President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, before sending two B-1 bombers roaring overhead as the Chinese leader arrived in Washington for a three-day state visit.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, landed at Joint Base Andrews shortly before 6 p.m. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were waiting at the bottom of a roughly 100-foot red carpet to greet them, an unusual gesture for a sitting U.S. president.
The arrival ceremony featured a 21-person honor cordon, color guards carrying American and Chinese flags, a military band, and both countries&#8217; national anthems.
Then came the bombers. Two B-1s conducted a flyover as the American national anthem played and Trump stood saluting. The aircraft were loud enough that Trump visibly winced and briefly ducked his head before smiling and appearing to remark on the noise to Xi.
Xi did not visibly react. The combination of diplomatic pageantry and American military power marked the opening moments of a summit between the leaders of the world&#8217;s two largest economies.
Trump&#8217;s decision to meet Xi at the airport was itself a departure from normal presidential protocol. Presidents typically greet visiting heads of state at the White House rather than traveling to the airport to meet them personally. Trump had also received a more limited welcome when he visited Beijing in May, when Chinese Vice President Han Zheng greeted him at the airport.
Melania Trump defended the decision Wednesday morning, saying Xi was “coming on our soil” and that the United States should “welcome them with the most respect.”
The lavish welcome comes as Washington and Beijing remain locked in competition over trade, technology, military power, and global influence.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss trade and tariffs, rare-earth minerals, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and China&#8217;s relationships with U.S. adversaries. The two countries are also trying to preserve a fragile trade truce that is scheduled to expire in November.
The summit is Xi&#8217;s first state visit to Washington in more than a decade and marks the second meeting between the two leaders this year.
The White House is planning another elaborate ceremony Thursday on the South Lawn, followed by talks between the presidents and a state dinner attended by prominent technology executives.

President Trump Welcomes China’s President Xi At Joint Base Andrews

Trump Breaks Protocol To Show Xi Who’s Boss — With The Help Of B-1 Bombers

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donald trump

state visit

us china relations

world

xi jinping

President Donald Trump is set to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House this week, just two months after accusing Beijing of interfering in U.S. elections during a prime-time address.
Xi is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Wednesday, where he will be personally greeted by Trump at Joint Base Andrews. The visit is expected to include bilateral talks and a state dinner, with trade, artificial intelligence, national security, Taiwan, and the war in Iran among the issues likely to be discussed. 
This is the second meeting between the two leaders this year, following Trump’s visit to China in May.
The timing puts a series of unresolved disputes between Washington and Beijing in the spotlight alongside a high-profile diplomatic meeting. The two countries are still negotiating trade issues, including rare-earth exports and technology restrictions, while clashing over China&#8217;s relationship with Iran and broader national security concerns.
The visit also comes after Trump delivered a prime-time address in July accusing China of obtaining the personal information of as many as 220 million American voters and engaging in election interference. The White House said the declassified intelligence showed China and its proxies had bought, stolen, or hacked American voter registration data.
In his July 16 address, Trump said Chinese officials had pursued efforts to undermine his political support dating back to 2018, including attempts to influence the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election. He said a Chinese policy adopted in 2018 sought to leverage “any domestic and foreign elements opposed to Trump” to reduce his support, force his resignation, or prevent his re-election.
Trump said China also obtained American voter data beginning during the 2020 election cycle.
“Newly declassified documents show that over a period of years starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history — resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files,” the president said. 
The White House said the compromised information included names, addresses, phone numbers, and political party preferences, adding that U.S. intelligence agencies had learned in 2020 that voter data from 18 states had been bought, stolen, or hacked by China.
Trump also alleged that Chinese activities included an attempt to manufacture illegal ballots for then-candidate Joe Biden. He said raw FBI intelligence from 2020 described the alleged effort and that dozens of CIA and NSA reports concerning China’s targeting of the U.S. election were kept out of the Presidential Daily Briefing.
“The reason they wanted me to lose is because they knew I was wise to them, charged them billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs, and built the strongest military anywhere in the world,” Trump said. 
But the election-interference allegations have largely faded from Trump&#8217;s public messaging ahead of Xi&#8217;s visit, with no consequences imposed on the Chinese Communist Party. Instead, the two leaders will likely focus on the broader U.S.-China relationship, with trade and economic issues high on the agenda.
Trade is expected to be a central issue, with the two sides discussing the continuation of their existing tariff truce, Chinese purchases of American goods, and access to rare-earth minerals. 
A key deadline is also approaching: Temporary agreements suspending Chinese export controls on rare-earth products and delaying expanded U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductor chips are both set to expire November 10. 
American companies have continued to report difficulty obtaining some Chinese export licenses for rare earths used in specialized magnets, while Beijing has also restricted exports of phosphate, a key fertilizer ingredient, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-5971293/trump-xi-summit-china">reported NPR</a>.
The two sides will also have to address trade commitments made during Trump’s May visit to China. Beijing agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft, but the deal has encountered obstacles as U.S. restrictions have complicated the delivery of replacement parts for Boeing planes and China’s C919 commercial jet, which still relies heavily on American and European components. 
Chinese officials have also reportedly objected to recent Federal Communications Commission restrictions on Chinese-made drones, routers, inverters, and robots, arguing that the measures violate the framework for “strategic stability” established during Trump’s spring visit to Beijing.
Artificial intelligence is another major area of competition. The two countries are seeking to manage AI-related risks while simultaneously competing over advanced technology and semiconductor access. Notably, several high-profile executives from the AI sector are invited to the state dinner with Xi. 
Trump did brag about the U.S. being ahead in AI earlier this week.  

