Your helper

Thursday, May 14, 2026

‘100% Correct’: Trump Agrees With Xi’s ‘Declining Nation’ Remark, Says It Referred To Biden Era

Trump Xi summit: Donald Trump on Friday sought to reinterpret comments made by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping about the United States allegedly being in decline, arguing that the Chinese leader was referring specifically to the period under former President Joe Biden rather than America under his own administration. Posting on Truth Social ahead of the second day of his summit with Xi in Beijing, Trump defended America’s current global position while once again criticizing Biden’s presidency. “When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was pointing to the tremendous damage inflicted during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct,” Trump wrote. <h3>Xi’s Taiwan Warning Overshadowed Summit</h3> It remains unclear whether Trump was referring to private discussions with Xi or public remarks made during the summit. During Thursday’s opening meetings in Beijing, Xi did not publicly describe the United States as a “declining nation.” However, he strongly warned Washington against mishandling the Taiwan issue, calling it the most sensitive point in US-China relations. Xi also referenced the “Thucydides Trap,” a geopolitical theory suggesting that conflict can arise when a rising power challenges an established global power. The concept was popularised by Harvard academic Graham Allison and traces back to the writings of ancient Greek historian Thucydides. According to Chinese accounts of the meeting, Xi warned that disagreement over Taiwan could push bilateral relations toward “clashes and even conflicts.” ALSO READ: <a title="Indian-Flagged Ship Sinks After Drone Strikes Near Strait Of Hormuz" href="https://ift.tt/3K9Mr75" target="_self">Indian-Flagged Ship Sinks After Drone Strikes Near Strait Of Hormuz</a> <h3>Trump Highlights Economic Gains and Military Strength</h3> Soon after Trump’s social media post, the White House amplified his remarks and repeated criticism of the Biden administration. Trump argued that the United States had experienced what he called an “incredible rise” during the first 16 months of his presidency. He pointed to strong stock market performance, job growth, foreign investment, military capabilities, and global influence as proof of America’s resurgence. In his lengthy statement, Trump claimed Xi had praised several of his administration’s achievements and insisted the Chinese leader was not referring to his presidency when discussing American decline. “Two years ago, we were, in fact, a nation in decline. But now, the United States is the hottest nation anywhere in the world,” Trump wrote. He also predicted that ties between Washington and Beijing could become “stronger and better than ever before.” ALSO READ: <a title="BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meet Sparks Optimism For A Productive Summit" href="https://ift.tt/4BMwp2U" target="_self">BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meet Sparks Optimism For A Productive Summit</a> <h3>Beijing Summit Focuses on Trade, Taiwan and Global Stability</h3> The high-profile summit between Trump and Xi has focused heavily on trade, Taiwan, Iran, and broader strategic competition between the world’s two largest economies. While both leaders publicly adopted a relatively conciliatory tone, tensions over Taiwan remained central to the discussions. Xi urged cooperation and cautioned against confrontation, whereas Trump emphasized economic growth and renewed American strength. Observers noted that although the summit produced warm optics and optimistic rhetoric, major disagreements between the two powers remain unresolved.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-xi-summit-us-declining-nation-remark-by-china-referred-to-biden-era-100-correct-taiwan-1843708

Trump, Xi To Wrap Up Two-Day Beijing Summit Amid Taiwan Tensions, Iran Truce And Trade Deals

