Xi-Trump summit day 1 highlights: red carpet for China’s leader, Rubio defends visit, and more

South China Morning Post - Sep 24, 2026

We have put together stories from our coverage of Xi and Trump’s meeting in the US so far. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Big picture or big deals? What the Xi-Trump summit holds for China and the US With the balance of power shifting between the US and China, the success of this week’s summit hinges not on headline-grabbing deals, but on practical, cautious consensus under a new strategic stability framework, according to Chinese researchers. 2....

Read full article

More News

Don't outsource your thinking to AI, NUS president warns

SINGAPORE — National University of Singapore (NUS) has built its global competitiveness not only on research excellence, but also on a strong focus on teaching and preparing students to succeed beyond the classroom. For NUS, the quality of a university should ultimately be measured by how well it equips students with the knowledge and skills they need after graduation — an emphasis that has placed teaching and employability at the heart of the university’s strategy. “We take teaching very seriously, and many of these things that we do actually do not count toward the rankings — but yet it’s the mission of our university,” NUS President Tan Eng Chye said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. He emphasized that research remains an essential mission of a leading university, but global rankings — which tend to place heavy weight on research performance — do not always capture what universities accomplish in the classroom. For NUS, graduate employability is one of the key measures of whether the university is delivering on its educational mission. “The employability o

Don't outsource your thinking to AI, NUS president warns

Hwaseong-based Migration Stories Project gives migrant workers a space to create and connect

HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province — Hwaseong, a rapidly developing city southwest of Seoul, has become one of Korea’s major destinations for foreign residents, particularly migrant workers. In an area shaped by manufacturing industries and immigration, the everyday lives of migrant workers often remain largely ignored. The Migration Stories Project, located near Balan Manse Market in Hyangnam, was launched in 2020 to change that reality by creating a space where migrants can share their experiences, memories, cultures and creativity in their own voices. The project brings together music, storytelling, photography, sound, video and community-based cultural activities to explore the lives of foreign migrants. Korean artist Kim Yang-woo founded the project under the slogan “World is Our Home,” as an art initiative that brings together migrant communities and local residents through interviews, art, music and community activities. She began the project during the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions on movement forced her to stay close to her hometown and made her think more deeply about

Hwaseong-based Migration Stories Project gives migrant workers a space to create and connect

Lee arrives in Mexico for summit with President Sheinbaum

MEXICO CITY — President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Mexico City on Wednesday for a state visit, which will include summit talks with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Lee and Sheinbaum are scheduled to hold summit talks, a luncheon and a joint press announcement on Thursday with the two countries seeking to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and supply chains. During the summit, the leaders will discuss ways to expand bilateral trade and investment, and bolster institutional support for Korean companies' business operations in Mexico, while seeking cooperation in energy and critical mineral supply chains. Lee also plans to meet with Korean residents in Mexico and attend a business forum during his three-day visit. His trip here marks the first state visit to Mexico by a Korean president in 16 years.

Lee arrives in Mexico for summit with President Sheinbaum

Korean quadruped robot's marathon triumph featured in Nature

In the world of legged robotics, endurance has long been the ultimate hurdle. While four-legged machines can backflip, negotiate rubble and scale staircases with uncanny agility, their high-performance motors typically drain battery reserves in less than an hour. But along the rural stretches of North Gyeongsang Province, a dog-like machine spent over four hours trotting past orchards and cheering spectators to rewrite the limits of mechanical stamina. Engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed RAIBO2, a quadrupedal robot that completed a full 42-kilometer marathon on a single battery charge. The landmark feat, detailed this week in the flagship scientific journal Nature, marks the first time robotics research from Korea has graced the main pages of the prestigious publication, signaling a major leap forward for long-distance autonomous field machines. The milestone unfolded during the annual Sangju Dried Persimmon Marathon — a local race named after the agricultural region’s famous fruit — where RAIBO2 lined up alongside human runners as

Korean quadruped robot's marathon triumph featured in Nature

Global students choose Seoul for dynamic opportunities, safety despite high costs, competition

Seoul is increasingly becoming a top destination for international students, driven by its high level of safety, efficient public services and rich culture, according to a recent survey conducted by The Korea Times among its Global Supporters. In the survey, international students shared their firsthand experiences of studying and living in the Korean capital. They said the city has various appealing points, but at the same time, pointed out challenges like expensive housing costs, intense competition and limited institutional support. The survey findings show a broader shift in global education trends. British newspaper Financial Times recently reported that Seoul is surging in popularity among international students as the capital city offers a unique lifestyle and relatively manageable living costs compared to major Western cities such as New York, London and Paris. Why students pick Seoul Safety, administrative efficiency and a dynamic academic environment emerged as primary reasons for choosing Seoul over other global study destinations. To capture the insights and lived realities o

