talks to support Golden Dome. L3Harris CFO Kenneth Bedingfield told Reuters in an interview the company has seen a surge in interest in its missile warning and tracking technologies, which are expected to play a key role in the system. Northrop, meanwhile, is pursuing several efforts including a space-based interceptor, a component that would enable missile strikes from orbit, Robert Flemming, the head of the company's space business, told Reuters in an interview. 'Lockheed Martin is ready to support Golden Dome for America as a proven mission partner,' Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space, said in a statement. Golden Dome's initial outreach this spring invited smaller, newer Silicon Valley firms seen as nimbler, more sophisticated and potentially less expensive alternatives to the big defense firms to the table – but that was before the Musk-Trump feud upended that calculus. Several with close ties to Trump aside from SpaceX, including Palantir PLTR.O and Anduril – were considered early frontrunners to win big pieces of the $175 billion project. But the Musk-Trump feud has reshaped the competitive landscape. Musk recently launched the 'America Party,' a tech-centric, centrist political movement aimed at defeating Republicans who backed Trump's tax-and-spend agenda. RAPID TIMEFRAME Trump launched the Golden Dome initiative just a week into his second term, pushing for rapid deployment. Space Force General Michael Guetlein, confirmed by the Senate on July 17, is set to lead the program with sweeping authority. Under a previously unreported directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Guetlein has 30 days from confirmation to build a team, 60 days to deliver an initial system design, and 120 days to present a full implementation plan, including satellite and ground station details, two people briefed on the memo said. The inclusion of commercial platforms like Kuiper raises security concerns. Its satellites would need to be hardened against cyberattacks and electronic warfare, a challenge that has plagued even SpaceX's Starlink network. In May 2024, Elon Musk said SpaceX was spending 'significant resources combating Russian jamming efforts. This is a tough problem.' Beyond the technical and political challenges, Golden Dome could reshape global security dynamics. A fully operational space-based missile shield may prompt adversaries to develop new offensive capabilities or accelerate the militarization of space.
