China, US finalise trade deal; global conflict warning: SCMP daily highlights

US Commerce Secretary Scott Bessent (left) with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng for trade talks in London, England, on June 9, 2025. Photo: Xinhua via ZUMA Press/TNS

Published: 9:15pm, 27 Jun 2025

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider .

China said on Friday that it would review and approve export applications for controlled items while the US would also remove some limits – confirming a breakthrough in trade talks centred on export controls.

2. China should be alert to risk of US being drawn into war by allies, analyst says

There is more risk of a global military conflict breaking out under Donald Trump’s leadership, with the US more likely to be drawn into wars involving smaller nations or allies, according to Chinese analysts.

3. Ex-New York official facing China agent charge indicted for kickbacks

Linda Sun, a former aide to New York state governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo, has been charged with acting as an unregistered agent of China’s government. Photo: Reuters

A former top New York official earlier charged with acting as a Chinese agent was handed a second federal indictment alleging she received kickbacks for steering some US$35 million worth of healthcare contracts to favoured suppliers during the coronavirus pandemic, a federal court said on Thursday.