US-China Relations

Hong Kong Economic Times (HKET), the leading financial daily in Hong Kong, recently reported that, concerns in the U.S. political arena regarding the infiltration of the Chinese auto industry have intensified. Dozens of U.S. House members have written to President Trump, urging him to impose a complete ban on Chinese automakers operating in the U.S. and to prevent Chinese automakers from using the USMCA agreement to circumvent tariffs.

The letter to the president, spearheaded by Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell, garnered over 70 House member signatures. It explicitly states that any move to lower barriers to entry for Chinese automobiles into the U.S. market, including allowing Chinese-made vehicles manufactured in other parts of North America (Canada or Mexico), would pose a “direct threat” to U.S. manufacturing, domestic workers, and national security.

In their letter, the lawmakers urged the Trump administration to take three specific actions: First, maintain tariffs: continue to impose existing tariffs on Chinese automakers and imported vehicles. Second, ban manufacturing: explicitly prohibit Chinese entities from establishing production bases within the United States. Third, close loopholes: strictly prohibit vehicles sold by Chinese entities in Canada or Mexico from entering the U.S. market, preventing them from circumventing law enforcement through cross-border trade and thus eroding the effectiveness of policies supporting domestic manufacturing.

The U.S. Senate is currently drafting a bill aimed at banning Chinese cars from entering the country through legislation; earlier this month, Democratic senators also collectively called on the White House to take strong measures in this regard.

Source: HKET, April 29, 2026
https://inews.hket.com/article/4121337/

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, the U.S. government is inviting CEOs of major companies such as Nvidia, Apple, ExxonMobil, and Boeing to accompany President Trump on his visit to China next week, but they have reportedly declined the Chinese side’s invitation to arrange special talks between the accompanying company executives and senior Chinese officials. Executives from Qualcomm, Blackstone Group, Citigroup, and Visa were also among those invited.

The U.S. rejected China’s invitation to organize industry-specific talks between senior Chinese leaders and U.S. company CEOs, believing that such a move could make U.S. companies appear to have too close a relationship with Beijing. The White House has not formally invited the business executives, and the initial list of 24 proposed executives to accompany the visit may eventually be reduced by half. However, sources say Boeing CEO John Ottberg and Citigroup CEO Richard Fraser are indeed scheduled to visit, with Boeing set to finalize its largest aircraft order in nearly a decade with China.

Trump visited China in 2017 during his first presidential term, accompanied by nearly 30 executives. The two sides signed agreements worth over US$250 billion, setting a record for Sino-US economic and trade cooperation.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, May 8, 2026
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/china/story20260508-9015326?ref=global-top-news-13

China officially implemented the “Regulations Against Foreign Improper Extraterritorial Jurisdiction” today, establishing a legal framework to counter what Beijing considers overreaching foreign sanctions. The move comes just ahead of an anticipated summit between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Trump, scheduled for May 14–15 in Beijing, and is widely seen as a pointed warning signal.

Signed by Premier Li Qiang and published by Xinhua on April 13, the regulations take effect immediately upon publication. The stated aim is to safeguard China’s national sovereignty, security, and development interests, protect the lawful rights of Chinese citizens and organizations, and uphold an international order grounded in international law.

The regulations, comprising 20 articles, establish three main pillars. First, they define the scope of application: when a foreign government violates international law and basic norms of international relations through improper extraterritorial measures that harm China’s interests, Beijing reserves the right to respond — including by asserting its own extraterritorial jurisdiction over conduct with an appropriate connection to China.

Second, the regulations create a system to identify, block, and counter such foreign measures. No organization or individual may execute or assist in enforcing foreign extraterritorial measures against China. A “malicious entity list” will be established targeting foreign organizations and individuals who promote or participate in such measures, along with a prohibition order system and corresponding legal liabilities.

Third, the regulations strengthen support mechanisms, allowing Chinese citizens and organizations to sue parties whose enforcement of foreign measures infringes on their lawful rights. Industry associations are also called upon to provide guidance to members.

Countermeasures available to the Chinese government include visa denials, entry bans, deportation, asset freezes, restrictions on transactions and investment, import and export prohibitions, and fines, among other steps.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 13, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202604130309.aspx

Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China, said in an interview with Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing newspaper Ming Pao that the Iran War has complicated U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China. According to Wang, the situation may leave Trump in a more difficult diplomatic position while increasing Beijing’s bargaining leverage ahead of the visit.

Wang argued that the U.S. military campaign against Iran could become prolonged and may last until September. Without deploying ground forces, he said, Washington would likely find it difficult to completely eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities because many of the facilities have already been moved underground. Wang also defended China’s approach to the crisis, saying Beijing has taken a relatively cautious stance in criticizing the United States while avoiding the harder line adopted by Russia. He added that China remains uncertain about Iran’s political stability and its long-term attitude toward Beijing. At the same time, Iran’s retaliatory strikes on bases in several Arab countries highlight China’s regional interests, as Beijing has significant investments in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and is preparing to host a China–Arab States summit.

On Taiwan, Wang said Trump’s main concern is ensuring that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) does not fall under mainland Chinese control. Beijing, however, hopes the United States will publicly oppose Taiwan independence and delay the delivery of arms sales to Taiwan. Wang suggested that while Washington cannot openly reverse its policy, it could slow implementation through practical measures such as postponing deliveries or citing technical issues. He also said China would prefer that Trump restrain Japan’s leadership from supporting Taiwan independence.

Wang added that Trump had initially planned to visit China from a position of strength, but the prolonged Iran conflict has complicated that strategy and increased China’s leverage. He noted that Trump also faces domestic political pressure ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, which may make cooperation with China more important. In this context, Wang said Beijing could remain flexible while seeking concessions, as long as the United States is able to claim a political victory domestically.

Source: Ming Pao, March 14, 2026
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/中國/article/20260314/s00013/1773421783362/王義桅-伊朗戰火增華籌碼-「中美共治」是「毒誘」