Police arrest a 33-year-old Vietnamese man at a guesthouse in Patong and seize clothing he allegedly wore during the burglary of a Hong Kong tourist’s luxury villa in Phuket on October 29, 2025.
PHUKET — Police in southern Thailand have arrested a Vietnamese man accused of stealing cash from a Hong Kong tourist’s luxury villa in Patong resort last weekend.
The arrest came five days after the burglary, which occurred early on October 26 at a pool villa in the Premsap housing estate in Kathu District, Phuket Province, police said Friday.
The victim, identified as Po, 33, from Hong Kong, reported that HK$5,000 and 25,000 baht (about US$1,416 total) were missing from a bag he left in the villa’s living room. CCTV footage reviewed by the villa manager, Pilawan Tathep, 34, showed a man entering the property around 2 a.m. and taking the cash, according to police.
CCTV footage shows the suspect arriving on a motorcycle and entering a pool villa in Patong, Phuket, around 2 a.m. on October 26, 2025, where he allegedly stole cash from a Hong Kong tourist.
An investigation led officers to the Madame House building on Phra Metta Road on October 29, where they found a red-and-black Honda PCX160 motorcycle matching the one seen in the footage, said Pol. Col. Chalermchai Hernsawat, superintendent of Patong Police Station.
The guesthouse owner identified the bike’s owner as a Vietnamese tenant with tattoos on both arms. Police questioned the man, later identified as H. Van Chay, 40, who admitted to the theft after being shown the footage. Officers also recovered clothing seen in the video and the motorcycle as evidence.
Chay was charged with nighttime theft, which carries a penalty of one to five years in prison and a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 baht (US$620–3,100). He remains in police custody pending prosecution.
FILE - Britain's Prince Andrew, left, and Britain's King Charles III leave after the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral in London, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Joanna Chan, File)
LONDON (AP) — King Charles III on Thursday stripped his disgraced brother Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence after weeks of pressure to act over his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Buckingham Palace said.
After the king’s rare move, which follows years of shameful scandals, he will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince, and he will have to vacate his Royal Lodge mansion near Windsor Castle.
Demand had been growing on the palace to oust the prince from Royal Lodge after he surrendered his use of the title Duke of York earlier this month over new revelations about his friendship with Epstein and renewed sexual abuse allegations by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir hit bookstores last week.
But the king went even further to punish him for serious lapses of judgment by removing the title of prince that he has held since birth as a child of a monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace said. “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
FILE – Britain’s Prince Andrew and Princess Eugenie arrive ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in London, May 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
It is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a U.K. royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British title removed for siding with Germany during World War I.
Toppling a prince
Giuffre’s brother declared victory for his sister, who died by suicide in April at the age of 41.
“Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage,” her brother Skye Roberts said in a statement to the BBC.
Andrew faced a new round of public outrage after emails emerged earlier this month showing he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted.
That news was followed by publication of “Nobody’s Girl,” by Giuffre, who alleged she had sex with Andrew when she was 17. The book detailed three alleged sexual encounters with Andrew, who she said acted as if he believed “having sex with me was his birthright.”
A selection of British national newspapers showing the front pages and their reaction to Prince Andrew announcing that he will relinquish his Duke of York title and the Order of the Garter, amid ongoing problems in his personal life, in London, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Andrew paid millions in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 after Giuffre filed a civil suit against him in New York. While he didn’t admit wrongdoing, he acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking.
King couldn’t avoid the controversy
Although Charles was involved in discussions with Andrew before he announced he would relinquish his dukedom two weeks ago, the king had largely managed to steer clear of the scandal until this week.
After attending an event at Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, the king was heckled by a man who shouted questions about how long he had known about his brother and Epstein and then asked: “Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?”
The king did not respond and it wasn’t clear if he even heard the man, who was shouted down by others and eventually pulled from sight.
But video of the incident made the evening news and was the source of embarrassing headlines the next morning.
