The Point with Liu Xin

From Monday to Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, at the invitation of the country's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the land of the Great Steppe, President Xi and his counterparts of five Central Asian countries are expected to further cement China-Central Asia cooperation. Exchanges between China and Central Asia date back at least two thousand years...

Bilateral trade between China and the EU last year reached US$786 billion with investment rising to US$260 billion. Yet friction remains as the EU has moved to curb the access of Chinese medical device makers to public procurement contracts and imposed high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. This comes after the EU designated China as "a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor, and a systemic rival". How well will this a...

A framework was reached in principle for implementing the consensus reached between the two presidents over a recent phone call and the trade deal reached last month in Geneva. That appears to be the outcome of the latest round of talks between the world's two largest economies in London. Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping used the metaphor of "recalibrating the direction of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations", saying that t...

China has been strengthening its maritime legislation framework for decades, building a robust set of domestic laws to provide a legal basis for its rights over relevant waters. How can international and domestic rule of law help bring peace in the South China Sea? Can we expect more cooperation to emerge between the claimant countries involved? As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Philippines relat...

On June 5th, the presidents of the world's two largest economies spoke on the phone. Both sides discussed trade issues, especially how to advance the agreement reached in Geneva on May 12th. The call also came amid repeated U.S. accusations that China has not followed through on its promises to relax controls over rare earths, minerals that are essential for hi-tech products. What did the two presidents talk about? What signals are...

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will "aggressively revoke" visas from Chinese students, "including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields." In his announcement on China, Rubio said the government will also "revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications" from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. This comes on the back of threats to ...

The ASEAN-GCC-China Summit is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability". As this year's ASEAN chair, Malaysia has highlighted its goal of forging and expanding economic partnerships beyond its borders as one of its main priorities. What drives the three parties to embrace each other? What's on the agenda of the summit, and ho...

On May 12th, the Bureau of Industry and Security under the U.S. Commerce Department issued “guidance", stating that using Huawei's most advanced AI chips "anywhere in the world" may violate U.S. export controls. China immediately condemned the move, vowing to take resolute measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. Days later, the U.S. removed the line about "anywhere in the world," but still warn...

U.S. buyers jumped on the phone to call their Chinese suppliers as soon as news reached them from Geneva. Demand for goods from China was so high that it led to a shipping container shortage, a sharp reversal from the situation just days ago. Following the high-stakes meetings in Geneva, tariffs came down significantly, and a 90-day pause was set while the two sides are expected to conduct high-level consultations under a joint mec...

The Cannes Film Festival is set to screen two Xizang-related films peddling separatism under the guise of spirituality and ethics. Are these films what they claim to be? Who are the people behind these productions? Have they actually been to Xizang, also known as Tibet, and seen it with their own eyes? What do those who live in Xizang today say about their lives, those who have no voice in the star-studded halls and alleyways of th...

On May 7, China unveiled a 10-point policy package aimed at enhancing market confidence, boosting long-term liquidity and supporting innovation-driven growth. The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, cut its policy rate and reduced the reserve requirement ratio. Additional measures were announced to shore up technological innovation, consumer services and businesses impacted by U.S. tariffs. Now, China's economy grew...

The 47th U.S. President's trade and tariff war against China has domestic retailers warning of empty shelves and economists predicting a U.S. recession before the end of the year. Internationally, China is seen as a more stable partner and a force for good in the world than the United States. How have the first 100 days of the Trump administration impacted bilateral ties? How will the trade fallout unfold in the short term? And how...

China, Russia, and Iran support the International Atomic Energy Agency in playing a constructive role in resolving issues pertaining to Iran's nuclear program. A joint meeting between senior diplomats from the three countries and the head of the IAEA sent that message on Thursday. What's the significance of the joint meeting in Vienna? What came out of the Iranian Foreign Minister's visit to Beijing? What can we expect from the thi...

Higher inflation and lower growth. That's the outlook from the IMF's sobering World Economic Outlook for 2025. The report forecasts half a percentage point lower global growth for 2025, compared to January estimates, before Donald Trump returned to the White House. This is the clearest indication to date of the damage his tariff gambit is having on the global economy. In response to reports of the U.S. using tariff relief to coerce...