China-US Cooperation

Trump-Xi summit: Why China scored the bigger strategic win

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “constructive strategic stability” framework and carefully choreographed optics defined the Trump-Xi summit, yielding modest gains for both sides, but a broader strategic advantage for China in setting the terms of future US-China relations. Academic Dylan Loh examines the details.

Dylan Loh

19 May 2026

Trump’s bluster, Xi’s subtlety: Reading the G2 call

The Xi-Trump call highlighted the stark contrast between US President Donald Trump’s brash style and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s measured diplomacy, with Taiwan and G2 dynamics taking centre stage as the world watched closely. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong gives her take.

Han Yong Hong

06 Feb 2026

When Trump says ‘G2’, does he mean US-China co-governance?

Trump’s recent enthusiasm for “G2” is likely less about sharing hegemony and more about direct engagement between strong powers — under an implicit assumption of continued US primacy. But even if the US were to genuinely offer equal governing authority, would Beijing accept a G2 framework? Commentator Deng Yuwen ponders the question.

Deng Yuwen

02 Jan 2026

Innovative drugs: The new battleground in US-China rivalry

The race for innovative drugs has become a defining front in US-China competition. While the US leads in original innovation, China is rapidly advancing through strategy, scale and efficiency, shaping the future of global pharmaceutical development, says NUS Emeritus Professor Ong Choon Nam.

Ong Choon Nam

09 Dec 2025

Xi-Trump meeting: Has China won?

The long-awaited Xi–Trump meeting in Busan ended with smiles but few deals. Yet beneath the calm surface, China may have quietly emerged stronger — ready to play the long game in a shifting global order. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong gives her take.

Han Yong Hong

31 Oct 2025

How to read the Xi–Trump meeting: It’s not about winning

The Busan meeting wasn’t about who won or lost — it was about whether the world can still count on China and the US to act as responsible powers. Their cooperation, not confrontation, will define the next phase of global governance, says academic Gu Qingyang.

Gu Qingyang

31 Oct 2025

[Big read] Class dismissed: The quiet collapse of US-China university partnerships

Joint educational programmes between China and the US are the latest casualties of geopolitical tensions between the two countries. Lianhe Zaobao senior correspondent Chen Jing reports on the growing uncertainty facing these collaborative institutions — some of which have already been forced to shut down.

Chen Jing

30 Jul 2025

Will Trump visit China — and when?

As China-US tensions thaw and diplomatic engagement ramps up, observers are speculating that US President Donald Trump could be visiting China and meeting Xi Jinping soon. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan discusses the possibility of the visit and when the visit could happen. 

Yu Zeyuan

14 Jul 2025

US-China tariff wars: Hitting the pause button for now

The US and China’s joint statement on 12 May announcing a mutual reduction of tariffs marks a silver lining to the strained bilateral relations between the two economic powers. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Yush Chau speaks with academics to find out what to expect next.

Yush Chau

13 May 2025

[Video] ThinkChina Forum 2025: China’s future and navigating a changing world order

At the inaugural ThinkChina Forum on 28 March 2025, Professor Wang Gungwu, University Professor, National University of Singapore, joined Professor Yasheng Huang, Professor of Global Economics and Management, MIT Sloan School of Management, in a panel discussion themed “China’s Future: Navigating a Changing World Order”. Moderated by ThinkChina editor Chow Yian Ping, the discussion covered topics such as China-US rivalry, Trump 2.0 and China’s development. Associate Professor Ngeow Chow Bing from the University of Malaya also offered his thoughts from the satellite event in KL. The following is an edited transcript of the panel discussion and Q&A session.

Chow Yian Ping

04 Apr 2025

Beyond the blame game: Why US-China scientific cooperation on fentanyl is crucial

China should continue to demonstrate to the rest of the world that the “control of [illicit] drugs is essential to the future of humanity”, as reiterated in the preface of its white paper just published. Doing that entails continuous cooperation with all countries, the US included, says Chinese academic Zha Daojiong.

Zha Daojiong

03 Apr 2025

The drug war: Why tariffs aren’t the answer for America

As drugs continue to ravage the world, governments are struggling to stem the constant influx of drugs and manage widespread addiction. The US, for instance, is in the throes of a deadly fentanyl crisis. Former journalist Goh Choon Kang tells us more about how various countries around the world are addressing the worsening drug issue.

Goh Choon Kang

02 Apr 2025