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to conclude a two-day state visit on Friday, bringing an end to talks dominated by trade negotiations, diplomatic symbolism and renewed tensions over Taiwan. The visit, Trump’s first to China since his 2017 trip, comes at a politically sensitive moment for the U.S. president, who is seeking concrete foreign policy wins ahead of key midterm elections amid falling approval ratings. While both sides projected optimism about stabilising ties, Xi also issued a pointed warning that mishandling the Taiwan issue could severely damage relations between the world’s two largest economies. Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet for tea and lunch before the U.S. president departs for Washington. Early on Friday, Trump struck an upbeat tone in a post on Truth Social, writing: “Hopefully our relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before!” <h2>Trade Truce Holds as Both Sides Signal Progress</h2> A major focus of the summit has been preserving the fragile trade truce agreed upon during the leaders’ previous meeting in October. At the time, Trump suspended steep tariffs on Chinese imports, while Xi stepped back from measures that could have disrupted global supplies of critical rare earth materials. The agreement helped cool tensions after months of economic uncertainty between the two nations. Speaking on Thursday, Xi said negotiations had produced “balanced and positive outcomes”, though he stopped short of providing specific details on the agreements reached during the latest round of discussions. ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/z4L9DG2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">200 Boeing Jets For China: Trump Hails Mega Aviation Deal During Beijing Visit</a> <h2>Boeing Deal and Farm Purchases Emerge as Key Outcomes</h2> U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Friday that both countries had made progress on several commercial agreements, although it remains unclear whether the current trade truce will be extended once it expires later this year. Greer told Bloomberg TV that China had firmed up plans to purchase American farm products, beef and Boeing aircraft. He also said the two countries were working on mechanisms to better manage future bilateral trade relations. According to Trump, China has agreed to order 200 Boeing commercial jets, marking its first purchase of U.S.-made passenger aircraft in nearly a decade. The deal could provide a major boost to Boeing at a time when the aerospace giant has been seeking to revive international demand. <h2>Taiwan Issue Casts Shadow Over Diplomatic Optics</h2> Despite the positive messaging around trade, Taiwan remained a sensitive topic throughout the summit. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accompanied Trump on the trip, acknowledged that Chinese officials repeatedly raised the issue during discussions. Rubio stressed that Washington’s policy towards Taiwan had not changed. “The Chinese always raise it ... we always make clear our position and we move on to the other topics,” Rubio told NBC News. Trump declined to answer shouted questions from reporters about whether Taiwan had been discussed while posing with Xi at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage site that served as a backdrop for part of the visit. At Thursday evening’s lavish state banquet, Xi described the China-U.S. relationship as the most important bilateral relationship in the world and warned against allowing tensions to spiral. “We must make it work and never mess it up,” the Chinese leader said. ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/3K9Mr75" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian-Flagged Ship Sinks After Drone Strikes Near Strait Of Hormuz</a> <h2>Jimmy Lai Case Raised During Talks</h2> The issue of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai also surfaced during the visit. Rubio said Trump personally raised Lai’s case with Xi. Lai, one of Hong Kong’s most prominent critics of Beijing, was sentenced in February to 20 years in prison on charges including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious material. “The president always raises that case and a couple others, and obviously we’ll hope to get a positive response from that,” Rubio said in an interview with NBC News. China has consistently rejected foreign criticism over the matter. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry previously said Hong Kong affairs are an internal issue for China.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-china-visit-live-updates-donald-trump-xi-jinping-beijing-summit-amid-taiwan-tensions-iran-truce-1843701

200 Boeing Jets For China: Trump Hails Mega Aviation Deal During Beijing Visit

US President Donald Trump has said China will place an order for 200 Boeing aircraft as part of efforts to support American manufacturing jobs and strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries. Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity during his visit to Beijing, Trump said the agreement would provide a major boost to the US aerospace sector. The announcement came as Trump held high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid renewed efforts by both nations to stabilise bilateral ties despite ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions. <h2>Boeing Deal</h2> Trump said the proposed aircraft purchase would help secure manufacturing jobs in the United States and strengthen commercial ties between Washington and Beijing. The CEO of Boeing and more than a dozen senior corporate executives accompanied Trump during the Beijing visit, underlining the economic significance of the trip. The announcement comes at a time when Boeing is seeking to expand international demand and recover from a series of production and regulatory challenges in recent years. While details of the proposed deal were not immediately disclosed, the scale of the order would mark one of the largest aviation purchases involving China and a US manufacturer. Also Read: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/explainers/trump-xi-summit-why-taiwan-remains-a-flashpoint-between-china-and-the-us-republic-of-china-1843582">Trump-Xi Summit: Why Taiwan Remains A Flashpoint Between China And The US?</a> <h2>Xi’s Conciliatory Tone</h2> During a state banquet in Beijing, Xi adopted a notably warm tone while speaking about US-China relations. The Chinese President said China’s “great rejuvenation” and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda could progress together if both countries worked towards a stable relationship. Xi described ties between the world’s two largest economies as the most important bilateral relationship of the modern era and warned that both sides “must make it work and never mess it up”. He repeatedly stressed the importance of cooperation over confrontation and said China and the United States should act as partners rather than rivals. Trump responded by inviting Xi to visit the White House on September 24 and highlighted the long historical relationship between the American and Chinese people. “The world is a special world with the two of us united and together,” Trump said during the banquet, while praising shared values such as hard work, courage and achievement. Also Read: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-china-visit-live-updates-xi-draws-red-line-on-taiwan-warns-of-conflict-xi-trump-meeting-1843511">Xi Draws Red Line On Taiwan In Trump Meeting, Warns Of Conflict If Issue Is Mishandled</a>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/200-boeing-jets-for-china-trump-hails-mega-aviation-deal-during-beijing-visit-1843689

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Trump To Meet Xi In China After 9 Years Today; Tariffs, Taiwan And Iran In Focus