“We&#8217;re leading China in AI. We&#8217;re the most sophisticated country in the world and, frankly, I want to keep it that way — because whoever wins AI wins,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099155148576542928">he said</a>. 
Iran is also likely to feature in the discussions. The Trump administration has repeatedly raised concerns about China&#8217;s economic relationship with Tehran, including its purchases of Iranian oil. 
China’s foreign minister met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday and vowed that Beijing is prepared to protect Iran’s “legitimate rights and interests” as the U.S.-Iran conflict continues.
Trump has worked to remain diplomatic ahead of the meeting, dismissing a report this week that Chinese entities provided Iran with satellite imagery before a July missile strike on a U.S. base in Jordan that killed three American troops. 
“You know what they say? That China spies on us. I say you&#8217;re right, and we spy on them, too,&#8221; Trump said.
The state dinner will add another layer of complexity to the visit, with limited seating creating a diplomatic dispute of its own.
When Trump visited China in May, Xi hosted him with a formal welcome and elaborate state dinner. Now, the two leaders are preparing for a similar display of diplomacy in Washington, but the logistics have already created friction.
The White House is planning a dinner with about 100 seats, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y6ria4Xq0Eg">according to Trump</a>, who continues to stress the need for the planned White House ballroom. Chinese officials have asked for more than half of the available seats, in part so Xi can bring Chinese business executives with him, according to two people familiar with the discussions who spoke to NPR. The request has prompted pushback from the White House.
First lady Melania Trump offered a glimpse of the preparations Thursday, posting a video showing flowers and table settings being arranged for the dinner. “Every detail considered. An experience thoughtfully conceived and exquisitely realized for our distinguished guests,” she wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
THE WHITE HOUSE STATE DINNER
Every detail considered. An experience thoughtfully conceived and exquisitely realized for our distinguished guests. <a href="https://t.co/MSVh8IY1SA">pic.twitter.com/MSVh8IY1SA</a>
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://x.com/FLOTUS/status/2100603347044585925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, September 22, following Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s opening address. He is also set to meet with various world leaders, including those of the Gulf States and possibly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Xi is skipping the U.N. gathering this year and will instead only travel to Washington for his meeting with Trump later in the week.

SKOREA-US-CHINA-DIPLOMACY

Trump Set To Roll Out Red Carpet For Xi Weeks After Explosive Accusation

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taiwan

trade war

An investigation into satellite images discovered active construction at nuclear sites and testing areas across China. 
Satellite image analysis published by The Telegraph on Wednesday <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/china-secret-nuclear-weapon-sites-xi/?ICID=continue_without_subscribing_reg_first">revealed</a> that seven nuclear sites — Pingtong, Zitong, Lop Nur, Jiuquan, Mianyang, Jinta, and Guangyuan — are expanding rapidly. Chinese villages and farms have reportedly been flattened for a site where Chinese scientists use super-powered lasers to test how different materials react when a nuclear bomb explodes. 
Earlier this year, the United States confronted Beijing about a “secret nuclear test” conducted in 2020. Chinese ambassador Shen Jian responded to the accusations, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/china/us-accuses-china-secret-nuclear-testing-new-arms-treaty-rcna257769">saying</a> the United States &#8220;is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race.&#8221; He added, &#8220;China notes that the U.S. continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives.”
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno said China “sought to conceal testing by obfuscating the nuclear explosions because it recognized these tests violate test ban commitments.&#8221; 
&#8220;China has used &#8216;decoupling,&#8217; a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring, to hide their activities from the world,&#8221; DiNanno added.
In 2026, China maintains a strict “no-first-use” nuclear weapon strategy, meaning it promises to never use a nuclear weapon first under any circumstances. China follows behind Russia and the United States as the countries with the most nuclear warheads. Russia has about <a href="https://www.icanw.org/nuclear_arsenals">5,500</a> warheads, the United States has roughly 5,300, and China has 600. 
China began its nuclear program in the 1950s with help from the Soviet Union. China got its <a href="https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/china-detonates-its-first-atomic-weapon/">first</a> nuclear weapon on October 16, 1964. The communist country&#8217;s nuclear warheads have more than doubled in number under Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Xi is meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, but it is not clear if the two leaders will discuss nuclear weapons. On the docket is artificial intelligence — which Trump now calls &#8220;super intelligence&#8221; — and which has increasingly become intertwined with national security and military competition.
The United States has urged China to sign onto a major nuclear arms agreement, and Trump has floated getting the communist country to join the deal between the United States and Russia. Originally, only the United States and Russia were part of the START I treaty that was signed in 1991 by both countries in agreement that they would cut and limit their nuclear weapons. Former President Barack Obama signed the &#8220;New START Treaty&#8221; with Russia after the last agreement expired in 2009.
In February, the &#8220;New START Treaty&#8221; expired. At the Geneva conference earlier this year, DiNanno said, “Today, the United States faces threats from multiple nuclear powers. In short, a bilateral treaty with only one nuclear power is simply inappropriate in 2026 and going forward.” 
Shen, however, said his country would not likely participate in negotiations with the United States and Russia due to China’s smaller nuclear stockpile. &#8220;In this new era, we hope the U.S. will abandon Cold War thinking &#8230; and embrace common and cooperative security,&#8221; he said.

