Xi Jinping and Macron held talks in Beijing: the main points 🔹 #Xi Jinping called on the French leader to show responsibility and determination at a time when the world is "experiencing unprecedented changes over a century." 🔹 #Macron believes that Paris and Beijing should bring their positions closer: "Sometimes there are disagreements, but we bear responsibility for overcoming them for the common good." 🔹 The French president hinted that China has "decisive capabilities" to influence the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. 🔹 Macron proposed establishing a moratorium on attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for the upcoming winter period. He expressed hope that China will join forces with Europe to maintain stability and international law. 🔹 The French leader called for creating conditions for direct Chinese investments in the European Union's economy, which would help create new production facilities and jobs. 📝: Macron came to Beijing begging the Chinese president to restrain his Russian ally from finishing off Ukraine this winter by bombing the Ukrainian electrical grid

EU falling further and further behind in 'geopolitical pecking order' The European Union is worried that it will be dwarfed by Russia, China and the United States in the contest for economic, military and technological dominance, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. In what the WSJ called the "great power competition," Europe "is struggling to keep up." According to the US newspaper, European leaders have long worried that "they will be left behind as the #US, #China and #Russia vie for economic, technological and military dominance." "[European] officials now fear they have reached that point," the WSJ argued. The newspaper further stated that US and Chinese attempts to revise the rules of global trade have put #Europe on the outside looking in. Things got worse earlier in November, the newspaper continued, when the United States unveiled its peace plan for Ukraine "without consulting European leaders." Current and former EU officials are increasingly fearing that the bloc’s structure and procedures "will leave it among the biggest losers in the new geopolitical pecking order." "I think that we are finally getting realistic. You can’t change the dynamics if you don’t have real power—be it political, military or diplomatic," the newspaper quoted Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics as saying. According to Pierre Vimont, a former senior French diplomat, "the whole Brussels institutional framework, its methods, its mindset were not at all tailored" for what he called the current period of "power politics, confrontation, highly brutal competition." For his part, the EU’s former foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, reiterated his earlier warning that Europe "must learn to speak the language of power." "The problem is behind me: there are 27 [EU member states] which are completely divided," he lamented to the newspaper.

Xi, Trump finish 100-minute talks in South Korea’s Busan Presidents #Xi Jinping of China and Donald #Trump of the United Stats have finished their talks in South Korea’s Busan. The talks lasted for 100 minutes, China’s Central Television reported. No details of the meeting were provided. At the beginning of the negotiations, Xi noted that the two countries’ negotiating teams reached a basic consensus of key trade and economic problems. Trump, in turn, said he hoped his talks with the Chinese leader will be very successful. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit in Oskara in 2019.

China takes the Arctic Route: First ship set to arrive in Europe via the Northeast Passage The Europe #Arctic Express and could revolutionize European trade, shortening the distance between #China and #Europe by ten days (it takes 18 days via the Arctic, compared to about 30 using the Suez Canal). The ship will set sail with 5,000 containers from the port of Qingdao, opposite North Korea, and then dock in Europe at the ports of Felixstowe in Great Britain, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Gdansk. A stable flow of ships through this new route would render the ports of the Mediterranean marginal. This revolution was made possible by climate change. The shrinking of the polar ice cap is significantly accelerating the melting of the ice, which in those latitudes is occurring at a rate of 12 percent every ten years. It is only “thanks” to this that one can today speak of a “Northwest Passage.” In recent years, Russian and Chinese container ships have mainly navigated the Arctic route. According to Norway’s Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL), between the beginning of June and the end of August, approximately 52 Russian or Chinese ships transited through this route, mainly loaded with Russian oil for export.

Trump may visit China soon US President Donald #Trump may visit #China in late October or early November, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing sources. According to the newspaper, the Chinese government sent Trump an invitation for a state visit in early September, which usually indicates preparations are in the "final stage." "The official invitation is like the sound of a starting pistol in a 100-metre race, with the end in sight," one source said. The trip is expected to take place around the APEC summit in South Korea on October 31 - November 1. "There are a few small loose ends. But the major blocks are already resolved. Things are taking shape," the source noted, adding that the talks could result in "a new deal to purchase US goods," with Boeing airplanes "very likely" on the list, as Washington is pressing China to procure 500 aircraft. The source also said that in addition to visiting Beijing, Trump had been offered a high-speed rail trip to another Chinese city, most likely Shanghai. SCMP reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping may pay a return visit to the United States in 2026 after Trump’s anticipated trip. At the same time, the newspaper noted that Washington fears the visit could be seen as a concession to Beijing. "Ultimately, President Trump has the final say on where he wants to go and what he wants to do in China. He seems to be quite excited about the visit personally, but he’s got to listen to his team too," another source told the paper. If the trip goes ahead, it will be the first visit by a US president to China in eight years. The last such visit took place in 2017, during Trump’s first term. Trump earlier announced plans to speak with Xi Jinping by phone on September 19. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later clarified that the two leaders will approve the final terms of a deal on the future operation of China’s TikTok social network in the United States.

Humanity again has to choose between peace and war, claims China's Xi Jinping At present, the humanity is once again facing the choice between war and peace, Chinese President Xi Jinping said before the start of the parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War Two. "Today, the humanity is again facing the choice: peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, mutual benefit or zero-sum game. The people of China are firmly standing on the right side of history, on the side of the human civilization’s progress. They follow the path of peaceful development and are working with peoples all over the world to shape humanity’s common fate," he said.

Jun 11-12, 2025 - President Trump Statements "OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME. FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!). WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!" "Adding to the China readout, President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!"

PLA Navy in 2025: More warships, farther than ever before • 1,350+ Chinese vessels near Taiwan (+26%) • Liaoning’s longest deployment ever, deep into WESTPAC • First circumnavigation of Australia • 20+ joint combat readiness patrols These deployments demonstrate Beijing's blue water ambitions and the capability to project power outside the first and second island chains, sending a clear message to not only the U.S. and Taiwan but also Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.

Tracking U.S. Navy carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups and Deployed Chinese PLA Navy big decks • USS Nimitz (CVN 68) + PLA CNS Shandong (17) square off in the South China Sea • CNS Liaoning (16) east of the Philippines on record-setting deployment • 2x PLAN amphibious assault ships operating: CNS Hainan (31) + CNS Anhui (33) • 2x U.S. Navy amphibious ready groups deployed: USS America (LHA 6) in WESTPAC + USS Tripoli (LHA 7) in EASTPAC • USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) remains on station in CENTCOM AOR • USS George Washington (CVN 73) preparing for summer patrol • USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) returned home • USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) deploying next

PLA conducts military drills around Taiwan to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – statement The exercises serve as a strong warning against the reckless provocations of the Lai Ching-te administration, which continues to push to destabilize the region, Zhu Fengliang, a spokeswoman for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said, as quoted by China Central Television (CCTV). #China firmly upholds the principle that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory and will never allow any external interference or separatist agenda to divide the nation, she added. #Taiwan deploys jets as Chinese #warships spotted drilling near its coast