US President Donald Trump is set to hold crucial talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, with trade tensions, Taiwan and the Iran war expected to dominate discussions between the world’s two largest economies. Trump arrived in China accompanied by a delegation of prominent American business leaders, including Tesla chief Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The visit comes as several US firms seek greater clarity and smoother business operations in China amid prolonged economic and geopolitical friction between Washington and Beijing. Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he intended to ask Xi to “open up” China further to American businesses. The two leaders are scheduled to meet at the Great Hall of the People before touring Beijing’s UNESCO-listed Temple of Heaven and attending a state banquet later in the day. According to the White House, the programme will continue on Friday with tea and lunch meetings. <h2>A Changed Global Order Shapes the Talks</h2> The meeting marks the first major face-to-face engagement between Trump and Xi since Trump’s earlier visit to China in 2017, but the global landscape surrounding the two leaders has changed significantly over the past nine years. Analysts say Thursday’s talks will unfold against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving multipolar world order, with China now holding far greater global influence than it did during Trump’s previous presidency. Ali Wyne, senior adviser for US-China relations at the International Crisis Group, said the dynamic between Washington and Beijing has shifted noticeably. Speaking to Reuters, Wyne noted that back then "China was trying to persuade the United States of its growing status... This time around it's the United States, unprompted, of its own volition, that is acknowledging that status." Wyne also pointed to Trump’s revival of the “G2” concept, referring to a US-China superpower pairing, during an earlier meeting with Xi on the sidelines of an APEC summit in South Korea last October. ALSO READ | <a href="%20https://ift.tt/3Cgdw8r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Arrives In Beijing For Crucial Talks With Xi Jinping On Trade, Tariffs And Taiwan</a> <h2>Trade Pressures and Domestic Challenges for Trump</h2> Trade remains one of the most sensitive issues between the two countries, especially as Trump faces increasing pressure at home over tariffs and inflation. US court rulings have restricted Trump’s ability to impose tariffs freely on Chinese and other foreign exports, limiting one of his most prominent economic tools. At the same time, the ongoing Iran war has fuelled inflation concerns within the United States, creating fresh political pressure ahead of November’s midterm elections. The growing economic strain has also intensified concerns within the Republican Party, with fears that rising costs and global instability could weaken the party’s chances of retaining control of Congress. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yhNStP9FDhM?si=byVaZzCf4Z9Hv6oN" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h2>Iran and Taiwan Expected to Dominate Discussions</h2> Beyond trade, Trump is also expected to urge Xi to use China’s influence with Iran to help broker an agreement with Washington aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. However, analysts remain sceptical about how far Beijing would be willing to go. Iran is widely viewed as one of China’s closest strategic partners in West Asia and serves as an important counterweight to US influence in the region. Experts believe Xi may be reluctant to pressure Tehran into agreeing to a ceasefire or scaling back military support. Taiwan is also expected to emerge as a major flashpoint during the discussions. China claims the democratically governed island as its own territory and has repeatedly objected to US military support for Taipei. On Wednesday, Beijing again voiced strong opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan. Although Washington does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, US law requires the country to provide the island with the means to defend itself, a policy that continues to anger Chinese officials. ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/ly87e5A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No Gas After 9 PM: Pakistan’s Fuel Crisis Is Now Deciding Dinner And Tea Time</a>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-xi-summit-us-china-summit-trump-to-meet-xi-tariffs-taiwan-iran-war-in-focus-1843484

Feel like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, says Vance as Trump visits China

Washington, May 14 (PTI): Holding fort at the White House, Vice President J D Vance likened his experience to Macaulay Culkin in the 1990 film Home Alone. The US Secret Service protocols do not allow the president and the vice president to travel abroad together to protect the line of succession. President Donald Trump is on an official visit to China and returns on Saturday. “As you know, the president just landed in China a few hours ago. You may know that because of Secret Service protocols, I don’t travel outside of the country with the president of the United States,” Vance told reporters here on Wednesday. “So on days like today, I sometimes feel like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. I walk into the White House, and it’s very quiet, and no one’s there, and it takes me a second to realise exactly what’s going on,” the vice president said, drawing laughter from the roomful of reporters. Vance, who heads the Anti-Fraud Taskforce, threatened to “turn off” federal funding for government health insurance programs in states that refuse to comply with the Trump administration’s crackdown on suspected fraud. Directed by Chris Columbus, Home Alone chronicles the adventures of an eight-year-old Kevin in defending his home from a pair of burglars, after being accidentally left behind by his family from a Christmas vacation abroad. PTI SKU GSP GSP(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/feel-like-macaulay-culkin-in-home-alone-says-vance-as-trump-visits-china-1843482

'Where should we live and study now?': Nepali child's letter to PM captures eviction fallout