China Unveils New Weapons In V-Day Parade

China Is Secretly Throwing Its Nuke Production Into Overdrive

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new start treaty

nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON — Jimmy Lai learned of his daughter&#8217;s cancer diagnosis from the Hong Kong jail cell where he&#8217;s been imprisoned for nearly six years.
&#8220;Just now [redacted] came and told me the bad news, that the lump on your throat is cancer,&#8221; Lai wrote to his daughter in a letter shared with The Daily Wire this week. &#8220;May God have mercy, help us!&#8221;
Claire Lai has worked tirelessly to free her father, a businessman and newspaper publisher jailed for publishing criticisms of Beijing. But as she begins cancer treatment in the United Kingdom, she tells The Daily Wire that she will have fewer opportunities to travel around making her father&#8217;s case.
This all comes, as the Lai family is well aware, days before President Donald Trump is set to meet with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-donald-trumps-visit-to-beijing-could-decide-jimmy-lais-fate">Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House.</a>
<div id="attachment_1183623" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facing-cancer-battle-jimmy-lais-daughter-looks-with-hope-to-trump-xi-meeting/img_1747" rel="attachment wp-att-1183623"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1183623" class="wp-image-1183623 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1747-768x576.jpg" alt="Claire Lai begins cancer treatment in the United Kingdom. Photo courtesy of Claire Lai. " width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1747-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1747-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1747-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1747.jpg 1600w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></a>Claire Lai begins cancer treatment in the United Kingdom. Photo courtesy of Claire Lai.</div>
When Trump visited China in the spring, he raised Jimmy Lai&#8217;s case with Xi. He also asked Xi about Pastor Ezra Jin, whom the Chinese leader ultimately agreed to release. Trump told reporters as he departed China that Jimmy&#8217;s case is &#8220;a tougher one,&#8221; that Xi felt very strongly about it, and that the Chinese president would have a hard time releasing Jimmy.
Jimmy Lai remains in prison, in solitary confinement. His family no longer receives medical updates, but they know that he recently underwent an operation on his eyes, and Claire regularly receives letters from him. Guards at Stanley Prison in Hong Kong have rehearsed what procedures they will follow if he dies, <a href="https://thecfhk.org/hong-kong-prison-guards-rehearse-for-jimmy-lais-death-cfhk-foundation-report-find/">according to a new report from the Committee for Freedom</a> in Hong Kong, sourcing a person with direct knowledge of prison operations.
“The Chinese government keeps claiming that Jimmy Lai is in good health and properly treated,&#8221; argues Frances Hui, policy and advocacy manager at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. &#8220;But his family no longer receives medical updates, independent examinations are denied, and prison staff have rehearsed what to do if he dies in custody. We don’t know what prompted those rehearsals, and that’s exactly why independent medical access is so urgent. Democratic leaders must press for Lai’s unconditional release and safe exit.” 
<div id="attachment_1182999" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facing-cancer-battle-jimmy-lais-daughter-looks-with-hope-to-trump-xi-meeting/publishing-tycoon-jimmy-lai-faces-charges-of-endangering-national-security" rel="attachment wp-att-1182999"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1182999" class="wp-image-1182999 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/GettyImages-1230074040.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/GettyImages-1230074040.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/GettyImages-1230074040-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/GettyImages-1230074040-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/GettyImages-1230074040-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai (Photo by Keith Tsuji/Getty Images)</div>
His daughter is still extremely hopeful that Trump can rescue her father. Ahead of her cancer treatment, she told The Daily Wire that she is &#8220;so grateful&#8221; to Trump for bringing her father up to Xi on two separate occasions, and for &#8220;the commitment his administration has shown to freeing him.&#8221;
&#8220;He has a well earned reputation as a liberator in chief and I continue to have every confidence that it is under this administration that his freedom will be secured,&#8221; she said. She also expressed gratitude to members of Congress for the support they have shown to her family. &#8220;I know my father would join me in thanking you all today if he could.&#8221;
Xi will come to the White House on Thursday morning. The president and first lady Melania Trump are set to host a State Arrival Ceremony honoring the Chinese president and his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan, featuring 479 military personnel, including all branches of the United States Armed Forces.
The Chinese Communist Party sentenced Lai to 20 years in prison under a national security law the country uses to crack down on dissenters. His health has been deteriorating rapidly, and at 78-years-old, the CCP sentence means he will die in prison. He is a Chinese-born British citizen who published “Apple Daily” in Hong Kong from 1995 to 2021.
In 2021, Chinese authorities arrested top executives at Jimmy&#8217;s publication and froze its assets. After a two-year trial and five-year detention, the CCP convicted him in 2025 of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publish seditious material, painting him as “the mastermind and behind-the-scenes manipulator.&#8221;
Lai is a devout Catholic who has taken great solace in his faith throughout his imprisonment, evangelizing and drawing pictures of the crucified Jesus Christ to share with his fellow prisoners. His daughter shared letters with The Daily Wire from her father, letters showing his deep trust in Jesus Christ and his conviction that God sends each person trials that will prepare them for some greater good.
<div id="attachment_1183743" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facing-cancer-battle-jimmy-lais-daughter-looks-with-hope-to-trump-xi-meeting/img_1789" rel="attachment wp-att-1183743"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1183743" class="wp-image-1183743 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1789-432x576.jpg" alt="Letter from Jimmy Lai to his daughter, Claire Lai. Photo courtesy of Claire Lai. " width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1789-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1789-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1789-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1789-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1789.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" /></a>Letter from Jimmy Lai to his daughter, Claire Lai. Photo courtesy of Claire Lai.</div>
&#8220;My dearest daughter, my darling, be strong and trust the Lord’s salvation to save you from this,&#8221; he wrote to Claire as he processed the news of her cancer. &#8220;God sent you this trial for a reason, a reason beyond our comprehension but we must trust that for Him to suffer and go through, He must be preparing you to meet something important and good. For God does nothing in vain.&#8221;
&#8220;He knows that you are good and are His good servant, bring people back to Him and to love Him,&#8221; Jimmy continued. &#8220;He wants you to be better than good and be consecrated by this trial to be super good and to serve Him … let Our Lord’s grace light up your heart that you see the wisdom of this suffering … do not worry, be sure that God is beside you, looking over you and consoling you.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1183745" style="width: 822px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facing-cancer-battle-jimmy-lais-daughter-looks-with-hope-to-trump-xi-meeting/img_1790" rel="attachment wp-att-1183745"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1183745" class="wp-image-1183745 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1790-812x576.jpg" alt="Letter from Jimmy Lai to his daughter, Claire Lai. Photo courtesy of Claire Lai. " width="812" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1790-812x576.jpg 812w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1790-300x213.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1790-768x545.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/IMG_1790.jpg 1535w" sizes=" (max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px" /></a>Letter from Jimmy Lai to his daughter, Claire Lai. Photo courtesy of Claire Lai.</div>
Claire Lai is optimistic about her cancer treatment, and, like her father, she believes that her suffering offers her an opportunity to rely even more fully on God&#8217;s will. Her next infusion will be in early October on the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux, a French nun whose &#8220;Little Way&#8221; spirituality has made her one of the church&#8217;s most popular saints. It&#8217;s a way of life that Claire Lai&#8217;s parents instilled in her from a young age.
&#8220;My father is a man who stood for the values that made Hong Kong prosperous back when it was perfectly legal to do so,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire. &#8220;For that he was given a life sentence. His faith in God continues to sustain him for which we are all so grateful. From his letters I can feel how desperately he wishes he were with us now, and I desperately wish he was too.&#8221;
Even from prison, her father is able to lead her by his example in suffering, she shared.
&#8220;In my much lighter trial, I hope to do so as a grace half as well as he has,&#8221; Claire Lai said. &#8220;I think Pope John Paul II said it well — suffering, whatever form it takes, isn’t something that can be separated from man’s existence. But when we surrender to the Cross, our human trials are lightened. Through every trial I have had I have felt God’s strength and peace — that which I know is not my own.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-HONG KONG-CHINA-POLITICS