It’s the most dramatic royal departure since 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne so he could marry twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. The couple were given the titles Duke and Duchess of Windsor and lived the rest of their lives in exile outside Britain.
Prince Harry, despite renouncing his royal role, feuding with his family and moving to California, remains a prince and the Duke of Sussex.
FILE – From left, Britain’s Prince Andrew, Prince William, Prince Charles, Kate Duchess of Cambridge, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry arrive to attend a Christmas Service at St Mary’s church on the grounds of Sandringham Estate, the Queen’s Norfolk retreat, England, Dec. 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)
The move by the king means Andrew will no longer be a prince or known as His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, Earl of Inverness or Baron Killyleagh — all titles he held until now. Also gone are honors that include Order of the Garter and status as Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.
From favored son to tabloid fodder
Andrew, who was said to be his mother’s favorite child, had once been the poster boy of the royal family, and his romantic links to a number of models and starlets during his youth were widely chronicled in the British press.
His star status peaked after he flew missions as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy during the 1982 Falklands War when British forces sailed to the south Atlantic to eject the Argentine military that had invaded the U.K. overseas territories.
Even as the Epstein scandal swirled, news broke that showed his damaged reputation and need for money led him to become entangled with a suspected Chinese spy.
Andrew is expected to move to a property on the king’s Sandringham estate near the northeast coast and receive private financial support from his brother.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who had been living with him in the 30-room mansion, will have to find a new home.
Provincial Police Region 5 question two young Chinese women who is members of a scammer network, arrested at a luxury villa rented for over 100,000 baht per month, on October 30, 2025.
BANGKOK— Thai police arrested suspects in two major scam operations this week, detaining five people linked to a call center gang in Pattaya and 20 Chinese nationals accused of running an online fraud scheme from a luxury villa in Chiang Mai.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said on October 30 that officers from Crime Suppression Division 1 arrested five suspects connected to the “Xu Jinting KN Village Poipet” network, which allegedly recruited people through Facebook to open or sell mule accounts for use in online scams.
Investigators said the group posted on a Facebook page called “Looking for Guarantors, Car Applicants – All Provinces” to buy and sell deposit accounts used to receive money from fraud victims.
Surveillance teams tracked the suspects to a som tam restaurant on Phothisamphan Road in Pattaya’s Na Kluea area, where they were arrested. Police seized five bank account books, five ATM cards, and five mobile phones.
Chart showing the arrest of suspects by Metropolitan Police, displayed during the press conference announcing the capture of 2 Chinese scammers and 3 related Thai individuals, on October 30.
Among those detained were two Chinese men — Lin Jinkun and Zhou Jinting — and three Thai nationals: Aritsara, Saranyapong, and Pong.
Investigators said the group worked under the direction of Xu Jinting, who frequently traveled between Thailand, Vietnam and neighboring countries. Xu allegedly based his operations in Poipet, Cambodia, housing associates in luxury properties and managing funds using facial recognition instead of bank withdrawals.
Police said the suspects had relocated from Bangkok to Pattaya to evade recent crackdowns.
Three suspects were charged with facilitating the purchase, sale, or rental of deposit and electronic accounts for criminal use, as well as running illegal gambling operations. Two others were charged with opening or allowing others to use their accounts for illicit purposes.
Metropolitan Police interrogate two Chinese men suspected of being members of a scammer network based in Poipet before relocating to Bangkok and Pattaya, on October 30, 2025.
Chiang Mai Operation
In a separate operation, Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritthapon Yisakhon, commander of Provincial Police Region 5, said officers raided a luxury pool villa in Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai, and arrested 20 Chinese nationals accused of operating a phone scam targeting victims in China.
Police said 14 men and six women were detained. One woman broke her leg while trying to flee by jumping from the building.
Investigators said most suspects entered Thailand on one-month tourist visas that were repeatedly renewed, while others used student visas to enroll at local universities. The group allegedly rented the villa for 120,000 baht ($3,200) per month and used it as a call center.