Kathmandu, May 13 (PTI): "Our family members voted for the Bell symbol, your party in the March 5 election. Why did you demolish our house? Where should we live and study now?" The questions, posed in a letter by 11-year-old Radhika Mahato to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah after authorities bulldozed her family’s makeshift home in Kathmandu, have brought renewed focus on the growing humanitarian crisis surrounding the government's eviction drive against landless squatters across the national capital. “We don’t have the money to rent a house. You made our condition miserable like this,” the Class 3 student wrote in the emotional appeal, excerpts of which were published by online news portal Ratopati on Wednesday. Until three weeks ago, Radhika attended classes at Guheshwori Bal Siksha Secondary School near the Thapathali squatter settlement, where her family lived in a makeshift structure. But after authorities bulldozed hundreds of informal homes in the area and shifted displaced families to a temporary holding centre in Banepa Municipality, around 75 km east of Kathmandu, her education came to an abrupt halt. "We need a school to study. Give us a place to live and a school to continue our studies," Radhika wrote. Over the past two weeks, the government has evicted more than 15,000 landless squatters in Kathmandu, dismantling approximately 4,000 structures, saying that these dwellings were illegally constructed on public land and riverside areas. The demolitions have sparked protests and criticism from rights activists, civil society groups and opposition parties, who accuse the government of carrying out evictions without ensuring rehabilitation and basic safeguards for vulnerable families. The issue also reached Nepal’s Supreme Court, which on Friday issued an interim order directing the government not to remove squatters without a proper rehabilitation plan in place. A joint bench of Justices Kumar Regmi and Nityananda Pandey stated that any relocation of squatters or informal settlers must strictly adhere to legal procedures and protect constitutional rights related to housing, education, and health. The bench also warned that continuing evictions without safeguards could trigger a humanitarian crisis. The Rastriya Swatantra Party-led government has defended the demolition drive as necessary for restoring public land and improving urban infrastructure. Meanwhile, anger over the demolitions has spread beyond Kathmandu. According to news portal nepalpress.com, hundreds of landless squatters in Pokhara staged a torch rally demanding Prime Minister Shah’s resignation over the eviction campaign. PTI SBP SCY SCY(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/where-should-we-live-and-study-now-nepali-child-s-letter-to-pm-captures-eviction-fallout-1843477

Iran Keen On India Developing Chabahar Port Project, Says Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi

Kazem Gharibabadi, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, stated on Wednesday that Tehran is eager for India to achieve meaningful and substantial progress in the Chabahar Port project. This comes as the U.S. sanctions waiver for India's operations at the port officially expired on April 26, 2026, which means that New Delhi's 10-year development agreement with Iran no longer has formal legal protection against American secondary penalties. “This project (Chabahar Port) is very important to both India as well as to Iran. It depends on India how they will deal with the project now that the US waiver has expired. Actually, even after getting the waiver on sanctions from the United States, India has not been able to make much progress in Chabahar,” Gharibabadi said Wednesday while addressing a press meet in New Delhi. The U.S. State Department initially revoked India's long-standing 2018 sanctions exception in September 2025. Following intense diplomatic engagement by New Delhi, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a conditional letter on October 28, 2025, extending protection for an additional six months. As a result of the sanctions, India has paused active expansion work and Phase 2 project development to avoid exposing Indian entities like India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) to immediate U.S. sanctions. Technical personnel were reportedly withdrawn ahead of the deadline. India and Iran signed a 10-year contract in May 2024 to develop and operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port, crucial for India to bypass Pakistan and connect to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Despite U.S. sanctions challenges and a temporary 6-month waiver, India has heavily invested and maintained its involvement in this strategic project as of early 2026. Earlier, in an interview to ABP Live, Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of Iran to New Delhi, had said, if India takes the Chabahar Port project forward then it will bring economic benefit not only to the both countries but also for the entire region. Located on Iran's southeastern coast, Chabahar provides India direct maritime access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. <h2>‘Mechanism’ Under Works On Strait Of Hormuz</h2> The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister also said, Tehran is willing to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz provided the United States lifts its naval blockade from that region. He said Iran is working out a “mechanism” in cooperation with Oman to bring about “certain protocols” in order for a smooth passage of ships and containers in the contention strait that has taken centre-stage in the ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington. He said Iran is partnering with Oman to finalize a logistics protocol for merchant vessels. “Ships will be charged a "service fee" for navigation and rescue services,” Gharibabadi said, adding, “This will be done in accordance with international maritime law. This is not going to be a transit toll.” Calling India a "friendly country", Gharibabadi revealed that Iran has exclusively allowed 11 Indian vessels to safely pass through the blocked strait. He also said that Iranian authorities are working to permit additional Indian ships to return home, which is a special provision that has not been extended to other nations. Iran has rejected a U.S.-backed UN Security Council draft resolution on freedom of navigation, calling it biased and politically flawed. It has also condemned the deployment of British and French warships to the region, asserting that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is the sole right and responsibility of Iran.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/iran-keen-on-india-developing-chabahar-port-project-says-deputy-foreign-minister-gharibabadi-1843462