Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Donald Trump that Taiwan could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the two nations, according to remarks published by China’s foreign ministry after a two-hour meeting in Beijing. Xi described Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-US relations” and urged the US to reduce support for the self-governing island, which China claims as part of its territory.
The meeting, held in the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, also covered the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as issues on the Korean peninsula. Unlike previous US administrations, the talks did not focus on human rights or climate cooperation, reflecting a more transactional approach under Trump.
Separately, the US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as chair of the Federal Reserve in a 54-45 vote, the most divided confirmation for the role in history. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren accused Trump of nominating Warsh as a “sock puppet” to control interest rates. Warsh has echoed Trump’s calls for lower rates, despite inflation rising to 3.8% in April.
In other US news, a federal judge temporarily blocked sanctions against UN expert Francesca Albanese, ruling that the Trump administration likely violated her free speech rights after she criticised Israel’s war in Gaza. The Senate also narrowly rejected a seventh attempt to end US involvement in the Iran war.
In the UK, Nigel Farage faces a parliamentary inquiry over a £5m gift from a crypto billionaire that he may have failed to declare. In Utah, approval of the Stratos AI datacentre—spanning over 40,000 acres and requiring 9GW of power—has sparked backlash over its energy and water demands.
