US-China Relations - 3. page

The inaugural IndieChina Independent Film Festival, originally scheduled in New York from November 9 to 15, was abruptly canceled on November 6 after organizers, guests, and volunteers faced a wave of intimidation from unidentified actors. Festival director Zhu Rikun announced the decision, saying he could not, “in good conscience,” expose filmmakers, forum speakers, volunteers, or even audience members to potential danger.

The pressure reportedly began on October 30, when Zhu received a strange phone call from his father in China, urging him not to “do things harmful to the country” while overseas. Soon after, a woman who helps Zhu manage affairs in Beijing was summoned by authorities, threatened for assisting him, and warned that he would face legal trouble if he returned to China.

Within two days, nearly every director still living in China withdrew from the festival—many citing personal reasons. Meanwhile, directors and invited guests abroad told organizers that their family members inside China were being questioned or harassed.

One of the New York screening venues also received an anonymous letter claiming to be from “Chinese students living in New York,” arguing the films might misrepresent modern China and demanding the festival be canceled. A U.S.-based volunteer resigned after family in China were threatened. Zhu said no officials or individuals have provided any explanation of what offense he or the festival allegedly committed.

Human Rights Watch condemned the cancellation as further evidence of Beijing’s transnational repression. The organization noted that three major independent film festivals within China have already been shuttered over the past decade. Yalkun Uluyol, a China researcher at HRW, stated that the intimidation campaign reaching into New York reflects the Chinese government’s effort to shape global narratives about the country, and urged governments around the world to push back against such censorship.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 8, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511080148.aspx

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, although the U.S. and China just reached a truce agreement on tariffs and rare earth controls, Beijing has more leverage than just rare earths. It also holds absolute advantages in lithium batteries, mature process chips, and pharmaceutical raw materials.

In the lithium-ion battery field, the world’s top two battery manufacturers are both Chinese companies: CATL and BYD. Even if the batteries are produced in other regions, the core materials are still highly dependent on China. According to data provided by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Chinese suppliers produce 79 percent of the world’s battery cathode materials and 92 percent of the battery anode materials, and control 63 percent of the refined lithium, 80 percent of the refined cobalt, and 98 percent of the refined graphite supply.

In the field of mature process chips, China currently accounts for about one-third of global mature chip production capacity. Although these chips are less difficult to produce than advanced chips, they are crucial for sectors such as automobiles, consumer electronics, and defense. Furthermore, China controls key minerals such as gallium and germanium needed to manufacture chips and optoelectronic products. In 2024, China accounted for 99 percent of global gallium production and was also the world’s largest producer of germanium.

The third important industry is pharmaceuticals. China plays a dominant role in the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients and their precursor chemicals. For example, most of the acetaminophen and ibuprofen imported into the U.S. come from China, and China is also a major producer of antibiotic raw materials. The U.S. generic drug supply is heavily reliant on India, and a large portion of the active ingredients in Indian generic drugs come from China.

Source: CNA, November 6, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511060374.aspx

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, writing in his capacity as director of the Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs Office, published a signed article in the Party’s mouthpiece People’s Daily declaring that implementing the Party’s foreign policy requires “upholding the fighting spirit.” Wang wrote that the Party has never been intimidated or deterred by pressure, and that only by daring to fight—and being skilled at fighting—can China overcome obstacles and push its diplomatic agenda forward through persistent struggle.

Wang said China has worked to “remove interference and overcome obstacles” in order to promote stable, healthy, and sustainable development in China–U.S. relations. At the same time, he called for strengthening China’s capacity to “fight,” enhancing strategic planning, leveraging multilateral platforms, firmly opposing what he described as “hegemonic and bullying behavior,” and rallying the maximum possible forces for peace and development.

The article—titled “Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”—was published following the recent Trump–Xi meeting. Wang highlighted China’s deepening comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, calling it a new model of major-power relations based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. He described China–EU engagement as a link between “two major forces, two major markets, and two major civilizations,” while also emphasizing expanded cooperation with emerging economies and BRICS nations.

Wang called developing countries China’s “natural allies” in international affairs, stressing that China, as the world’s largest developing country, is committed to safeguarding their common interests. Building a “community with a shared future for mankind,” he wrote, is a central diplomatic task that requires strict implementation of Party directives—including maintaining the “fighting spirit.” He urged preserving strategic resolve, confronting severe challenges with confidence, and defending national sovereignty, security, and development interests with unwavering determination in the face of powerful rivals.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 5, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511050321.aspx

The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in South Korea saw Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump meet for the first time since 2019, reaching agreements to ease tariffs and export controls. While Trump enthusiastically rated the meeting 12 out of 10, Thai scholars warn that beneath this apparent détente lies an accelerating decoupling between the superpowers that regional nations must carefully navigate.

Associate Professor Dulyapak Preecharush from Thailand’s Thammasat University released an analysis emphasizing that Trump’s foreign policy centers strictly on American national interests, with the U.S. leader believing American interests supersede international community interests. Trump’s approach utilizes “all international relations and diplomatic means to advance national security interests and economic prosperity,” focusing particularly on natural resources and trade that bring tangible benefits to America.

The Thai analysis highlights Trump’s sustained focus on the Indo-Pacific region, which he views as critical to American strategic interests. The region, home to over three billion people and rich in maritime resources, has become central to U.S. strategy through three key approaches: island chain militarization extending from Japan to the Pacific; offshore balancing that reduces direct military spending while supporting regional allies as counterweights to China; and networked security architecture through alliances like QUAD and AUKUS.

Professor Dulyapak’s research emphasizes that the Indo-Pacific’s abundant sea lanes and marine resources are vital to American security and prosperity, with the South China Sea and East China Sea serving as geopolitical and economic flashpoints. His report concludes with a critical warning: regional countries must carefully consider the roles and impacts of these superpowers when formulating their own security strategies and foreign policies, as U.S.-China competition will inevitably shape the region’s future.

Source: Radio France International, November 2, 2025
https://rfi.my/C9ID

The Seventh China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, from October 25 to 27, co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Zhejiang Provincial Government.

Under the theme “Closer Cooperation, Sustainable Future,” the event brought together over 180 representatives from various sectors across 36 counties and cities in 28 U.S. states, along with delegates from 26 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. It marked the largest and highest-level local exchange between China and the United States in recent years.

Participants engaged in in-depth discussions and shared insights on topics including education, innovation, and sustainable development. They highlighted the important role of sister city partnerships in deepening mutual understanding and enhancing the well-being of both peoples.

At the conclusion of the conference, attendees issued the “Hangzhou Consensus,” calling on people from all sectors of Chinese and American society to actively support and participate in sister city cooperation amid ongoing global challenges. The document emphasizes the importance of advancing collaboration in areas such as culture, education, and youth exchanges, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering stable, healthy, and sustainable China-U.S. relations.

The conference underscored that local-level engagement remains a crucial channel for maintaining and strengthening ties between the two nations, even amid broader diplomatic complexities.

Source: People’s Daily, October 28, 2025
https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/pc/content/202510/28/content_30111830.html

Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, amid the U.S.-China trade war, China has halted its soybean purchases from the U.S. and is shifting to Brazil and other countries. However, the China Soybean Industry Association (CSIA) stated that the high premium on Brazilian soybeans has deterred Chinese buyers.

CSIA stated that China purchased a large volume of Argentine soybeans at the end of September, mainly for shipment in November. China currently still needs to purchase about 8 million to 9 million tons of soybeans for shipment from December to January next year. Due to the ongoing trade tensions between China and the United States, Chinese buyers have not yet placed any orders for new U.S. beans.

Currently, Brazilian soybeans are quoted at ports at a premium of US$2.8 to US$2.9 per bushel over the November soybeans on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). This is much higher than the US$1.7 premium for U.S. soybeans. For most of the second half of this year, China’s soybean crushing margins have been in negative territory, which has also made Chinese oil mills less willing to buy. Due to high prices, Chinese buyers have little incentive to purchase Brazilion soybeans for December and January next year.

Some industry insiders believe that Chinese buyers haven’t completely given up on U.S. soybean supplies. As Trump-Xi meeting is expected to take place in South Korea very soon, if the U.S. and China can reach a trade agreement, Chinese oil mills may shift to purchasing U.S. soybeans between December and January next year, since U.S. soybean prices are significantly more attractive than South American competitors’.

Source: CNA, October 25, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202510250157.aspx

On October 21, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Rob Wagner, President of the Oregon State Senate, in Beijing, highlighting the importance of strengthening relations between China and the United States at both the national and local levels.

During the meeting, Han pointed out that President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump had engaged in three phone conversations earlier this year, reaching a series of significant agreements. He emphasized that China and the United States share extensive common interests and vast potential for cooperation, and that the two countries should aim to become partners and friends. Han expressed his hope that the U.S. would work alongside China in a shared direction, seeking mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation to chart a path for positive interaction between two major nations in the new era, ultimately benefiting both countries and the world.

Han also noted Oregon’s long-standing friendly relationship with China, encouraging Wagner and other state legislators to continue promoting communication and exchanges between the two sides. He underscored the importance of deepening people-to-people ties and playing a leading role in fostering U.S.-China subnational cooperation.

In response, Wagner congratulated China on the upcoming Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. He also highlighted the significance of local-level U.S.-China cooperation, emphasizing that the Oregon State Legislature has passed resolutions to further strengthen friendly exchanges and collaboration with Chinese provinces and cities. This, he said, reflects Oregon’s commitment to maintaining positive relations with China, even in the face of broader geopolitical challenges.

The meeting underscored the mutual recognition that subnational diplomacy remains a crucial channel for maintaining stable and constructive bilateral relations.

Source: People’s Daily, October 22, 2025
https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/pc/content/202510/22/content_30110613.html