Politics
Cease-fire in US-China trade war doesn’t bridge differences
Published
7 years agoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — Once again, Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have hit the reset button in trade talks between the world’s two biggest economies, at least delaying an escalation in tension between the U.S. and China that had financial markets on edge and cast a cloud over the global economy.
But when U.S. and Chinese negotiators sit down to work out details, the same difficult task remains: getting China to convince the United States that it will curb its aggressive push to challenge American technological dominance — and then to live up to its promises.
At the Group of 20 meeting in Osaka, Japan, Trump and Xi agreed to a cease-fire in the trade conflict . Trump said Saturday he would hold off for the “time being” on plans to impose tariffs on $300 billion more in Chinese imports — on top of the $250 billion he’s already targeted. This decision will jump-start trade talks that stalled last month.
“We’re going to work with China where we left off,” Trump said Saturday. He also said China had agreed to buy more American farm products.
Andy Rothman, an investment strategist with Matthews Asia and a former economic official with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, said the Trump-Xi meeting was more conciliatory than he expected. He was struck by Trump’s use of the term “strategic partner” to describe U.S. relations with China after other administration officials have played up the geopolitical rivalry between the two countries.
Addressing another contentious issue, Trump said he will now allow U.S. companies to sell some components to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, which last month was put on an American blacklist as a threat to national security. Trump said that Huawei will stay on the blacklist, however, and that its future won’t be decided until the end of the trade talks.
Neil Shearing, London-based chief economist at Capital Economics, predicted that financial markets will rally with relief when they reopen Monday. “But I don’t think this marks the turning of the tide,” he said. “Talks will ebb and flow, but the direction over the next 12 months will be toward renewed escalation because issues around industrial strategy will prove to be so intractable.”
The Trump administration says China is trying to cheat its way to dominance in the cutting-edge technologies of the future such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
In a report last year, the Office of the United States Trade Representative accused Beijing of resorting to predatory tactics to challenge American technological supremacy.
These include forcing foreign companies to hand over technology in exchange for access to the Chinese market; subsidizing its own companies (especially those owned by the state) while burying foreign firms in regulations; providing government money so Chinese firms can buy sensitive foreign technology at above-market prices; and stealing trade secrets outright.
Eleven rounds of talks failed to end the standoff. The United States has imposed 25% import taxes on $250 billion in Chinese products and threatened to target $300 billion more — a move that would extend the tariffs to virtually everything China ships to the United States.
China has lashed back with tariffs on $110 billion in American goods, focusing on agricultural products in a direct and painful shot at Trump supporters in the U.S. farm belt.
The last time Trump and Xi met — in early December at a G-20 gathering in Buenos Aires, Argentina — they also reached a cease-fire that injected new life into the talks. But the momentum didn’t last.
Until May, it appeared that the two countries were slowly closing in on a deal. But then U.S. officials accused their Chinese counterparts of reneging on commitments they’d made earlier, and talks broke down.
Getting them back on track could prove difficult. Beijing is reluctant to end subsidies to Chinese companies and to write any commitments into Chinese law. The Chinese also want the United States to drop its tariffs as a condition of any deal. But the Trump administration insists on keeping tariffs to use as leverage to make sure that China keeps its promises.
For now, business groups are relieved that the tariffs aren’t expanding and optimistic the two countries can reach a deal.
“We are encouraged that China and the United States have agreed to continue negotiations without further escalation of the mutually damaging trade war,” said Jason Oxman, president of the Information Technology Industry Council. “We are also relieved that President Trump has reconsidered his threat to impose additional tariffs, which would have accelerated harm to all American consumers, workers, and businesses of all sizes.”
Still, the decision to go easy on Huawei drew immediate fire politically. “Huawei is one of few potent levers we have to make China play fair on trade,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “If President Trump backs off, as it appears he is doing, it will dramatically undercut our ability to change China’s unfair trades practices.”
The Commerce Department put the firm on a blacklist because of the possibility its equipment could be used for cyberespionage. Trump suggested that his administration will review the company’s status on Commerce’s so-called Entity List and cleared the way for U.S. firms to sell it some components.
Both countries have economic and political incentives to reach a deal. Xi is overseeing a decelerating economy and likely won’t want to be engaged in a destructive trade war when China’s ruling Communist Party meets in October.
Trump, too, is confronted with an economy that, though still healthy, has looked a bit wobbly. And the trade hostilities with China have hurt his supporters in rural America as he campaigns for re-election in 2020.
“This is a truce for now – for Xi, ahead of the Communist Party celebrations in October and for Trump, dependent on how his re-election campaign progresses,” said Diana Choyleva, chief economist at Enodo Economics. “But as we’ve said before, fundamentally, this dispute is about much more than trade – it’s part of a longer-term Great Decoupling that stems from a conflict over technological supremacy and geopolitical power. This is about redefining the world political and economic order, a process that will see periods of relative calm and also periods of significant turbulence.”
“Both Chinese and U.S. leaders recognize the importance of bringing the relations back to the right track,” said Li Yong of the China Association of International Trade.
“President Xi said we hoped to see normal relations. It’s hard to predict what will happen tomorrow, so I cannot say when the relations will return to right track.”
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Politics
FORMER PRESIDENTS, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS GATHER FOR OPENING OF OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
Published
4 days agoon
June 18, 2026
CHICAGO (FNN NEWS) — The long-awaited Barack Obama Presidential Center officially opened Thursday with a star-studded dedication ceremony on Chicago’s South Side, drawing former presidents, national leaders, celebrities, and thousands of invited guests.