Global students choose Seoul for dynamic opportunities, safety despite high costs, competition

Traffic eases on 1st night of Chuseok as people head home

Traffic congestion on Korean highways eased Thursday evening as people headed to their hometowns to reunite with family on the first day of the Chuseok holiday period. This year's holiday period marking the fall harvest runs from Thursday to Sunday. Traditionally, Koreans return to their hometowns during Chuseok to reunite with family members and pay respects at their ancestors' graves. As of 7 p.m., travel time from Seoul to Busan was estimated at four hours and 40 minutes, three hours and 30 minutes to Daegu, three hours and 20 minutes to Gwangju, and three hours and 10 minutes to Daejeon, the Korea Expressway Corp. (KEC) said. Travel time to Seoul was estimated to take four hours and 30 minutes from Busan, three hours and 30 minutes from Daegu, three hours and 20 minutes from Gwangju, and one hour and 30 minutes from Daejeon, according to the KEC. An estimated 6.16 million vehicles were expected to be on the road nationwide Thursday, including about 510,000 cars departing the greater Seoul area and 380,000 vehicles heading toward the capital from other regions.

Traffic eases on 1st night of Chuseok as people head home

Private jet flap scare triggers ‘local standby’ at Hong Kong airport

A mechanical fault on a private jet triggered a precautionary “local standby” at Hong Kong’s airport on Thursday, with the aircraft later landing safely. The Gulfstream G650 reported a flap problem at around 5.21pm, with an estimated time of arrival of 5.53pm, prompting the Fire Services Department and other airport rescue units to deploy personnel to strategic positions along the runway in readiness for immediate assistance. An ambulance was also dispatched as part of the initial emergency...

Private jet flap scare triggers ‘local standby’ at Hong Kong airport

US tenor Christopher Macchio booked for Xi-Trump state dinner performance

American tenor Christopher Macchio will perform at the White House banquet for Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. “An honour to return to Washington DC to perform for the State Dinner with Donald Trump (originally @realDonaldTrump) and President Xi,” Macchio said on social media, tagging the official accounts of Trump, the White House, and the Trump campaign. Often referred to as “America’s Tenor”, Macchio is a...

US tenor Christopher Macchio booked for Xi-Trump state dinner performance

First lady Peng Liyuan’s English takes the spotlight in exchange with Melania Trump

China’s first lady Peng Liyuan has sparked online buzz over her English-language exchanges with the US first lady without an interpreter during her visit to Washington with President Xi Jinping this week. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and Peng at Joint Base Andrews in a rare diplomatic move. After Xi and Peng stepped off the plane, the two couples spoke with the help of interpreters. But as they walked along the red carpet, Peng and Melania...

First lady Peng Liyuan’s English takes the spotlight in exchange with Melania Trump

Hong Kong authorities won’t appeal court halt to 12,000-flat project on golf course

Plans to build 12,000 public flats on part of Hong Kong’s oldest golf course have been thrown into serious doubt after the government chose not to appeal a court’s decision to uphold a ruling revoking the project’s environmental approval. Authorities said on Thursday that they had decided against appealing after “holistically” considering legal advice following the Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold the overturning of conditional approval for the construction of 12,000 flats on part of the...

Hong Kong authorities won’t appeal court halt to 12,000-flat project on golf course

Traffic clogged on highways as people travel for Chuseok

Sections of expressways across Korea were congested Thursday as people headed to their hometowns for family reunions on the first day of the Chuseok holiday period. This year's holiday period marking the fall harvest runs from Thursday to Sunday. Traditionally, Koreans return to their hometowns during Chuseok to reunite with family members and pay respects at their ancestors' graves. As of 2 p.m., travel time from Seoul to Busan was estimated at six hours and 40 minutes, five hours and 40 minutes to Daegu, five hours and 30 minutes to Gwangju, and three hours and 10 minutes to Daejeon, the Korea Expressway Corp. (KEC) said. Travel time to Seoul was estimated to take five hours from Busan, four hours from Daegu, three hours and 20 minutes from Gwangju, and two hours and 10 minutes from Daejeon, according to the KEC. An estimated 6.16 million vehicles were expected to be on the road nationwide Thursday, including about 510,000 cars departing the greater Seoul area and 380,000 vehicles heading toward the capital from other regions.

Traffic clogged on highways as people travel for Chuseok

Recommended