Facing Cancer Battle, Jimmy Lai’s Daughter Looks With Hope to Trump-Xi Meeting

hong kong

jimmy lai

religious freedom

President Donald Trump’s upcoming state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping will bring together some of America’s most prominent business leaders, including top executives from Amazon, OpenAI, Google, Nvidia, Apple, Tesla, Dell and Citigroup.
Senior U.S. officials announced the guest list during a press call Friday, naming Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai, Jensen Huang, Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Michael Dell and Jane Fraser as business leaders who will attend the dinner.
The gathering, which one U.S. official described as a “popular and hot ticketed event,” comes as Trump prepares to host Xi at the White House next week for talks expected to focus heavily on U.S.-China economic and technological relations.
On Wednesday, Trump will greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews, followed by an arrival ceremony at the White House. On Thursday evening, the president and First Lady Melania Trump will host the Chinese delegation for a state dinner in the East Room. Both Trump and Xi will deliver remarks at the beginning of the dinner.
The executives expected at the table represent some of the biggest companies in industries at the heart of the increasingly competitive U.S.-China relationship, from artificial intelligence to technology, finance, and manufacturing.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are among the biggest names in AI. Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos round out the high-profile group.
The A-list guest list comes as AI is expected to be a key topic when Trump and Xi meet. White House officials said during Friday’s briefing that artificial intelligence and the current U.S.-China trade truce are both on the agenda.
Earlier this year, Trump also brought a group of major American executives with him during his visit to China, including Musk, who has significant business ties to China through Tesla, which operates its largest production facility in Shanghai and generates roughly a quarter of its revenue from the country, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musk-joins-trump-for-high-stakes-economic-showdown-in-china">The Daily Wire </a>reported. 
Before the high-stakes dinner, the president will arrive in New York Monday afternoon and will participate in political events at Trump Tower that evening. On Tuesday morning, Trump will address the UN General Assembly. 
During the press call, U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz previewed some of the issues Trump may discuss.
“We expect the president will highlight how he and his administration have confronted complex problems head-on around the world,” Waltz said. “Many of the peace deals that he has driven to conclusion, or is in the process of driving to conclusion, he&#8217;ll include many of the issues, frankly neglected by past administrations, that he&#8217;s not going to kick the can on.”
&#8220;He&#8217;s not going to leave them for another day or another administration. He will touch on the importance of ensuring that Iran never has a nuclear weapon,&#8221; Waltz added.
Late Friday, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117294126158197822">announced</a> that the United States had reached an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he says gives the U.S. &#8220;permanent control over security&#8221; on the Arctic island. Danish and Greenlandic leaders said the deal is expected to be signed at next week&#8217;s UN General Assembly, pending parliamentary approval in both capitals.
The president said the U.S. will “immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence” there, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-historic-deal-with-greenland?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Announces+Historic+Deal+With+Greenland">The Daily Wire reported.</a>

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

Trump’s China State Dinner To Bring Together America’s Biggest Business Titans

united nations

united states china relations

Days after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-u-s-ally-spars-with-china-in-defense-forum-showdown">tensions rose</a> between China and the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, the Chinese Coast Guard deliberately rammed a Philippine vessel in Philippine waters on Friday.
The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel was on a fuel resupply mission for a fishing expedition approximately 54 nautical miles from the Philippine coast. The vessel suffered deck and railing <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/china-vessel-rams-philippine-boat-refueling-mission-coast-guard-says-rcna598496">damage</a> but no injuries were reported.
The Chinese Coast Guard completed a series of dangerous maneuvers before “striking the BFAR vessel,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/philippines-south-china-sea-vessel-collision-6394271">said</a>. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pnagovph/videos/1005758682483134/">attack</a> occurred within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone and represents the latest development in hostilities between the People’s Republic of China and the U.S. ally.
A Chinese Coast Guard spokesman <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/philippines-south-china-sea-vessel-collision-6394271">claimed</a> that the Philippine ship disregarded the &#8220;solemn warnings&#8221; of the Chinese Coast Guard and &#8220;cut across the bow of the Chinese Coast Guard vessel.&#8221;
“We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately cease all acts of infringement and provocation; otherwise, it must bear all consequences,” the spokesman said.
China continues to claim exclusive rights to maritime areas belonging to U.S. allies along its so-called &#8220;nine-dash line,&#8221; which comprises approximately 80% of the South China Sea and is considered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-u-s-ally-spars-with-china-in-defense-forum-showdown?author=Gideon+Askowitz&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WATCH%3A+U.S.+Ally+Spars+With+China+In+Defense+Forum+Showdown">vital</a> to U.S. national interests.
&#8220;China&#8217;s troubling pattern of behavior against the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries undermines regional peace and stability. It directly contradicts China’s repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully,&#8221; a State Department spokesman told The Daily Wire.
A 2016 ruling found that the waters where this latest provocation occurred belong to the Philippines. “The July 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling found that China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law. That decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines,” the State Department official said.
Two weeks ago, a conference in South Korea erupted when a Chinese military official sent a provocative letter to the Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro. The conference, which included several U.S. treaty allies in the region, erupted in applause after Teodoro slammed China.
President Donald Trump is set to host Chinese President Xi Jinping in the White House on Thursday.

