Donald Trump and Xi Jinping emerged from a two-hour meeting in Beijing on Wednesday with starkly different takes on what lies ahead. In remarks published by China's foreign ministry after their sit-down at the Great Hall of the People, Xi made clear that Taiwan represents the centerpiece of US-China relations and carries the risk of open conflict.
The Chinese leader explicitly warned of "clashes and even conflicts" should Washington not reduce military support to Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own territory. For Xi, reunification with Taiwan stands as a defining legacy project, one he has not ruled out pursuing by military force if necessary.
The two delegations covered broader ground during their talks, discussing the Middle East war, the Ukraine conflict, and tensions on the Korean peninsula. Yet the emphasis on Taiwan signaled Beijing's priorities as the new administration takes office. Observers note the US enters these negotiations from a weaker hand than in previous decades, with Trump facing economic headwinds and political constraints at home.
A shift in diplomatic tone also marks this engagement. Unlike administrations past, human rights concerns and climate cooperation appear sidelined from the Trump-Xi agenda, a notable departure that underscores the relationship's current tensions.
Senate Democrats notched another loss on Iran policy Wednesday when their effort to end US military involvement in the region fell short by a single vote. The chamber voted 50-49 to reject the measure, though the tally showed a third Republican joining Democrats in supporting the move. The string of failed attempts now reaches seven.
Kevin Warsh secured his confirmation as Federal Reserve chair in a 54-45 Senate vote that broke sharply along party lines except for Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who sided with Republicans. The outcome marks the most divided confirmation for the position in history. Warsh now steps into one of government's most influential economic roles at a moment when the central bank faces intense White House pressure to slash interest rates despite inflation holding above 3 percent.
Senate Democrat Elizabeth Warren accused Trump of picking Warsh as his "sock puppet" to manipulate monetary policy in the administration's favor. Warsh has previously echoed Trump's calls for rate cuts, though he will need buy-in from other voting board members to reshape Fed policy.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration's sanctions against Francesca Albanese, a UN expert on Palestinian territories, finding that the government likely violated her First Amendment rights when it imposed the measures in retaliation for her criticism of Israel's Gaza campaign.
In Britain, Nigel Farage faces a parliamentary inquiry into whether he properly disclosed a 5 million pound donation from a cryptocurrency billionaire. The UK standards watchdog is investigating the gift to the Reform party leader.
Utah approved one of the world's largest artificial intelligence datacenters, a sprawling facility spanning more than 40,000 acres across three locations, triggering a public outcry. The Stratos datacenter would require about 9 gigawatts of power, exceeding Utah's total current electricity consumption. Its footprint exceeds Manhattan's size by more than double.
Author James Rodriguez: "Xi's blunt warning on Taiwan isn't diplomatic theater, it's a clear signal that Beijing sees room to test American resolve under Trump, and that calculation alone should make this the defining story of the next four years."
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