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• De schijnbare neergang van de VS heeft het groeiende Chinese nationalisme aangewakkerd, terwijl de Amerikaanse president zijn nieuwigheidswaarde heeft verloren • Trump in Peking – laatste updates • Vijf kernpunten voor de top tussen Xi en Trump

• President Trump vertrok op dinsdag 12 mei 2026 voor een tweedaags staatsbezoek aan China, nadat de reis aanvankelijk werd uitgesteld vanwege de voortdurende oorlog tussen de VS en Iran. • Het programma bevat een welkomstceremonie, twee bilaterale ontmoetingen met President Xi Jinping, een staatsbanket, een rondleiding door de Tempel van de Hemel en een theesessie binnen minder dan 48 uur. • Het bezoek onderstreept de voortdurende betrokkenheid tussen de VS en China en markeert de eerste van vier geplande ontmoetingen tussen Trump en Xi dit jaar, inclusief het staatsbezoek van Xi aan de VS in het najaar.

• Hongkongse functionarissen benadrukten innovatiepartnerschappen en AI-ontwikkeling tijdens een bezoek aan Zweden, waarbij zij streefden naar diepere internationale samenwerking. • Focusgebieden omvatten kunstmatige intelligentie en levenswetenschappen om de positie van Hongkong als wereldwijde I&T-hub te versterken. • De reis benadrukt het uitbreiden van grensoverschrijdende banden te midden van de groeiende vraag naar geavanceerde tech-oplossingen in Oost-Azië.

• Japanese Prime Minister is eyeing a visit to South Korea around May 19-20, 2026, for summit talks, according to sources cited in Asia Daily on May 11. • The trip aims to strengthen Japan-South Korea relations amid regional security challenges in East Asia. • This follows recent joint military drills involving Japan, U.S., and U.K. paratroopers, signaling deeper defense cooperation.

Data from University of Toronto suggests Canadians are avoiding US cities during the second Trump administrationA new research tool that tracks cell phone activity has found a 42% drop in visitors from Canada to big metropolitan areas in the US that is much higher than official border-crossing data, suggesting Canadians during the second Trump administration are avoiding US cities in particular.Researchers from the University of Toronto said the tool showed a “year-over-year median decline of approximately 42% in Canadian visits to US metropolitan areas – significantly higher than official border-crossing data, which showed a roughly 25% decline”. Continue reading...

Paul McCartney hails plans for 3 Savile Row, which include access to rooftop where the band played their final gig The address may not sound familiar, and the street name is best known as the heart of British tailoring. But 3 Savile Row is one of the most iconic buildings in British pop and rock: the former home of the Beatles’ record label Apple Corps, and the location of the band’s final public performance when they took to its rooftop in 1969.Apple Corps has now re-acquired the building in Mayfair, central London, and plans to open it to the public as a new tourist attraction in 2027. Continue reading...

• U.S. President Donald Trump arrives in Beijing on Wednesday for two-day talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, marking their first face-to-face meeting in over six months amid strained ties. • Discussions will cover Iran, Taiwan tensions, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and potential extension of a critical minerals deal, according to U.S. officials. • The summit aims to stabilize relations between the world's two largest economies, strained by ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, trade disputes, and tariff threats from Trump's first term.

• President Trump departs Washington on Monday for a key Asia trip, stopping in Japan and South Korea before a two-day summit with China's President Xi Jinping. • The itinerary focuses on diplomatic engagements amid heightened U.S.-China tensions and regional security concerns. • Discussions are expected to cover trade, security alliances, and bilateral relations during the high-stakes visits.

• Laos is ramping up regional diplomacy before the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu on May 7-8, with Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane visiting Indonesia for bilateral talks. • Discussions covered trade, investment, tourism, human resource development, and broader ASEAN priorities, including meetings with business groups and the ASEAN Secretariat. • Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone will lead Laos at the summit, focusing on unity amid geopolitical tensions in Southeast Asia.