A US and a Chinese flag wave outside a c

WATCH: China Attacks Fishing Boat In Confrontation With U.S. Ally

chinese coast guard

philippines

south china sea

On Sunday, President Donald Trump reacted to a Wall Street Journal report that highlighted Chinese entities&#8217; role in strikes that killed three American service members and wounded four others in Jordan.
The president <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-china-spies-us-report-ties-chinese-imagery-iran-strike">said</a> that &#8220;we spy on them&#8221; and China &#8220;spies on us.&#8221;
According to the report, Iran received high-resolution satellite images of the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan before striking the base. Iran then <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/09/11/us-news/chinese-entities-provided-iran-with-satellite-images-of-air-base-in-jordan-before-deadly-missile-strike-report/">launched</a> a ballistic missile attack on the base on July 17, striking a housing area where troops were sleeping.
U.S. officials have not accused the Chinese government of direct involvement. When senior U.S. officials shared imagery concerns with their Chinese counterparts, the Chinese officials demanded proof.
<a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/new-challenge-communist-corporate-governance">According</a> to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, many large or significant companies in China are required by law to have official Chinese Communist Party members on their boards. That allows the state to influence decisions. It&#8217;s possible China was directly or indirectly involved in the satellite imagery transfer to Tehran.
China is not the only adversary assisting Iran in this conflict. According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/06/politics/russia-aiding-iran-targeting">reports</a>, Russia has also provided Iran with intelligence.
The Trump administration maintains that no foreign government’s intelligence has significantly improved Tehran&#8217;s ability to strike U.S. assets in the region.
Due to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian radar and intelligence facilities, the regime’s targeting accuracy diminished. In recent months, that seems to have changed, with Tehran striking targets with greater precision than before.
Artificial intelligence may play a role in the emerging Iranian capabilities. The International Business Times reported that “Iranian proxies and cyber actors have employed AI for reconnaissance, vulnerability scanning and information operations.” Anthropic’s September “Detecting and countering misuse of AI” report claimed that the company thwarted an attempt by the Iranian regime to misuse its technology.
While the Chinese satellite images may not have enabled Tehran to kill American service members, it is possible that other aspects of their relationship with China have materially improved Tehran’s ability.
Even before Operation Epic Fury, researchers had already <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-6700-9_32">suspected</a> that Beijing and Tehran are colluding on AI technologies. In recent months, the Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chinese-satellite-imagery-linked-to-iranian-strike-that-killed-three-us-troops">sanctioned</a> several Chinese satellite-imagery firms over imagery supplied to Iran. If Beijing has convinced Tehran to use Chinese AI companies for surveillance, target acquisition, or other military means, then the Iranian war could serve as a means for the Chinese Communist Party to test how China’s new systems and technology operate in a conflict against the U.S.
China’s assistance to Iran goes beyond intelligence and AI. The nonpartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a <a href="https://www.uscc.gov/research/enabling-iran-timeline-chinas-role-during-and-after-operation-epic-fury">timeline</a> detailing extensive links between the Chinese and Iranian war economies, including rocket fuel precursors and semiconductors, which are necessary components in advanced weapons systems.
President Trump is <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/84865">expected</a> to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on September 24.

TOPSHOT-SKOREA-US-CHINA-DIPLOMACY

Trump Reacts To China Link In Iran Attack That Killed U.S. Troops

How China Helps Iran Kill U.S. Service Members

iran

jordan

Chinese companies allegedly supplied Iran with high-resolution satellite imagery of a U.S. military base shortly before an Iranian missile attack killed three American troops, according to U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence, raising fresh tensions between Washington and Beijing as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The officials told the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/u-s-links-chinese-satellite-imagery-to-iranian-strike-that-killed-three-troops-ca0b4be3">Wall Street Journal</a> that Iran obtained the imagery from Chinese entities before and after the July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. U.S. officials have linked the imagery to the deadly strike, though they have not identified the Chinese companies involved or accused the Chinese government of directly ordering or authorizing the assistance.
The attack killed Army 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, and Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad. Feehan died from injuries sustained during the July 17 attack, while Gonzales and Rampersad were killed in the attack itself, according to the U.S. Army. Four other American service members were wounded.
The strike was one of three Iranian missile attacks against the base within a 24-hour period. Iranian missiles struck a housing area where American troops were sleeping, while other missiles targeted aircraft and other U.S. assets at the installation, according to U.S. officials cited by the Journal.
American officials had spent months warning Beijing that Chinese companies were providing Iran with satellite imagery that could be used to target U.S. forces. The Trump administration sanctioned MizarVision, Earth Eye, and Chang Guang — all Chinese companies — in May. The sanctions were leveled due to allegations that they were providing, collecting, or publishing satellite imagery that could be used by Iran against American personnel and military assets.
The State Department had previously accused Chang Guang of providing satellite imagery that directly supported attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants, according to the Journal. Now, U.S. officials say they have connected Chinese-sourced imagery to an attack that actually killed American service members.
Senior U.S. officials reportedly raised the July attack and the imagery with their Chinese counterparts. Beijing pushed back and demanded evidence, while Chinese officials have repeatedly denied that Chinese companies are providing Iran with imagery for military targeting.
A Chinese Embassy spokesman did not directly address the specific allegations. Instead, spokesman Liu Chang accused unnamed critics of “maliciously linking and smearing other countries” and said Chinese cooperation with Iran complies with international law, according to the Journal.
The White House has also downplayed the broader significance of foreign assistance to Iran, with an administration official saying that no outside assistance had enhanced Tehran’s ability to attack American targets. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was similarly cautious after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi days after the July attack. When asked whether China was providing Iran with targeting information, Rubio said that “nothing that China has done has in any way changed the trajectory of the conflict.”
But U.S. officials say Iran&#8217;s ability to target American forces appeared to improve over the course of the conflict. Earlier in the conflict, American attacks damaged Iranian radar, satellites, and other systems, degrading Tehran&#8217;s ability to monitor the battlefield. Iranian missiles consequently struck locations of lesser military significance or missed important American assets.
High-resolution satellite imagery can give Iran a much more current picture of a military installation, potentially revealing changes in the location of personnel, aircraft, vehicles, and other assets. Former CIA analyst Jim Lamson told the Journal that fresh imagery could help Iran “select the most impactful targets in a timely manner” and evaluate whether previous strikes had been successful.
The satellite imagery, however, would have been only one part of Iran&#8217;s intelligence picture. Tehran also operates its own satellites and uses human intelligence, while U.S. officials have said Russia provides Iran with intelligence and imagery as well.
U.S. officials are also concerned that Chinese assistance could help Iran track American naval forces in the region. Iranian ballistic missiles have recently been fired at U.S. warships, including an aircraft carrier and other vessels. The attacks failed to hit the ships, but U.S. officials have described some of the incidents as close calls and said Iran&#8217;s ability to target moving American vessels appears to be improving.
The disclosure comes less than two weeks before Trump&#8217;s planned September 24 meeting with Xi. Trump has made maintaining relations with Xi a priority, while senior administration officials have sought to avoid public confrontations with Beijing that could complicate the summit. The newly reported intelligence puts a potentially lethal dimension on one of Washington&#8217;s longstanding complaints about China&#8217;s relationship with Tehran.

