#ping-pong-diplomacy

#ping-pong-diplomacy

American diplomats are supposed to represent the nation, advocate for the interests and policies of the U.S. government, and stay on generally good terms with the country to which they're assigned. Even when they are sent to places that have an adversarial relationship with the United States, they are expected to maintain decorum while conveying messages these regimes may not want to hear.

When Keir Starmer met Xi Jinping recently, reporters said the British prime minister was shocked at his Chinese counterpart calling Crystal Palace Palace, liking Manchester City and Arsenal and supporting Manchester United. The reasons can be guessed. Fan Zhiyi was popular at Selhurst Park in the late 1990s, Sun Jihai was a cult hero at Maine Road and Manchester United had Dong Fangzhuo. The president of the world's second most populous country and second biggest economy didn't, however, mention Everton.

During the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, the crowd at San Siro stadium cheered when the US team entered during the parade of nations. When the camera cut to Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, the jeers began. A few days prior, protesters had gathered in Milan following reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be coming to the Italian city for the Games.

During his recent delegation to Beijing-the first by a Canadian prime minister since relations between the two countries became strained in 2018-Mark Carney agreed to allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market at a reduced tariff rate. The move was presented as a pragmatic reset that could draw joint-venture capital back into Canada's auto corridor and offer relief to an industry squeezed by United States president Donald Trump's trade war.

China's "indispensable role" in the world has been praised by Taoiseach Micheál Martin during a face-to-face meeting with president Xi Jinping this morning in the capital Beijing. Starting a four-day visit to the country in a bid to deepen economic ties between Ireland and China, the Taoiseach met with the Chinese leader, key ministers and members of the Politburo, during which Mr Martin told the delegation that Ireland believes "in open trade" and a "rules-based multilateral order".

Opponents of a huge new Chinese embassy next to the Tower of London say they will soon begin legal action in an attempt to block the scheme. On Tuesday, the government approved China's proposal to redevelop the former Royal Mint site into a vast 215,300 sq ft (20,000 sq m) UK headquarters, despite opposition from politicians and campaigners. About 200 people live in Royal Mint Court, a complex of flats on the site,

It's somewhat similar to spring or autumn outings when we were kids. In the past, it was about getting children out of the classroom environment; now it's about getting them away from the digital environment. This digital detox initiative reflects Yao's perspective on modernizing traditional approaches to child development and wellness in an increasingly technology-dependent society.

The announcement of a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" between Brussels and Hanoi last week places the EU side by side with China, the United States, and Russia as one of Vietnam's top-tier diplomatic relationships. Vietnamese President Luong Cuong described it as a "historical milestone underlining the great achievements that the two sides have made," during a meeting with the head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, in Hanoi.

TikTok was technically banned in the U.S. as of January 19th, 2025, as part of the Senate-approved " Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act." But upon his inauguration as President on January 20th, President Trump issued an Executive Order to withhold enforcement of the bill, in order to give his team an opportunity to potentially re-negotiate the details.

Of all countries, China should appreciate the need to stop Mr. Maduro from smuggling these illicit drugs into the U.S., killing tens of thousands of Americans. China experienced this in the Opium War of 1839-1842, when Great Britain forced opium on China, despite government protestations, resulting in the humiliating Treaty of Nanjing, ceding Hong Kong to Great Britain. Mr. Maduro was violating U.S. laws, in a conspiracy to aid enemies and kill innocent Americans.

Three of the four things that gave Trump a foothold, in my opinion, were failures in this century (the fourth is the legacy of slavery and the organized political violence that replaced it). The other three, though, are the War on Terror, the financial crisis, and social media. (COVID was the final catalyst, I think; having moved during the height of COVID, I can't express how much worse the US dealt with it than much of the EU.)

When Benchmark led a financing round for Manus earlier this year, the investment sparked immediate controversy. U.S. Senator John Cornyn complained about the deal on X, and the investment prompted inquiries from the U.S. Treasury Department around new rules restricting American investment in Chinese AI companies. The concerns were significant enough to spur Manus's eventual relocation from Beijing to Singapore part of what drove the company's step-by-step disentanglement from China, as one Chinese professor described it on WeChat this past weekend.

Your visit this time has drawn a lot of attention. Sometimes good things take time. As long as it is the right thing that serves the fundamental interests of the country and the people, then as leaders we should not shy away from difficulties and we should press ahead. As long as we take a broad perspective, rise above differences and respect each other, then we will prove ourselves able to stand the test of history.

[The Trump administration] may have entered the office thinking that they could use their economic leverage to push China in certain policy directions," said Amanda Hsiao, a China studies director at the Eurasia Group consultancy.

China's official discourse centres on the idea of peaceful rise, the commitment to non-interference in internal affairs, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and economic partnerships based on mutual benefit. Beijing insists that relations with Washington should not slide into conflict, calling for a system of global governance built on cooperation rather than confrontation. Yet the geopolitical landscape reveals a wide gap between this discourse and reality. Donald Trump's return to the White House has brought back rhetorical escalation and increased geopolitical pressure.

US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a 25% tariff on any country that does business with Iran "effectively immediately." Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that "any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America," while giving few other details.

There are more signs that the United States is disengaging from the global order established after World War II. President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to pull out of more than 60 agencies, half of them part of the United Nations. Trump argues that being a member of these organisations is contrary to his country's interests. The secretary of state went as far as saying they're useless or wasteful.