Police said the suspects pretended to be delivery agents, claiming victims’ parcels were held in customs to trick them into transferring money. Each scammer reportedly earned up to 100,000 baht ($2,700) per month.
Kritthapon said the group had been arrested twice before in Hang Dong and Mae Rim districts but continued to use Chiang Mai as their base of operations.
He warned homeowners and real estate agents to be cautious of tenants renting large houses for high prices, rarely going out, and ordering food deliveries in bulk. Anyone found to be knowingly assisting such operations could face prosecution, he said.
Police said further investigations are underway to locate additional suspects and dismantle connected networks.
Soldiers patrol in the courtyard of the Louvre museum, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
PARIS (AP) — The dragnet tightened around the Louvre thieves on Thursday. Five more people were seized in the crown-jewels heist — including a suspect tied by DNA — the Paris prosecutor said, widening the sweep across the capital and its suburbs.
Authorities said three of the four alleged members of the “commando” team, as French media have dubbed the robbers, are now in custody.
The late-night operations in Paris and nearby Seine-Saint-Denis lift the total arrested to seven. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau told RTL that one detainee is suspected of belonging to the brazen quartet that burst into the Apollo Gallery in broad daylight on Oct. 19; others held “may be able to inform us about how the events unfolded.”
This photo provided Thursday Oct. 23, 2025 by Interpol and taken from its website shows the jewels stolen in the Louvre museum on Sunday Oct.19, 2025 in Paris. (Interpol via AP)
Beccuau called the response an “exceptional mobilization” — about 100 investigators, seven days a week, with roughly 150 forensic samples analyzed and 189 items sealed as evidence.
Even so, she said the latest arrests did not uncover the loot — a trove valued around $102 million that includes a diamond-and-emerald necklace Napoleon gave to Empress Marie-Louise as a wedding gift, jewels tied to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.
Only one relic has surfaced so far — Eugénie’s crown, damaged but salvageable, dropped in the escape.
Beccuau renewed her appeal: “These jewels are now, of course, unsellable… There’s still time to give them back.”
Experts warn the gold could be melted and the stones re-cut to erase their past.
From Louvres to the Louvre: Planning a 4-minute crime
Key planning details have snapped into focus. Nine days before the raid, a mover who owns a truck-mounted lift — the kind movers use to hoist furniture through Parisian windows — was mysteriously booked for a “moving job” on the French classifieds site Leboncoin, a site similar to Craigslist, Beccuau said Wednesday.
When he arrived in the town of Louvres, north of Paris, around 10 a.m. on Oct. 10, two men ambushed him and stole the lift truck.
On the day of the heist itself, that same vehicle idled beneath the Paris museum’s riverside façade.
Online observers have noted a remarkable coincidence: How a plot that began in Louvres ended at the Louvre.
At 9:30 a.m. the basket lift rose to the Apollo Gallery window; at 9:34 the glass gave way; by 9:38 the crew was gone — a four-minute strike. Only the “near-simultaneous” arrival of police and museum security stopped the thieves from torching the lift and preserved crucial traces, the prosecutor said.
Head of the brigand of banditry repression Pascal Carreau, left, and Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau speaks attend a news conference at the Paris courthouse Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, on the judicial investigation into the jewels robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
Security footage shows at least four men forcing a window, cutting into two display cases with power tools and fleeing on two scooters toward eastern Paris. Investigators say there is no sign of insider help for now, though they are not ruling out a wider network beyond the four on camera.
The reckoning over security
French police have acknowledged major gaps in the Louvre’s defenses, turning an audacious theft — carried out as visitors walked the corridors — into a national reckoning over how France protects its treasures.
Paris police chief Patrice Faure told senators the first alert to police came not from the Louvre’s security systems but from a cyclist outside who dialed the emergency line after seeing helmeted men with a basket lift. He acknowledged that aging, partly analog cameras and slow fixes left seams; $93 million of CCTV cabling work won’t finish before 2029–30, and the Louvre’s camera authorization even lapsed in July. Officers arrived fast, he said, but the delay came earlier in the chain.
