Can Xi and Trump use their leverage to actually make progress?

South China Morning Post - Sep 22, 2026

When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the fifth part of a series, Fan Chen and Orange Wang look at the negotiating chips and areas where progress might be made. There will be some powerful bargaining chips on the table when Xi Jinping and Donald Trump meet in Washington this week. Both sides have economic and...

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State auditor sends key audit results of election watchdog to special prosecutor

State auditor sends key audit results of election watchdog to special prosecutor

The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) said Wednesday it has sent part of the results of its inspection into the state election watchdog to the special prosecutor team investigating ballot shortages in June's local elections. The BAI conducted a financial audit of the National Election Commission (NEC) from July 6 to Aug. 28 to look into whether there were any irregularities that could have contributed to the unprecedented shortages of voting papers in the June 3 elections. The results have not yet been made public. The data handed over to the independent counsel team involved six cases related to budget execution for major elections, including interference with bidding, unfair private contracts, and wrongful inspections, as they were deemed to require a swift investigation, the BAI said. The BAI did not disclose further details. The agency explained that it decided to share the data ahead of the official audit announcement because the special prosecutor team has only 150 days to investigate the case and related materials should be provided in time.

Saudi Arabia celebrates 96th National Day

Saudi Arabia celebrates 96th National Day

This year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its 96th National Day, observed annually on Sept. 23. The occasion commemorates the day in 1932 when the founding king, His Majesty King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, proclaimed the unification of the country under a single banner as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This followed a long journey of struggle and unification, culminating in the establishment of a strong and enduring state, uniting its people under the banner of Tawhid (the Oneness of God) and setting the kingdom on a path of nation-building and development for a more prosperous and stable future. On this cherished day, Saudis reflect on the journey of a nation founded on enduring values of pride in its faith, identity and sense of belonging. Passed down through successive generations, this journey has enabled the kingdom to become a model of development and transformation, firmly rooted in its historical legacy and authentic identity while advancing confidently toward new horizons of progress and innovation. The 96th National Day is celebrated under the slogan “Our Pride

Leaders of Korea, Australia agree to boost cooperation for stable energy supply

Leaders of Korea, Australia agree to boost cooperation for stable energy supply

NEW YORK — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday and agreed to cooperate closely to build stable regional energy supply chains. The two leaders reached the agreement during the meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Lee's senior secretary for public affairs Seong Ghi-hong said in a press release. The two leaders had a frank exchange of views on bilateral ties, energy supply chains, cooperation in the defense industry, as well as the international security situation, Seong said. They, in particular, reaffirmed that South Korea and Australia are key partners that rely on each other for energy resources such as liquefied natural gas and petroleum products as the countries jointly respond to the energy crisis stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. "Additionally, they resolved to cooperate closely to build stable and resilient regional supply chains," Seong said. Albanese described South Korea as a trustworthy partner in the critical minerals and clean energy sectors, say

ONEUS sidesteps '7-year curse,' full lineup returns for 12th EP

ONEUS sidesteps '7-year curse,' full lineup returns for 12th EP

For K-pop groups, the seventh year is supposedly cursed. Standard exclusive contracts usually are set to expire around that point, and members start weighing solo careers, new agencies or leaving the industry altogether. For boy band ONEUS, members say that reckoning never really arrived, and agreeing to stay together took far less discussion than deciding where to do it. The five-member boy group — Seoho, Leedo, Keonhee, Hwanwoong and Xion — will release its 12th EP, "FIRST LIGHT: 井," at 6 p.m., Wednesday. It is the group's first release as a full lineup since Seoho was discharged from mandatory military service in August, and their first album since all five moved together to B-Wave Entertainment earlier this year. ONEUS debuted under RBW in January 2019 and parted ways with the agency when their contracts ended in February. At the members' request, B-Wave acquired the ONEUS-related intellectual property from RBW, which allowed the five to carry on under the same name. "There weren't really any difficulties," Keonhee said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Monday.

N. Korea's vice FM leaves for New York to attend UN General Assembly

N. Korea's vice FM leaves for New York to attend UN General Assembly

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong has departed for New York to attend the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, state media reported Wednesday. A North Korean delegation, led by Kim, left Pyongyang on Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, without disclosing details of his itinerary. Kim is set to take the floor Monday, the closing day of the General Debate, the annual high-level session where U.N. member states lay out their positions on major international issues. During last year's session, he used his address to reiterate Pyongyang's stance that it will never abandon its nuclear weapons. Following the failed 2019 Hanoi summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, Pyongyang had not sent any minister-level officials for six years. North Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Kim Song served as its representative instead. Previously, former North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong attended the U.N. General Assembly from 2014-2015 and his successor, Ri Yong-ho, participated from 2016 to 2018.

Lee, UN chief Guterres discuss Korean Peninsula issues, S. Korea-UN cooperation

Lee, UN chief Guterres discuss Korean Peninsula issues, S. Korea-UN cooperation

NEW YORK — President Lee Jae Myung met with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday and discussed cooperation between South Korea and the world body, as well as issues concerning the Korean Peninsula. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Lee's attendance at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, marking their third in-person meeting since Lee took office in June last year. During the meeting, Lee highlighted his administration's efforts to build peaceful and mutually developmental coexistence between the two Koreas under the vision that building peace without the need to fight is the path toward the most secure peace, Lee's senior secretary for public affairs Seong Ghi-hong said in a press release. Lee also said he expects close communication and cooperation with the United Nations in pursuing the vision. Guterres expressed "active support" for Seoul's overall diplomatic policy, including its policy of building peace on the peninsula, pledging to play a possible role in helping bring the vision to fruition, Seong said. The U.N. chief also hailed the constructive role Ko