TOPSHOT-CHINA-EXPO2010

China Played Key Role In Iranian Strike That Killed Americans

muwaffaq salti air base attack

On July 4, 2026, I woke up to extraordinary news: Chinese Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri had been released from prison and reunited with his family in the United States.
For the first time in nearly two decades, China had released a political prisoner. More importantly, his release showed that when President Donald Trump makes the freedom of an unjustly imprisoned person a priority, Beijing listens.
I hope he will do it again.
My mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, is a 64-year-old retired physician serving a 20-year sentence in a Chinese prison on fabricated charges. To understand why her case matters to the United States, you must understand why she was imprisoned in the first place.
My mother was taken because the Chinese Communist Party wanted to silence my aunt, an American citizen living in the United States.
In September 2018, my aunt spoke at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., criticizing Beijing’s persecution of the Uyghur people. Six days later, my mother disappeared.
The message from Beijing was unmistakable: If you use your freedom in America to criticize the Chinese Communist Party, we can punish the people you love.
That is not merely repression inside China. It is transnational repression directed at an American citizen for speech protected by the First Amendment, delivered through the imprisonment of her family thousands of miles away.
And it should concern every American.
Freedom of speech means little if a foreign government can impose consequences on Americans for exercising it. Beijing should not get to decide what an American citizen can say in Washington, D.C. by threatening, detaining, or imprisoning her relatives in China.
Yet for nearly eight years, that is exactly what the Chinese government has been allowed to do to our family.
My mother was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in prison. We have received little proof of life and have had virtually no contact with her. This September will mark eight years since she was taken.
And the consequences of her imprisonment extend far beyond China’s borders. My mother has 24 family members who are American citizens. For eight years, those Americans have lived with the consequences of Beijing’s decision to retaliate against speech made here in the United States.
My nearly eight-year-old daughter has never hugged her grandmother. She knows Grandma Gulshan only through the stories I tell her and the hope that they will someday meet.
Time matters. My mother is 64 and suffers from high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, and an eye condition that requires regular medical care to prevent blindness. Every additional year she spends in prison raises the possibility that the damage to her health — and to our family — will become irreversible.
That is why Pastor Jin’s release gave me hope.
President Trump has already demonstrated that direct American engagement can secure the freedom of someone imprisoned in China. His administration now has an opportunity to build on that success.
As President Trump prepares to meet President Xi Jinping this September, I ask him to make my mother’s freedom a priority.
Bringing Gulshan Abbas home would reunite a family that includes 24 American citizens. But it would do something larger, too.
It would send a message to Beijing that American freedom of speech does not end where China’s intimidation begins. The Chinese Communist Party cannot be permitted to silence people in the United States by imprisoning their mothers, fathers, sisters, or brothers abroad.
Americans should never have to choose between exercising their constitutional freedoms and protecting the people they love.
My mother has spent nearly eight years in prison because Beijing tried to force an American citizen to make that choice.
President Trump can make it clear that America will not accept it.
China has already shown that it can make the decision to free a political prisoner. President Trump should ask President Xi to make the right decision again — and send my mother home.
***
Ziba Murat is a Uyghur American advocate whose mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, has been imprisoned in Xinjiang since 2018.

original-274508A4-9A47-496D-928D-933475D5D866

My Mother Is A Prisoner In Communist China; This Is My Plea To President Trump

political prisoner

uyghur persecution

More than 50 Americans are among the missing after deadly flash floods swept through several areas along the border between Nepal and China.
The flood was <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/26/world-news/flood-hits-china-nepal-border-leaving-many-dead-and-missing/">reportedly triggered</a> when a wall of rock and mud collapsed into a river near the border between Nepal and China-controlled Tibet. Police in Nepal have already reported at least 157 dead on the Himalayan side — according to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-nepal-flash-floods-7262dac22e31258955efa5c28c8fe917">report</a> from the Associated Press — and over 300 are still missing, including 54 American tourists.
Nepal’s foreign minister Shisir Khanal said on Wednesday that the landslide and subsequent flooding had been triggered by an earthquake — one the United States Geological Survey had identified in the region around the time the flooding began — but the USGS later confirmed that the rock wall collapsing had actually been what instruments had recorded as a 5.2 magnitude earthquake.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an extensive search to find the 265 people that state media has confirmed are still missing.
So far, more than 391 foreign nationals have been reported missing since the flooding began — the majority of them tourists. According to Nepal&#8217;s tourism board, 54 hail from the United States; 142 are from India on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet; 34 are from Australia; 33 traveled from the United Kingdom; and 24 are Canadian.
The U.S. Embassy has instructed all remaining American tourists in the region to seek out higher ground and listen for alerts and instructions from local officials: &#8220;We extend our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster.&#8221;
Flash floods in Trishuli Bazar, in Nepal’s Nuwakot district, destroyed dozens of homes and left more either partially or fully submerged beneath the mud and debris.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
बाढीकाे बितण्डा पछि त्रिशुली बजारकाे अवस्था !!! <a href="https://t.co/AblVV11e4Y">pic.twitter.com/AblVV11e4Y</a>
— Prakash Timalsina (@prakashujyalo) <a href="https://x.com/prakashujyalo/status/2092599852228337857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Videos circulated across social media showing the devastation in a number of small villages.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
डरलाग्दो ! 
सीसीटीभीमा देखिएको चीनतर्फको टिमुरेमा बाढी आउँदाको अवस्था <a href="https://t.co/qu6nuyGvqt">pic.twitter.com/qu6nuyGvqt</a>
— Prakash Timalsina (@prakashujyalo) <a href="https://x.com/prakashujyalo/status/2092546113123324001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
बेत्रावती, रसुवाकाे बस्तीमा यसरी पसेकाे थियाे बाढी, सयाैं घर ध्वस्त भएकाे छ भने दर्जनाैं बेपत्ता भएका छन् । <a href="https://t.co/r4ZvlmcnQs">pic.twitter.com/r4ZvlmcnQs</a>
— Prakash Timalsina (@prakashujyalo) <a href="https://x.com/prakashujyalo/status/2092620515777425752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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NEPAL-WEATHER-LANDSLIDE-FLOOD

