Beijing has canceled planned U.S.-China defense talks that would have seen Defense Secretary James Mattis visiting China later this month, The New York Times reported Sunday, citing an unnamed American official. A similar CNN report described Washington as the party that decided to cancel. Neither version of events has yet been publicly confirmed by the Pentagon.
The negotiations were due to address topics including arms sales, Taiwan, and the disputed waters of the South China Sea. The cancellation is but the latest aspect of escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing thanks to the Trump administration's trade war policies.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Crossword: June 23, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
-
Anshu Ahuja's golden coconut and butter bean curry recipeThe Week Recommends Plump, creamy beans in a sweet, spicy sauce
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulingsSpeed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americansspeed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protestersSpeed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trumpspeed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrestspeed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling Californiaspeed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination casesspeed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threatsspeed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein
