MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Trump and Xi’s latest talks aimed to cool US-China economic rivalry rather than make political pals out of the two powers; the corruption case against former Zelensky aide Andrey Yermak has fueled claims of a broader corruption network; and negotiations continue between Israel and Lebanon despite rising regional tensions and ongoing Israeli strikes. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Negotiations between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were successful, according to both leaders, but right now there are no signs that ties between the United States and China will warm significantly, experts told Russian media. At this stage, Washington and Beijing are seeking only to stabilize relations in the economic sphere. Potential agreements in the field of AI microchips are also possible, even as said deals would help the United States gain ground in the high-tech market.
The United States understands that China is actively pursuing import substitution policies and, in many areas, no longer depends on American technologies, Alexey Maslov, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University, told Izvestia. According to him, the issue of chip supplies is not merely about trade, but also an element of strategic competition: the Americans do not want to hand over the Chinese market entirely to Chinese companies.