Speaking to AP, former bank robber David Desclos characterized the heist as textbook and said he had warned the Louvre of glaring vulnerabilities in the layout of the Apollo Gallery. The Louvre has not responded to the claim.
Private security members stand outside the Louvre museum, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
Who’s charged already
Two earlier suspects, men aged 34 and 39 from Aubervilliers, north of Paris, were charged Wednesday with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy after nearly 96 hours in custody. Beccuau said both gave “minimalist” statements and “partially admitted” their involvement.
One was stopped at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria; his DNA matched a scooter used in the getaway.
French law normally keeps active investigations under a shroud of secrecy to protect police work and victims’ privacy. Only the prosecutor may speak publicly, though in high-profile cases police unions have occasionally shared partial details.
The brazen smash-and-grab inside the world’s most-visited museum stunned the heritage world. Four men, a lift truck and a stopwatch turned the Apollo Gallery’s blaze of gold and light into a crime scene — and a test of how France guards what it holds most dear.
Thai police arrest a Chinese national accused of stealing valuables worth over 10 million baht from luxury homes in Bangkok, at Don Mueang Airport on October 29, 2025.
BANGKOK — Thai police have arrested a Chinese national accused of burglarizing luxury homes in Bangkok after he returned to Thailand through Don Mueang Airport.
Police said the suspect, Huang Qingqing, 53, was wanted in connection with a high-value burglary at a judge’s residence in the Preecha Rom Klao housing estate in Min Buri District on April 22, along with another Chinese national.
Investigators said the pair entered Thailand through Don Mueang Airport on April 20, checked into a nearby hotel, and later rented a motorcycle to travel around the city. On the night of the burglary, they were seen riding to the judge’s home before fleeing along Rom Klao and Ramkhamhaeng roads, escaping through a wooded area nearby.
Two Chinese suspects are seen on a motorcycle in CCTV footage shortly before a burglary at a judge’s residence in Bangkok’s Min Buri District on April 22, 2025.
Police said the suspects later broke into another residence belonging to a Chinese national, stealing valuables worth more than 10 million baht ($270,000) before fleeing the country through Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Authorities recorded Huang’s details in their database and arrested him upon his return to Thailand on October 29. He is currently in custody pending legal proceedings, while police continue to search for his accomplice.
Consumer protection police and FDA officials raid one of four factories linked to the Hong Thai herbal inhaler brand in Bangkok and Samut Sakhon provinces on October 30, 2025.
BANGKOK — Hong Thai, a popular Thai herbal inhaler brand, announced a recall of 200,000 contaminated units following the discovery of microbial contamination in one product lot, while police simultaneously raided unauthorized production sites linked to the company.
Theerapong Rabuetham, owner of Thai Herbal Hongthai Company Limited, told Prachachat Business on Tuesday that the company is seeking clarification from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the contamination’s nature and severity after being notified of the test results.
Contamination Found in Dec 2024 Batch
The controversy began when the FDA announced that Hong Thai Brand Herbal Inhaler Formula 2, registration number G 308/62, failed to meet standards in microbial contamination testing. The affected product came from lot 332, manufactured in December 2024.
“We were informed this was a random inspection of an old batch from last year that found microbial contamination exceeding standards,” Theerapong said. “But there hasn’t been a clear explanation of how much it exceeded or how it affects consumers. We’re going to discuss with the FDA to find the cause and a clear solution.”
Hong Thai Brand Herbal Inhaler Formula 2
The FDA collected samples from the manufacturing facility, Hong Thai Phanich, and sent them for laboratory analysis at the Department of Medical Sciences.
“The analysis report showed that the herbal product is below standard in the microbial contamination test. Therefore, we announce this to warn the public to be careful when purchasing or consuming the said herbal product,” FDA Deputy Secretary-General Witit Saritsadeechaikul said.
Witit stated that the FDA is considering further legal action against the company. The substandard product falls under Section 60 (2), and producing such products violates Section 58 (2), carrying penalties of up to two years imprisonment and a fine not exceeding 200,000 baht ($6,165).
Response: Recall and New Factory Plans
Theerapong said the recalled products will be destroyed, and business partners will receive full refunds or replacement batches. He emphasized that every batch undergoes microbial testing before release and pledged full responsibility for any issues.
Theerapong Rabuetham, owner of Samunprai Hong Thai Co., Ltd.
“If there’s ever a problem with a Hong Thai product, we take 100% responsibility — including investigation, care, and support,” Theerapong said.
To prevent future issues, Hong Thai plans to build a new manufacturing facility with upgraded machinery and stricter quality control.
Police Raid Unlicensed Production Sites
Consumer protection police and FDA officials raided four locations in Bangkok and Samut Sakhon province on October 30. Investigators found that while Hong Thai was licensed to produce in Bangkok’s Bang Khae district, it had expanded production to three unauthorized sites in Samut Sakhon.
Authorities seized over 2.35 million herbal products valued at more than 100 million baht ($3.1 million), and the company faces legal action for producing counterfeit and unlicensed goods. Initial questioning suggested the illegal production was prompted by a surge in large orders the licensed facility could not meet.
Police and FDA officials raid one of four Hong Thai herbal inhaler factories in Bangkok and Samut Sakhon on October 30, 2025.
Global Popularity Adds Spotlight
Hong Thai’s aromatic inhalers have attracted international attention, used by celebrities including Thai-born K-pop star Lisa, Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth, and British rapper Central Cee. The products were also reportedly used by Thailand’s Olympic athletes during the Paris 2024 Games.
The combined recall and police action highlight the growing scrutiny on Thailand’s herbal product industry and reinforce enforcement of safety and licensing regulations.
Bangkok, Thailand – Prepare to unleash your full physical and mental potential as the REDLINE Fitness Games Bangkok 2025, Southeast Asia’s premier functional fitness race series from Malaysia, officially makes its Thailand debut. The high-octane event will take place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) on December 6–7, 2025.
Operating under the electrifying theme, “GET READY TO REDLINE! Push beyond the limit, anyone can find their own REDLINE,” the competition is designed to be the ultimate test for gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts. Participants will navigate 12 Functional Fitness workout stations that challenge every aspect of athletic performance: speed, strength, endurance, and power.
A World-Class Fitness Test for All Levels
REDLINE Fitness Games is uniquely structured to welcome all levels of fitness, ensuring that everyone can find their competitive edge on the international stage.
Interested athletes and spectators who want to experience the adrenaline-pumping atmosphere can find prize details and secure their registration or spectator tickets now:
Dates: December 6–7, 2025
Venue: Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), Bangkok
Registration/Tickets: Visit the official website: https://redlinefitnessgames.com/bangkok/
FDA officers along with the Consumer Protection Police Division inspect a warehouse in Bang Bon district in Bangkok that was distributing illegally imported Chinese cosmetics on October 30, 2025.
BANGKOK — Thai authorities seized more than 13 million baht ($401,090) worth of illegal Chinese cosmetics and contraband cigarettes in separate raids across Bangkok, dismantling two foreign-backed operations accused of distributing unlicensed beauty products and smuggled tobacco online.
Illegal Cosmetics Operation Dismantled
In Bang Bon district, officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Protection Police Division uncovered nearly 70,000 pieces of unauthorized cosmetics valued at over 7 million baht ($216,000). The products—hair dyes, sanitary pads, sunscreen, and skin creams—lacked FDA approval and Thai-language labeling.
Jitta Meetongthanakon, secretary to the public health minister, said it was the second time the warehouse had been raided. The same facility was searched in January 2024, when illegal hair dye products linked to severe hair loss were seized. Legal action from that case remains ongoing.
FDA Secretary-General Supattra Boonserm said the operation followed consumer complaints about unregistered cosmetics sold online, particularly through Shopee. The warehouse, backed by foreign investors, served as a storage and distribution hub.