Lee vows efforts to help swiftly resume US-N. Korea dialogue

Lee vows efforts to help swiftly resume US-N. Korea dialogue

NEW YORK — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday reaffirmed his envisioned role as a "pacemaker" in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, pledging efforts to help swiftly resume dialogue between the United States and North Korea. The South Korean president made the pledge in his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to revive his diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while inter-Korean relations remain at a standstill. "I hope the long-suspended dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. can resume without delay," Lee said. "We will lay the groundwork for this (U.S.-North Korea dialogue) to develop into a dialogue between the related parties to end the war on the Korean Peninsula and transition into a peace regime." The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. "Fortunately, President Trump's resolve has recently created a hard-won opportunity for change," Lee said, referring to Trump's repeated expressions of interest in dialogue

Trump reaffirms commitment to dialogue with N. Korea during summit with Lee: Seoul

Trump reaffirms commitment to dialogue with N. Korea during summit with Lee: Seoul

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump held summit talks Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and discussed a number of pending issues, a South Korean official said. The 30-minute summit included discussions on Seoul's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines, rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel, and the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of Korean troops from Washington, as well as cooperation in shipbuilding, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters. This marks the third summit between Lee and Trump and reportedly the first time the envisioned wartime OPCON transfer has been discussed at the summit level. Tuesday's summit reportedly took place while Lee was attending a reception in New York hosted by Trump. During the summit, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue with North Korea, and the two leaders welcomed progress in bilateral strategic projects, Wi said. The leaders also resolved to communicate closely to help promote the resumption of dialogue between North Korea and the Unit

N. Korea's vice defense minister departs for Vietnam amid deepening ties

N. Korea's vice defense minister departs for Vietnam amid deepening ties

North Korean Vice Defense Minister Ryo Chol-ung has departed for Vietnam, state media reported Wednesday, amid deepening cooperation between the two nations. A delegation, led by Ryo, left Pyongyang the previous day, seen off by defense ministry officials, Vietnam's ambassador to North Korea and the embassy's defense attache, the Korean Central News Agency said. The report gave no details on the delegation's itinerary or the purpose of the trip. The visit comes as Pyongyang and Hanoi have stepped up efforts to deepen bilateral relations. Early this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening mutual ties in a letter to President To Lam, marking Vietnam's 81st founding anniversary. The two countries have been moving steadily closer since the October summit. Lam's visit at that time marked the first by a top Vietnamese leader to North Korea in 18 years. In May, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung visited the North for talks with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui. The following month, the two countries' security ministers held talks in Pyongy

HYBE takes K-pop cinema festival worldwide across 50 countries

HYBE takes K-pop cinema festival worldwide across 50 countries

K-pop’s entertainment juggernaut is redefining what it means to go to the movies. HYBE, the agency behind BTS, announced Wednesday an ambitious expansion of its cinema franchise, bringing live concert broadcasts and exclusive feature films to more than 1,100 movie theaters across roughly 50 countries next month. The weeklong event, dubbed HYBE CINE FEST 2026, represents the company’s most aggressive effort yet to transform traditional cinema screens into interactive, communal gathering spaces for a global fandom. Organized in partnership with event cinema distributor Trafalgar Releasing, the festival will run from Oct. 24-31. In Korea, the event will screen exclusively at Lotte Cinema, while Japanese distributor Avex Pictures will oversee a tailored rollout in Japan. What began in 2024 as a localized initiative in Latin America — drawing 260,000 attendees — expanded to Asia last year, attracting roughly 320,000 moviegoers. This year’s edition marks its transition into a truly worldwide affair, featuring six distinct theatrical programs. Highlights include never-before-seen conc

Seventeen's new unit of Jeonghan, Joshua to debut with 'Dreamscape'

Seventeen's new unit of Jeonghan, Joshua to debut with 'Dreamscape'

K-pop boy group Seventeen's vocalists Jeonghan and Joshua will launch the group's new unit with their first EP, "Dreamscape," next month, the group's agency said Wednesday. Pledis Entertainment said "Dreamscape," set for release Oct. 19, portrays a "dreamlike realm" in which two notions of dreaming — unconscious fantasies that surface during sleep and the ideals people pursue in waking life — endlessly intertwine and collide. "On the new release, Jeonghan and Joshua become dreamers, offering an audio-visual rapture through the unfamiliar beauty they discover at the point where the boundaries of the two dreams dissolve," Pledis said in a release.

BTS bridges centuries of Korean art with new 'ARIRANG' merchandise line

BTS bridges centuries of Korean art with new 'ARIRANG' merchandise line

K-pop juggernaut BTS is seamlessly blending heritage with modern pop culture in its latest merchandise collection, weaving traditional Joseon Dynasty folk art (munjado) into the visual universe of its fifth studio album, “ARIRANG.” HYBE said Tuesday that the 2026 BTS DALMAJUNG merchandise collection will go on sale Tuesday, with a pop-up store opening the same day at HYBE Yongsan in Seoul. The collection marks the fourth DALMAJUNG series and the second collaboration between HYBE and the National Museum Foundation of Korea, following their 2024 collaboration through MU:DS, the museum merchandise brand. This year’s collection draws on munjado, a genre of Joseon-era folk painting in which decorative images are incorporated into or placed around the strokes of Chinese characters. Designers also drew on “Aliens,” a track from “ARIRANG,” using the lyric "heungjeukdaegil," a phrase conveying the idea that apparent misfortune can ultimately become great fortune, as a central motif. The collection connects that theme with traditional symbols associated with happiness, longevity and g

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