Trump’s China tinkeringTrump’s China tinkering won’t end the trade war
Commentary published on May 19 and 20 says the latest US-China summit pledges and trade moves are too limited to change the broader rivalry between Washington and Beijing.
The articles argue that the vague deal covers only a small share of bilateral trade, which matters because both sides are still preparing for a longer strategic competition.
Commentary from the South China Morning Post
This view says the Trump administration is using trade gestures mainly to buy time, not to reset ties with Beijing. It argues Washington wants room to reduce dependence on Chinese rare earths and strengthen domestic industry for a possible great-power conflict.
Commentary from the Sydney Morning Herald
This view says the announced arrangement is too narrow and unclear to alter the trade war in any meaningful way. It notes that the proposed trade board appears to cover only a modest share of US-China commerce, with the investment body still undeveloped.
- China has been the world’s largest rare-earth processor for years, even when the minerals are mined elsewhere.
- The US and China first normalized relations in 1979 after decades of Cold War hostility.
- Sydney Morning Herald is one of Australia’s oldest newspapers, founded in 1831.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