Dozens Of Americans Among Missing After Deadly Flash Flood In Nepal

flash flood

nepal

tibet

Gen Z has a socialism problem. In recent months, that cohort of voters has helped secure victory for openly socialist and communist candidates in major American cities.
Growing numbers of American youth are embracing the same radical ideologies that once devastated Europe and have claimed over 100 million victims worldwide.
They don’t seem aware of the atrocities these ideologies historically produced. Some even think that these ideologies — and the nations that perpetuate them — are simply misunderstood.
A <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/defendinged.org/investigations/little-red-classrooms-young-envoys-scholarship-program/___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6NWY5NTFkY2U2NWZmZTIyMmZiZDBjOTc3YzJhYmFlZjI6Nzo5NWI5OjJmMmU3N2FjZTUxMjQxMGYwODdjYjE3Mzc2ZjE1ZjEwN2EzYjUwNzRiYzkyZWMzOGU4OTk1ZDMxNTE0NjhiYWE6cDpUOkY">new report from Defending Education</a> suggests that this trend could be, in part, a repercussion of the cognitive warfare of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in American classrooms.
The report investigated China’s Young Envoys Scholarship (YES) program, a study-abroad opportunity for American youth that Chinese President Xi Jinping established in 2024 to promote a “mutual understanding between young generations of China and the U.S.”
In reality, the program is a not-so-covert attempt to persuade American youth to support China’s totalitarian and anti-American agendas.
The YES program sounds incredible in theory. It enables American students to enjoy sponsored trips to China and expand their cultural knowledge. Since 2024, at least 83 American universities and 26 K-12 schools across 30 states have participated in the program.
So what’s the catch?
The organization that oversees YES — the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) — openly advertises that it is guided by “Marxism-Leninism” and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism on its Chinese-language website. CEAIE’s website literally says that it will “always adhere to the leadership of the [Communist] Party and integrate the Party’s work into the entire process of the association’s operation and development.”
How Orwellian. A closer look into YES’s specific programming increases suspicions that the program seeks to create a biased impression of China among American youth.
For example, in 2025, YES sponsored <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/en.ceaie.edu.cn/uploads/attached/file/20251110/B10680668988217.pdf___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6MDFhZTc4N2M1YzQ4ZTJlMWE0YjQ1ZGUyMjk0MzQ2OTU6Nzo4ZDVlOmRkOWQzNWE2MTY5YWE1OTkzZmI3NjYyMTNkMzFjMGQ2OWNkZGY4YTMwN2EyZWJkNjEwN2QyNmQ1NzIzNzE3MWE6cDpUOkY">a Chicago high schoolers’ trip</a> for 27 students and teachers to the <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/www.foxnews.com/world/report-details-rising-pressure-underground-catholics-china-denies-crackdown___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6MDFhZTc4N2M1YzQ4ZTJlMWE0YjQ1ZGUyMjk0MzQ2OTU6Nzo0YTdhOmFjMDc4ZGVhZmE5NGY4YTc0MTNjNTQyMTJhMTAxZmQyM2FkNTg0MjJjZWRlYzRlMGQ0OGExNGI2Y2E5M2NhMWQ6cDpUOkY">Xinjiang region of China</a>. Students learned Chinese calligraphy and Tai Chi, took dance classes, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Their cultural tour of the region notably left out what Xinjiang is actually known for. The U.S. government has formally designated China&#8217;s campaign against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region as a genocide, and human rights organizations have documented mass internment camps, forced labor, and forced sterilization across the region.
Similarly, in January 2024, the Muscatine Community School District in Iowa <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/www.muscatine.k12.ia.us/news/2024/01/muscatine-high-school-china-exchange/___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6NWY5NTFkY2U2NWZmZTIyMmZiZDBjOTc3YzJhYmFlZjI6NzpjMTg2OjdlOGQ5MjJlZjZjY2I4MGU1YWI0MzIzYTlkMDRlNTkwNmQ3MzhmNjQ4YzM1YjU2NjMwOTRkMTJhY2I4NTg1ZjE6cDpUOkY">announced</a> that a group of 24 students and four educators would travel to China as guests of China’s minister of education. The Chinese government fully funded the trip.
Coverage by the Chinese Embassy on the trip detailed how the students had given gifts to President Xi, including a “school flag with Chinese characters ‘Grandpa Xi, Here We Are’” (Referring to President Xi Jinping). The embassy added, “After the visit, the students of the delegation wrote a letter to President Xi, sharing their joy and happiness during the visit and thanking him for inviting them to China.”
These students would have an increased sympathy for any CCP propaganda based on these testimonials about their trip. Especially if they came from “Grandpa Xi.”
In March 2024, 10 students from Tacoma Public Schools in Washington state <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/english.news.cn/northamerica/20240203/239fae7b1a3e4fd6ac78c7c8af8092e6/c.html___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6NWY5NTFkY2U2NWZmZTIyMmZiZDBjOTc3YzJhYmFlZjI6Nzo0Mzc5OjA2MTFkNjMwYWM5YTBjZDI0NmM1NjlhNTE3YWY2NDNlYTQ5NzNhZDA5Zjc5NTcwNWQ2OGQyNTcxZTcwNjYwZDU6cDpUOkY">visited</a> China through the YES program. Chinese media <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/english.news.cn/northamerica/20240203/239fae7b1a3e4fd6ac78c7c8af8092e6/c.html___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6NWY5NTFkY2U2NWZmZTIyMmZiZDBjOTc3YzJhYmFlZjI6Nzo0Mzc5OjA2MTFkNjMwYWM5YTBjZDI0NmM1NjlhNTE3YWY2NDNlYTQ5NzNhZDA5Zjc5NTcwNWQ2OGQyNTcxZTcwNjYwZDU6cDpUOkY">reported</a> that students said, “If I could say anything to President Xi, I’d really just want to thank him for planting the seed of relation[s] between Tacoma and China.”
The YES program <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/yes.ceaie.edu.cn/upload/file/2024-08/1725002571242.pdf___.YXAzOmNyY2E6YzpvZmZpY2UzNjVfZW1haWxzX2F0dGFjaG1lbnQ6NWY5NTFkY2U2NWZmZTIyMmZiZDBjOTc3YzJhYmFlZjI6Nzo1MmQ2OjA2MWY0Y2Q3NWY2ZTI5ZTBiZWI5NTc5ZDE1MmMxMjUyOTM2ODNmMzFlZDNmZTg3YjkxYjQ2YmE4OWUwNjk4N2I6cDpUOkY">has even quoted</a> Lincoln High School students praising the Chinese government, including “President Xi Jinping’s message is very heartwarming” and “I am a China fan.”
It’s easy to see how such misconceptions could blend into support for U.S. politicians and candidates who spew socialist and communist rhetoric. Without context, American students are being taught that the man behind the genocide of Uyghur Muslims, and who runs a country that imprisons citizens for their speech or religion, is “very heartwarming.”
They aren’t seeing the human consequences of Xi Jinping&#8217;s ideology in action — like Catholic businessman and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, who will die in a Chinese prison. They won’t see the millions of Uyghurs who have been rounded up and abused, sterilized, and tortured for their religious beliefs. They won’t recognize the similarities between the CCP’s totalitarian oppression and that of other socialist and communist countries. Their tours of China obscure the reality of Chinese oppression entirely.
There’s nothing wrong with appreciating the good parts of Chinese culture, like its art or expression. And for many Americans, a free trip to China sounds like an incredible opportunity.
However, Americans should be incredibly wary of the impetus behind these “free” trips. They should recognize that YES is using American children as propaganda tools for a communist regime that seeks to destabilize the U.S. with its atheistic, genocidal, and totalitarian ideology.
This isn’t an abstract concern. Socialist and communist candidates are already gaining power across America, buoyed by young voters. A generation raised to see Xi Jinping as “heartwarming” isn’t just misinformed about China — it&#8217;s primed to embrace the same ideologies at home.
Parents and educators need to see YES for what it is before it grows any further. Our future generations and our national security depend on it.
If these trips are not followed up with pro-democracy, pro-capitalism, and pro-Western values lessons, then America will continue reaping the consequences.
***
<div dir="ltr">Paul Runko, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Defending Education.</div>