Supattra warned that selling unapproved cosmetics carries penalties of up to three months in jail or fines up to 30,000 baht ($930). Importing products without FDA clearance can lead to fines up to 20,000 baht ($620), and failing to provide Thai labels can result in a month’s imprisonment or a fine up to 10,000 baht ($310).
Chinese Man Arrested in Cigarette Smuggling Ring
On the same day, the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD), Excise Department, and Tobacco Authority of Thailand dismantled a Chinese-operated cigarette smuggling network, seizing 65,000 packs of untaxed Chinese cigarettes worth about 6 million baht ($185,090).
A 34-year-old Chinese national, Fang Weixin, was arrested after police found the cigarettes hidden in a basement on Ratchadaphisek Soi 10 and in an abandoned building on Lat Phrao Soi 23.
Thai authorities arrest a 34-year-old Chinese national after discovering cigarettes hidden in a basement on Ratchadaphisek Soi 10 and in an abandoned building on Lat Phrao Soi 23 in Bangkok on October 29, 2025.Thai authorities display 65,000 packs of untaxed Chinese cigarettes at a news conference at the CIB office in Bangkok on October 30, 2025.
ECD Lt. Col. Tatpoom Jaruprat said investigators infiltrated a Telegram group with more than 4,000 members, where the smuggling network promoted door-to-door delivery using Chinese-language advertisements. Fang, identified as both administrator and seller, told police he worked for a Cambodian-based employer known only as “Boss.”
Fang faces multiple charges, including possession and sale of untaxed goods, customs evasion, and working in Thailand without permission.
The case resulted in 4 million baht ($123,500) in lost excise tax revenue, with the Excise Department pursuing penalties of up to 60 million baht ($1.85 million) against the suspect.
President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-Chin summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — President Donald Trump described his face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans.
The president told reporters aboard Air Force One that the U.S. would lower tariffs implemented earlier this year as punishment on China for its selling of chemicals used to make fentanyl from 20% to 10%. That brings the total combined tariff rate on China down from 57% to 47%
“I guess on the scale from 0 to 10, with ten being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12,” Trump said. “I think it was a 12.”
Trump said that he would go to China in April and Xi would come to the U.S. “some time after that.” The president said they also discussed the export of more advanced computer chips to China, saying that Nvidia would be in talks with Chinese officials.
Trump said he could sign a trade deal with China “pretty soon.”
“We have not too many major stumbling blocks,” Trump said.
President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Before the meeting, Trump was optimistic. “We’re going to have a very successful meeting, I have no doubt,” Trump said, adding that Xi is a “very tough negotiator.” Trump said they “could” possibly sign a deal coming out of the meeting and that they have a “great understanding” of each other.
When the two were seated, Xi read prepared remarks that stressed a willingness to work together despite differences.
“Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other,” he said through a translator. “It is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then.”
There was a slight difference in translation as China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as telling Trump that having some differences is inevitable.
Neither side provided an immediate readout on how the meeting went.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after taking off from Busan, South Korea, en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Sources of tension remain
Despite Trump’s optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Xi in South Korea, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Both nations are seeking dominant places in manufacturing, developing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and shaping world affairs like Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs since returning to the White House for a second term, combined with China’s retaliatory limits on exports of rare earth elements, gave the meeting newfound urgency. There is a mutual recognition that neither side wants to risk blowing up the world economy in ways that could jeopardize their own country’s fortunes.
When the two were seated at the start of the meeting, Xi read prepared remarks that stressed a willingness to work together despite differences.
“Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other,” he said through a translator. “It is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then.”
There was a slight difference in translation as China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as telling Trump that having some differences is inevitable.
China did not provide immediate comment on the meeting or any outcomes.
Finding ways to lower the temperature
The leaders met in Busan, South Korea, a port city about 76 kilometers (47 miles) south from Gyeongju, the main venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
In the days leading up to the meeting, U.S. officials signaled that Trump did not intend to make good on a recent threat to impose an additional 100% import tax on Chinese goods, and China showed signs it was willing to relax its export controls on rare earths and also buy soybeans from America.
