  China - US

The meeting in California between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping has ended with a cautious rapprochement. Xi promised to restrict exports of chemicals used to make fentanyl to the US, and communications between the armed forces of the two countries are to be resumed. However tensions continue over Taiwan.

US President Joe Biden has issued an executive order restricting US investments in China in the areas of semiconductor technology, AI and quantum computing. He explained that the measure is aimed at preventing China from using advanced technologies to expand its military power and undermine US national security. Beijing has voiced dismay and complained of distortion of competition.

After his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Beijing's chief diplomat Wang Yi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met President Xi Jinping for talks on Monday. Europe's press sees this as an important signal, even if the discussions seem to have produced few concrete results.

Officially, China's military exercises around Taiwan officially ended on 11 April, but according to the Taiwanese Ministry of Defence China is continuing drills with 9 ships and 26 aircraft. The People's Republic still considers Taiwan, which has been independent for 70 years, to be part of its territory. Could a blockade or even an invasion be the next step? Europe's press is divided.

The heads of government of the Aukus pact countries agreed at a meeting in San Diego on Monday that the Royal Australian Navy will acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The US, the UK and Australia founded the Aukus alliance in 2021 to strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific region. China has reacted with anger, saying that the deal will undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Commentators also see risks.

The US Air Force shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the sea off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday. Beijing insisted that the balloon was merely a civilian climate research tool that had been blown off course, and criticised the US's response as excessive. Europe's press examines potential motives and calls for greater efforts on both sides to avoid an escalation.

As the G20 summit kicks off in Bali, all eyes are on the face-to-face meeting between US President Joe Biden and China's leader Xi Jinping on Monday. The trade war, spying allegations, human rights abuses, and Taiwan have put a strain on relations between the two countries for some time now. What can the world expect from the meeting?

China has perceived Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan as a provocation and reacted with aggressive military exercises around the island. The Chinese navy has not only encroached on Taiwan's twelve-mile zone, but it has also fired missiles at waters claimed by Japan. Europe's press is divided on the dangers these developments pose.

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, began her trip to Asia on Sunday. She left open the question of whether she will visit Taiwan - as initially announced - as well as Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. China's President Xi Jinping has warned against such a visit and ordered military manoeuvres off the island. Europe's press sees various dangers looming.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fears that China could follow in Moscow's footsteps and launch its long-threatened conquest of Taiwan have been rife. During a state visit to Japan yesterday, US President Joe Biden said that the US would support the island militarily in such a scenario. Beijing reacted indignantly. Commentators take stock of the exchange.

The deliberations have produced a decision: the US will not send a diplomatic delegation to the Beijing Olympics. The White House cited China's "ongoing genocide" of the Muslim Uyghurs and human rights violations as reasons for its decision. Beijing reacted indignantly, threatening that the US will "pay a price for its practices". Europe's press discusses the meaningfulness and consequences of a boycott.

Citing human rights abuses, the US is considering not sending an official delegation to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, although US athletes would still be allowed to compete. Europe's press is also alarmed by the disappearance of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai after she made allegations of abuse against a former high-ranking Chinese politician.

During a video summit with China's leader Xi Jinping, US President Joe Biden stressed that competition between the two powers must not "veer into conflict". Xi said that challenges such as climate change could only be tackled on the basis of healthy relations. Biden has repeatedly criticised China for its treatment of Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Uighurs. Commentators welcome the new tone in the dialogue between the two leaders.

Chinese head of state Xi Jinping on Sunday called on Taiwan to join the People's Republic, a call Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen firmly rejected. Last week China sent fighter jets into the Taiwanese air defence zone several times. Now the Pentagon has admitted that US instructors are secretly training Taiwan's army. Commentators take very different views of the escalation.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's leading diplomat Yang Jiechi exchanged blows before rolling cameras at their first meeting last Thursday. Blinken accused Beijing of endangering global stability, while Yang blamed Washington for interfering in China's internal affairs. Europe's press says the new US administration has made its future course clear. Commentators speculate on how Europe will respond.

The US and China on Wednesday signed a trade agreement which at least partially resolves the trade dispute that has been dragging on for months. Tariffs on both sides are to be lowered and China is committing itself to purchasing 75 billion dollars worth of US manufactured goods. But the deal shouldn't be overrated, Europe's press advises.

At a meeting of the Arctic Council, a high-level intergovernmental forum of the eight states that border on the Arctic Ocean, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attacked Russia for trying to gain control of the Polar region and militarising the area. He also accused China of aggressive tactics to boost its influence in this strategically important area. Is Washington's criticism justified?

US President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs to the tune of 200 billion dollars on Chinese goods, further escalating the trade dispute. The move means around half of all imports from China will be subject to tariffs. Commentators believe that the tough line could well be successful.

The Chinese government introduced tariffs of between 15 and 25 percent on 128 products from the US on Monday. The move is widely regarded as a reaction to the US's tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium exports. China's countermeasures highlight the dangers Trump's trade policy entails for the global economy, commentators write, and call on Europe to take a stand.

The US government has announced that the EU and six other countries will be exempt from tariffs on steel and aluminium imports until the start of May. Beijing, however, won't be given a reprieve and has announced plans to introduce tariffs to the tune of three billion dollars against Washington. Europe has no reason to be relieved, commentators warn.

US President Donald Trump visited Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines on his Asian tour. Shortly before leaving Beijing he signed several trade deals with Chinese President Xi Jinping. But they won't significantly reduce the US's trade deficit with China, commentators write, and criticise Trump for relinquishing the US's claim to global leadership.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese head of state Xi Jinping have met for the first time at Trump's estate in Florida. The most important topic during the two-day meeting is almost certainly how to deal with North Korea's nuclear programme. The press discusses how relations between the US and China will develop over time.

The US company Apple has blocked the New York Times app in China at the request of the Beijing authorities, a spokeswoman for Iphone Producer announced. The fact that major corporations operating in China are disregarding liberal values has partly to do with the bad example set by many states, commentators criticise.