China Daily Life

How CCP ‘Study Abroad’ Trips Are Influencing American Youth

chinese communist party

education

propaganda

socialism

Confusing adversaries and allies is a basic foreign policy mistake. Leveraging enemies to attack friends is a deeper failure. President Trump committed both errors on Sunday when he announced that he was ordering the Pentagon to “substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises” with South Korea. According to his post on social media, the president’s justifications were his “very good relationship” with Pyongyang’s dictator Kim Jong-un, and Seoul’s failure to help Washington in its war with Tehran.
Trump’s explanation contradicts his dismissal of Seoul five months ago: “WE NEVER DID” need South Korea’s help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Nor did America, in Trump’s telling, need anyone’s help. Now, months later, the president is revisiting a gambit he played in his first term: scaling down joint exercises with Seoul, apparently as an olive branch to Kim.
Trump may have legitimate reasons to be frustrated with South Korea. The liberal party in Seoul has an established track record of engagement with China, and has actively sought to weaken American sanctions on North Korea in years past. We should expect allies to act as allies.
It is equally true that America’s partners should expect the global hegemony to act predictably in its own interests. Regardless of Seoul’s behavior, Washington benefits when Pyongyang is hemmed in and deterred from adventurism and belligerence. More broadly, America’s interests demand that North Korea never unify the peninsula. For these reasons alone, military exercises with South Korea should persist.
Trump’s idiosyncratic view of international relations risks unwittingly empowering America’s enemies. To be sure, Kim is delighted by any indication of American weakness, and will move to exploit any daylight between Washington and Seoul. Of greater import is how Pyongyang’s northern neighbor views this move.
Xi Jinping has had ample opportunity to take the measure of Donald Trump. His first interaction with the president in 2017 consisted of Trump temporarily leaving the dining hall in Mar-a-Lago to order a strike on Syria. Trump’s choreographed bravado signaled strength and resolve to Xi, as did the president’s successful operation against Nicholas Maduro in his second term.
But Xi has also witnessed Trump’s fundamental rejection of traditional categories for America’s friends and enemies. Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelensky of starting the war with Russia. He heard Trump scold Taiwan earlier this year as he left Beijing, insisting that Taipei lower the temperature with China. He also took note of Trump’s delay of arms sales to Taiwan. And, of course, the whole world witnessed Trump’s repeated attempts last year to downgrade America’s alliance with South Korea.
Confusing allies and adversaries risks misallocating trust and threats, like a chef mistaking sugar for salt. Trump needs to maintain deterrence in East Asia. Two wars are already raging in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In response to the latter, the Pentagon recently redeployed the USS George Washington from the Indo-Pacific to the Persian Gulf to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. No carriers are now in or near East Asia. Compounding this capability shortfall is the drawdown of Tomahawk missiles and other standoff platforms the Pentagon would need in a China scenario. Trump is coupling a numbers problem with a judgment problem.
These intersecting trends present Xi, and any other anti-American despot, with an easy response: follow Kim’s lead. Convince Trump that you’re “unthreatening and respectful,” and reap the windfall of unilateral concessions from America. As a bonus, the administration in Washington may blame America’s allies for being “hostile.” Trump already fell into these patterns with Taiwan earlier this summer. Xi will likely seek to pull the president further down this road.
To a point, the president’s frustrations with allies are understandable. More than any of his predecessors, Trump has called on America’s partners to do their part and contribute to their own security. For that, he deserves great credit. But nixing readiness exercises on the Korean Peninsula, with nuclear table stakes, smacks of poor judgment and misplaced optimism in the president’s own ability to untangle intractable challenges that go back to 1950. Ignoring the historical roots of the present is a quick ticket to catastrophe. The challenge of North Korea isn’t the lack of dealmaking presidents or petulant partners in Seoul, but Pyongyang’s Communist ideology, Washington’s failure to prevent its nuclearization, and haphazard policies that have oscillated from confrontation to conciliation.
Trump is unknowingly playing into that perverse pattern. By doing so, he is projecting weakness to Kim Jong-un’s northern neighbor and East Asia’s most powerful dictator. Canceling military exercises with South Korea is likely unfinished business from Trump’s first term. The day may come when the president sees the wisdom of his former advisors who counseled against doing so.
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Michael Sobolik is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

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