President Donald Trump, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, third left, hold their summit talk at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Officials from both countries met earlier this week in Kuala Lumpur to lay the groundwork for their leaders. Afterward, China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang said they had reached a “preliminary consensus,” a statement affirmed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who said there was “ a very successful framework.”
Shortly before the meeting on Thursday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the meeting would be the “G2,” a recognition of America and China’s status as the world’s biggest economies. The Group of Seven and Group of 20 are other forums of industrialized nations.
But while those summits often happen at luxury spaces, this meeting took place in humbler surroundings: Trump and Xi met in a small gray building with a blue roof on a military base adjacent to Busan’s international airport.
The anticipated detente has given investors and businesses caught between the two nations a sense of relief. The U.S. stock market has climbed on the hopes of a trade framework coming out of the meeting.
Pressure points remain for both US and China
Trump has outward confidence that the grounds for a deal are in place, but previous negotiations with China this year in Geneva, Switzerland and London had a start-stop quality to them. The initial promise of progress has repeatedly given way to both countries seeking a better position against the other.
“The proposed deal on the table fits the pattern we’ve seen all year: short-term stabilization dressed up as strategic progress,” said Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Both sides are managing volatility, calibrating just enough cooperation to avert crisis while the deeper rivalry endures.”
The U.S. and China have each shown they believe they have levers to pressure the other, and the past year has demonstrated that tentative steps forward can be short-lived.
China had faced new tariffs this year totaling 30%, of which 20% were tied to its role in fentanyl production. But the tariff rates have been volatile. In April, he announced plans to jack the rate on Chinese goods to 145%, only to abandon those plans as markets recoiled.
Then, on Oct. 10, Trump threatened a 100% import tax because of China’s rare earth restrictions. That figure, including past tariffs, would now be 47% “effective immediately,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, waves, with President Donald Trump, ahead of their summit talk at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Xi has his own chokehold on the world economy because China is the top producer and processor of the rare earth minerals needed to make fighter jets, robots, electric vehicles and other high-tech products.
China had tightened export restrictions on Oct. 9, repeating a cycle in which each nation jockeys for an edge only to back down after more trade talks.
What might also matter is what happens directly after their talks. Trump plans to return to Washington, while Xi plans to stay on in South Korea to meet with regional leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which officially begins on Friday.
“Xi sees an opportunity to position China as a reliable partner and bolster bilateral and multilateral relations with countries frustrated by the U.S. administration’s tariff policy,” said Jay Truesdale, a former State Department official who is CEO of TD International, a risk and intelligence advisory firm.
Mr. Paradorn Prissananantakul, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, presided over the opening ceremony of the Digital Government Summit 2025, organized by the Digital Government Development Agency (Public Organization), or DGA, under the theme “Leading Thailand to the Top in GovTech.” The event aims to position Thailand as a global leader in digital government.
The Minister stated that digital government is about designing the nation’s future with a citizen-centric approach, ensuring convenient, fast, and secure access to public services. The government is driving three key initiatives: – Tang Rat Super App: Integrating all government services into one platform. – One Data, Once Only: Connecting all agencies through the Government Data Exchange. – Safe and Secure: Strengthening cybersecurity via the Government Cloud.
Thailand’s ranking in the UN E-Government Development Index improved from 55th in 2022 to 52nd in 2024, now second in ASEAN. The government aims to reach global leadership by 2026. Mrs. Airada Luangvilai, Acting Executive Director of DGA, highlighted five core missions: comprehensive citizen services via Tang Rat App, business facilitation, open data transparency, secure digital infrastructure, and capacity building through TDGA. DGA also plans to launch a Digital ID system for foreign nationals.
DG Summit 2025 reflects collaboration between public and private sectors in driving Thailand’s digital transformation—making public services more accessible, secure, and trustworthy for all.