The ceremony began at 11 a.m. CDT with Chicago native and Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson performing the national anthem.
Obama Center Opens
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama delivered remarks celebrating the opening of the center, which is designed to serve as a cultural, educational, and civic engagement hub.
The opening marks the formal debut of one of the most anticipated presidential centers in modern history. The campus opens to the public on Juneteenth and is expected to attract visitors from across the United States and around the world.
Former Presidents in Attendance
Among the dignitaries attending the ceremony were:
- Former President Joe Biden
- Former President George W. Bush
- Former President Bill Clinton
- Former First Lady Jill Biden
- Former First Lady Laura Bush
- Former Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton
National Leaders and Celebrities Attend
The event also attracted prominent political leaders, civil rights advocates, entertainers, and business leaders, including:
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
- Civil rights leaders Andrew Young and Al Sharpton
- Media icon Oprah Winfrey
- Comedians David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Stephen Colbert
- Actor Tom Hanks
- Tennis legend Billie Jean King
- Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts
Several attendees, including Newsom and Shapiro, are widely viewed as potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
A Landmark for Chicago’s South Side
The opening of the Obama Presidential Center represents a significant milestone for Chicago’s South Side, bringing national attention, tourism, and economic development opportunities to the community.
Thousands of invited guests attended the ceremony, while residents and supporters gathered at a free public watch party to celebrate the historic occasion.
The center is expected to serve as a lasting tribute to the legacy of the nation’s 44th president while inspiring future generations of leaders through civic engagement, education, and public service.
About the Obama Presidential Center
The Obama Presidential Center is a world-class campus dedicated to preserving and advancing the legacy of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The center includes museum exhibits, public gathering spaces, educational programming, and community resources aimed at fostering leadership and civic participation.
Politics
CARICOM Launches Online Platform for 51st Heads of Government Meeting Gros Islet, Saint Lucia conference set for July 5-8, 2026
Published
4 days agoon
June 18, 2026
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (FNN NEWS) — The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat has launched a dedicated online platform for the upcoming 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, scheduled to take place in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, from July 5-8, 2026.
Central Hub for Meeting Information
The online platform will serve as the primary source of information for media representatives, government officials, stakeholders, and the public leading up to and during the conference.
Available at CARICOM 51st Heads of Government Meeting Platform, the website features:
- Information on the Opening Ceremony speakers
- A detailed program of events
- A profile of the incoming CARICOM Chair
- Daily news updates
- Photo and video galleries
- Livestreams of the Opening Ceremony
- Livestreams of the Closing Media Conference
The official Meeting Communiqué, summarizing decisions and outcomes from the conference, will also be published on the platform following the conclusion of the meeting.
Media Encouraged to Bookmark Platform
CARICOM officials are encouraging members of the media and other stakeholders to bookmark the website and visit regularly for updates throughout the conference.
The Secretariat also invited users to follow and engage with CARICOM’s social media channels using the hashtag #51HGC for real-time updates and coverage.
About CARICOM
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was established on July 4, 1973, with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas. The treaty was revised in 2001 to facilitate the creation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
CARICOM comprises 15 Member States and six Associate Members, representing approximately 16 million citizens across the Caribbean region. Nearly 60 percent of the Community’s population is under the age of 30.
The organization’s work is centered on four primary pillars:
- Economic integration
- Foreign policy coordination
- Human and social development
- Security cooperation
CARICOM’s vision is to build an integrated, inclusive, and resilient Caribbean Community driven by knowledge, innovation, excellence, and productivity while promoting human rights, social justice, and sustainable economic prosperity.
Headquartered in Georgetown
The principal administrative organ of the Community, the CARICOM Secretariat, is headquartered in Georgetown and coordinates the implementation of regional policies and initiatives among Member States.
CARICOM remains one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the developing world.
Politics
State Department Offers Up to $15 Million in Rewards for MS-13 Leaders Wanted on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Charges
Published
4 days agoon
June 18, 2026
WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The U.S. Department of State announced Thursday that it is increasing reward offers totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of two senior leaders of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a transnational criminal organization designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Reward Offers Increased
The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías, also known as “Porky,” and up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Víctor Eduardo Morales Zelaya, also known as “Cuervo.”
The reward offers were announced by Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.
MS-13 Leadership in Honduras
According to federal court documents, Archaga Carías and Morales Zelaya are the highest-ranking members of MS-13 operating in Honduras. Authorities allege they direct the gang’s criminal operations, including:
- Drug trafficking
- Money laundering
- Murder
- Kidnappings
- Other violent criminal activities
Federal authorities also allege the two men are responsible for coordinating the importation of significant quantities of cocaine into the United States. Both remain fugitives.
Among America’s Most Wanted
Archaga Carías is listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is also among the most wanted fugitives sought by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established under Executive Order 14159. The task force is a permanent, whole-of-government initiative focused on dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad.
How to Provide Information
The reward offers were authorized by the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which supports global law enforcement efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI through WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram at +1-832-267-1688.
Individuals located outside the United States may also contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Those within the United States may contact their local FBI field office.
Confidentiality Guaranteed
U.S. officials emphasized that all identities of individuals providing information will be kept strictly confidential. Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards based on information obtained through their official duties.
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Politics4 days agoCARICOM Launches Online Platform for 51st Heads of Government Meeting Gros Islet, Saint Lucia conference set for July 5-8, 2026
Politics4 days agoState Department Offers Up to $15 Million in Rewards for MS-13 Leaders Wanted on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Charges
Politics4 days agoFORMER PRESIDENTS, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS GATHER FOR OPENING OF OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
