Donald Trump's birthday headlines today are overshadowed by other news. US negotiator Brendan Lynch is tasked with reviving India-US trade talks, which will set up over 1 lakh health camps nationwide. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where they discuss the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The deadline for ByteDance to sell or shut down its US arm of TikTok has been extended, with reports suggesting the Trump administration will give more time. Meta is expected to focus on AI-based augmented reality products and launch new smart glasses at its annual Connect event. Pakistan faces UAE in a Group A match of the Asia Cup 2025, with one win and one loss from two matches.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese failed to lock in a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea (PNG) during his visit, marking the second Pacific security agreement to founder under his government in eight days. The two nations instead signed a communique vowing to advance the treaty, requiring Albanese or PNG Prime Minister James Marape to travel "in coming weeks" to ink the pact. The delay occurred due to difficulties in organising a quorum of PNG cabinet ministers during the nation's 50th anniversary of independence celebrations. Marape confirmed that a security treaty for PNG would be the highest in terms of security relations given to any country, but refused to say if the pact had total support from his ministers.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese failed to secure a key defence deal with Papua New Guinea during his recent trip. The proposed Pukpuk Treaty, which includes a mutual defence alliance, aims to protect both countries from armed attacks. The treaty also ensures that agreements with third parties, such as China, will not compromise the implementation of the pact. However, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Marape plans to send his defence minister to China to discuss the treaty with Australia, potentially undermining the deal.
Australia and Papua New Guinea failed to sign a long-awaited mutual defense treaty, marking the second time this month that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese left a Pacific island nation without clinching a key deal. The treaty, which aims to ensure that any activities with third parties won't compromise the ability of either country to implement it, was a nod to China's growing influence in the Pacific. Papua New Guinea's foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, described it as a "work in progress". The agreement also enables citizens of both nations to serve in each other's militaries, 50 years after Papua New Guinea gained independence from Australia.
Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have signed a defence agreement, with PNG Prime Minister James Marape stating that Australia is the country's security partner of choice. Marape described Australia as "head and shoulders" above other international partners, highlighting the significance of the agreement. The communique to be signed today marks a new era in their security partnership, with Marape expressing optimism about the future of their relationship.
ByteDance has reached a deal with the US allowing it to continue operating TikTok in the US for 90 more days, during which time it must finalize the transfer of its American assets to US owners. The agreement includes an American-dominated board and allows ByteDance to retain its 19.9% ownership stake, just under the 20% threshold required by a US law passed in 2024. The deal is related to security concerns over data sharing between the two countries and comes amid growing tensions over data security and intellectual property rights in the US-China trade relationship.
The EU and China must deepen their commitment to RCEP, a massive trade deal with ASEAN. By doing so, they can offer credibility to the agreement, which unites RCEP members despite their diverse political systems. Von der Leyen is reportedly open to expanding multilateral trade frameworks, which could be a response to Trump's tariffs. In contrast, ASEAN is taking a more cautious approach, highlighting the challenge of balancing its neutrality with the need to engage in trade agreements.
Pakistan's Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar expressed intention to open a branch of National Bank of Pakistan in Uzbekistan, following his visit to the country in February. During his meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov, they discussed areas of cooperation including connectivity, banking, trade, and commerce. The SAPM also underlined Pakistan's commitment to the Trans-Afghanistan Railway Project and discussed prospects of Pakistani investment in Uzbekistan, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.
Hong Kong is emerging as a potential co-host of China's proposed World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, potentially challenging Beijing's preference for Shanghai. Alfons Futterer and Zhonghua Sheng argue that Hong Kong's legal system and independent judiciary could reassure sceptics and invite broader participation. In contrast, Shanghai brings proven AI infrastructure, but Hong Kong's unique blend of resources could make it an attractive alternative.