US and China to Start Talks Over Trade War This Week

Global Trade and Geopolitical Shifts: Navigating Tariffs, Alliances, and Uncertainty in 2025

May 07, 2025

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US and China to start talks over trade war this week
5 minutes by Peter Hoskins
The United States and China are poised to kick off high-level talks in Switzerland from May 9 to 12, 2025, aiming to cool tensions in their escalating trade war, which has rattled global markets and disrupted trade flows. With U.S. President Donald Trump imposing tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese imports and Beijing retaliating with 125% levies on U.S. goods, the stakes are high. These negotiations, led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent alongside U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, mark the first significant engagement since Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.  

BRICS+: Why Differences Within the Organisation on Several Issues Are Expected
4 minutes by Tridivesh Singh Maini
BRICS+, the expanding economic bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members like Iran, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, is navigating a complex landscape of ambition and internal discord. Representing nearly 50% of the global population and over 40% of global GDP, the group is pushing for a stronger Global South voice and exploring alternatives to the U.S.-dominated financial system, like local currency trade and a joint payment system. However, U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of 150% tariffs over “de-dollarization” efforts, coupled with differing priorities among members—such as India’s skepticism about a common currency and varying stances on UN Security Council reform—highlight the challenges of unity.

What happens to DOGE when Elon Musk is gone?
9 minutes by Elaine Kamarck
Elon Musk’s brief but disruptive tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has left the federal government in a state of upheaval, with agencies reeling from mass firings, canceled contracts, and legal challenges. As Musk steps back to focus on Tesla, his DOGE initiative—intended to slash $2 trillion from the federal budget but achieving only a contested $160 billion—has demoralized civil servants and sparked dozens of lawsuits over wrongful terminations and privacy violations.

Colombia Moves to Join China’s Belt and Road
3 minutes by Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Colombia’s unexpected pivot toward China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), announced by President Gustavo Petro on May 6, 2025, marks a bold shift in the country’s foreign policy, risking further strain on its historically close ties with the United States. Petro, the nation’s first leftist leader, plans to sign a non-binding letter of intent to join the BRI during an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, signaling a strategic move to deepen economic ties with Beijing amid escalating tensions with Washington.

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Geopolitical conflict tops business concerns for first time in years
3 minutes by Stu Robarts
The CoinGeek article dives into whether BRICS—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, plus newbies like Egypt, Iran, and Indonesia—can knock the US dollar off its global throne. It’s a long shot. The dollar’s grip is tight, powering 88% of global trades and 60% of foreign reserves, thanks to US economic might and trust in its systems. BRICS, though, isn’t just talk; it’s pushing de-dollarization, especially after Russia’s $300 billion asset freeze post-Ukraine invasion. They’re eyeing a digital currency or blockchain-based payment system, but no BRICS “Unit” emerged at the 2024 Kazan Summit—Putin called it “premature.” With 4.1 billion people and 27% of global GDP, BRICS has clout, and if China’s economy overtakes the US, the yuan or a BRICS currency could dent dollar demand.

Chinese Imports Hit 2-Decade Low as Trump Tariffs Begin to Bite
3 minutes by Karl Russell & Anna Swanson
The U.S.-China trade war has reached a critical turning point in 2025, with U.S. imports from China plummeting to a 20-year low in the first quarter, driven by President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff hikes. According to Commerce Department data, imports from China dropped to $102.7 billion, shrinking their share of total U.S. imports to just 11%—a steep decline from 22% seven years ago. As tariffs as high as 145% disrupt supply chains, businesses and consumers are grappling with higher prices and shifting trade dynamics. 

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