By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed his threat to cut ties with China, a day after his top diplomats held talks with Beijing and his trade representative said he did not consider decoupling the U.S. and Chinese economies a viable option.The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia described U.S.-China relations as “tense” after their first high-level face-to-face diplomatic talks in months, although he said Beijing did recommit to the first part of a trade deal reached this year and that coming weeks would show if there had been progress.Trump has made rebalancing...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed his threat to cut ties with China, a day after his top diplomats held talks with Beijing and his trade representative said he did not consider decoupling the U.S. and Chinese economies a viable option.The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia described U.S.-China relations as “tense” after their first high-level face-to-face diplomatic talks in months, although he said Beijing did recommit to the first part of a trade deal reached this year and that coming weeks would show if there had been progress.Trump has made rebalancing...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China’s push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday.Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell also said on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to “impose costs on Beijing” for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong. McConnell said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China’s push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday.Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell also said on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to “impose costs on Beijing” for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong. McConnell said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, in Hawaii on Wednesday, in high-level face-to-face talks that have become rare amid tensions between the two strategic rivals.The world’s two largest economies have been at loggerheads over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and China’s move to impose security legislation on Hong Kong, among multiple points of friction that have worsened this year.Yang told Pompeo that Washington needs to respect Beijing’s positions on key issues, halt its interference on matters such as...…By , , WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, in Hawaii on Wednesday, in high-level face-to-face talks that have become rare amid tensions between the two strategic rivals.The world’s two largest economies have been at loggerheads over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and China’s move to impose security legislation on Hong Kong, among multiple points of friction that have worsened this year.Yang told Pompeo that Washington needs to respect Beijing’s positions on key issues, halt its interference on matters such as...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China’s push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday.Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell also said on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to “impose costs on Beijing” for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong. McConnell said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China’s push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday.Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell also said on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to “impose costs on Beijing” for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong. McConnell said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON/HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer qualifies for its special status under U.S. law, potentially dealing a crushing blow to its status as a major financial hub.China had undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy so fundamentally, Pompeo said, that he could not support its recertification for its special pre-1997 trading status.China’s plan for new security legislation triggered protests in the territory, and it now falls to President Donald Trump to decide to end some, all or none of the U.S. economic...…By , , WASHINGTON/HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer qualifies for its special status under U.S. law, potentially dealing a crushing blow to its status as a major financial hub.China had undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy so fundamentally, Pompeo said, that he could not support its recertification for its special pre-1997 trading status.China’s plan for new security legislation triggered protests in the territory, and it now falls to President Donald Trump to decide to end some, all or none of the U.S. economic...WW…

By , BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States gave China 72 hours to close its consulate in Houston amid accusations of spying, marking a dramatic deterioration in relations between the world’s two biggest economies.The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday the Chinese mission in Houston was being closed “to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ private information.”President Donald Trump said in answer to a question at a news briefing it was “always possible” other Chinese missions could be closed too.“We thought there was a fire in one that we did close,” Trump...…By , BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States gave China 72 hours to close its consulate in Houston amid accusations of spying, marking a dramatic deterioration in relations between the world’s two biggest economies.The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday the Chinese mission in Houston was being closed “to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ private information.”President Donald Trump said in answer to a question at a news briefing it was “always possible” other Chinese missions could be closed too.“We thought there was a fire in one that we did close,” Trump...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has caught no sight of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and is watching reports about his health, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday, adding there was a real risk of famine in the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.Slideshow North Korean media has not reported on Kim’s whereabouts since he presided over a meeting on April 11, provoking speculation about his health and raising concerns about instability in the nuclear-armed country that could affect other North Asian countries and the United States.“We haven’t seen him. We...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has caught no sight of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and is watching reports about his health, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday, adding there was a real risk of famine in the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.Slideshow North Korean media has not reported on Kim’s whereabouts since he presided over a meeting on April 11, provoking speculation about his health and raising concerns about instability in the nuclear-armed country that could affect other North Asian countries and the United States.“We haven’t seen him. We...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate approved legislation on Thursday calling on President Donald Trump’s administration to toughen its response to China’s crackdown on its Uighur Muslim minority, the latest push in Washington to punish China as Trump blames Beijing for worsening the coronavirus pandemic.The bipartisan bill, introduced by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, calls for sanctions against those responsible for the repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups. It specifically singles out a member of China’s powerful Politburo as responsible for “gross human rights...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate approved legislation on Thursday calling on President Donald Trump’s administration to toughen its response to China’s crackdown on its Uighur Muslim minority, the latest push in Washington to punish China as Trump blames Beijing for worsening the coronavirus pandemic.The bipartisan bill, introduced by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, calls for sanctions against those responsible for the repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups. It specifically singles out a member of China’s powerful Politburo as responsible for “gross human rights...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to be secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Tuesday that he will work to revitalize damaged American diplomacy and build a united front to counter the challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran.At his confirmation hearing a day before Democrat Biden takes over from Republican Donald Trump, whose tenure was marked by unilateral action that often upset traditional U.S. friends, Blinken said he would work with allies and with humility.“We do have a big task ahead of us in restoring, revitalizing those relationships. I...…By , , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to be secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Tuesday that he will work to revitalize damaged American diplomacy and build a united front to counter the challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran.At his confirmation hearing a day before Democrat Biden takes over from Republican Donald Trump, whose tenure was marked by unilateral action that often upset traditional U.S. friends, Blinken said he would work with allies and with humility.“We do have a big task ahead of us in restoring, revitalizing those relationships. I...WW…

By , , , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is expected to designate at least four additional state-run Chinese media outlets as foreign embassies, increasing restrictions on their operations on American soil, three people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.The action by the State Department, sure to further inflame U.S.-China tensions, could come as soon as Thursday, the sources told Reuters. It follows President Donald Trump’s announcement on Friday of retaliatory measures against Beijing over its tightened grip on Hong Kong.The designations are expected to include China...…By , , , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is expected to designate at least four additional state-run Chinese media outlets as foreign embassies, increasing restrictions on their operations on American soil, three people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.The action by the State Department, sure to further inflame U.S.-China tensions, could come as soon as Thursday, the sources told Reuters. It follows President Donald Trump’s announcement on Friday of retaliatory measures against Beijing over its tightened grip on Hong Kong.The designations are expected to include China...WW…