In the latest episode, senior commentator Henghe, senior political and economic analyst Qin Peng, and military channel “Mark’s Time” host Mark were the special guests. The hosts were Jinshi and Fuyao.
This week, President Trump, accompanied by a group of cabinet officials, embarked on a journey to the Persian Gulf, with the first stop being Saudi Arabia, where he was warmly welcomed. Saudi Arabia became the first country Trump officially visited since his second term began.
Upon arriving in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Air Force One, Trump was personally welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Salman. Saudi Arabia rolled out a lavender carpet to welcome him. Accompanying Trump on the visit were Secretary of State Pompeo, Defense Secretary Hagess, Commerce Secretary Lutenik, as well as several American business leaders including billionaire Elon Musk and Nvidia founder Huang Renxun.
Subsequently, the Trump administration and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a strategic economic partnership agreement, covering cooperation in various fields such as energy, mining, and defense.
The White House announced that Saudi Arabia would invest $600 billion in the United States, including a nearly $142 billion military sales agreement. The Saudi Crown Prince further stated that the value of the US-Saudi agreements would increase to $1 trillion in the coming months. He emphasized that the joint actions of both nations were not only limited to the economic field but also aimed at achieving regional and global security, stability, and peace.
Additionally, a Saudi-US Investment Forum was held, attended by CEOs such as Larry Fink from BlackRock, Stephen Schwarzman from Blackstone, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Benett.
Mr. Henghe, why is Saudi Arabia so important for President Trump, who has chosen it as the first official destination during both of his terms in office?
Mr. Qin Peng, this visit by Trump, accompanied by cabinet officials and business leaders, is quite impressive. Trump even brought business leaders to attend the investment forum, indicating a clear goal and implying close future cooperation between the two countries. How do you view the role Trump is playing in his second term with this visit?
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump made an unexpected announcement – the US would lift sanctions on Syria, stating that this move would provide Syria with a “great opportunity.”
The Assad regime in Syria collapsed last December after more than a decade of civil war. The US sanctions had severed the Assad regime’s ties with the global financial system.
The new government in control of Syria is composed of factions that were previously opposed to Assad. Trump stated that it was now their time to shine and that the US would lift all sanctions.
Mr. Henghe, how do you view Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria? From this perspective, how do you interpret Trump’s Middle East policy?
Amid easing of US-China trade tarifs, President Trump announced on May 12 that China had agreed to remove non-tariff barriers on US imports.
Trump mentioned that he would have a phone call with Xi Jinping this week, suggesting that if negotiations go well, there might be even more concessions. However, he warned that if no agreement is reached within 90 days, the US could still impose tariffs exceeding 30% on Chinese goods but not as high as 145%.
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order to simultaneously lower rates on “small package” imports from 120% to 54%.
As per the executive order, starting from May 14, all goods from China valued below $800 will be subject to the revised tariff rules. This temporary policy aims to alleviate price pressures faced by US consumers and monitor whether Beijing actually pushes for trade reforms.
This adjustment benefits Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu, easing their operational pressure in the US market. However, the White House stressed that this policy is temporary and is meant to observe China’s temporary adjustments. If China fails to take more substantial steps to correct trade imbalances during this period, the US may resume tariff hikes or even expand the scope of levies.
In April, the US-China tariff war hit hard, causing significant damage to foreign trade companies in China. On May 12, the US and China reached a 90-day “tariff pause,” leading to jubilation among mainland traders. Some manufacturers recalled workers to meet deadlines within the 90-day window.
Mr. Qin Peng, is there a possibility for a long-term, low-tariff, mutually beneficial trade agreement between the US and China in the future? What aspects of the negotiations between the two sides during this 90-day respite are worth observing?
Moreover, tomorrow is the day Ukraine President Zelensky proposed to meet with Russian President Putin. However, Putin has not responded so far.
This development stems from this past Sunday when Putin suddenly expressed willingness to hold direct talks with Ukraine, to which Ukraine responded positively but insisted on a ceasefire from Russia. Subsequently, Zelensky further suggested a face-to-face meeting: Let’s meet!
This Russia-Ukraine meeting is set to take place in Turkey. The last direct negotiation between Russia and Ukraine was in March 2022 at the outset of the conflict.
Trump urged Ukrainian and Russian leaders to negotiate promptly, even suggesting that he might personally attend. However, during the Saudi visit the day before, he indicated that Secretary of State Pompeo would be attending the meeting.
Zelensky’s aide informed Reuters, “President Zelensky will not meet any Russian representatives other than Putin in Istanbul.”
So, for Putin, whether he attends or not and the possible impact on future Russia-Ukraine relations remain significant. Earlier, we interviewed Mark for his perspective on the future situation. Listen to his thoughts on the matter.
Mr. Henghe, many Western media outlets are speculating that Putin may be “afraid” to meet directly with Zelensky in Turkey. Some analyses suggest that if Putin fails to attend, it signals a lack of genuine intention for peace talks. How do you view this?
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