The trade war between the U.S. and China has become a new reality for 1.7 billion people. Soybean producers, coffee roasters and agricultural farmers are all unhappy - and they say why exactly on this podcast episode.

China will struggle to withstand the tariffs, but the U.S. will also struggle to fight the fires it has in parallel with Canada, Mexico and the EU. The global order is quickly reshaping and the winners will be those who react with flexibility and speed. 

(China-US Focus brings you a new, weekly global affairs podcast presented by James Chau.)

Missouri may only be the 18th most populous U.S. state, but it's a top five producer of both soybeans and rice. Add to that other agricultural products like beef, hay, poultry, cotton and corn, and you get the idea of how important it is. The expanding trade war between the U.S. and China is going to hit states like Missouri and cripple communities. So says Steve Pruitt in an interview this week. He weighs in from Missouri, and in Washington is Paolo von Schirach of the Global Policy Institute. In a different story, tech talent from the U.S. and China are in Shanghai for an event on AI and blockchain - away from the trade dispute, but a show of unity at a time of division. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

In this episode I follow the story of Chen Dongfan, a Chinese artist from Hangzhou who spent eight days painting a mural onto New York Chinatown's Doyers Street. It's part of an initiative led by New York City, that seeks to bring more foot traffic to an area once known as much for its gang warfare as for its theatre and dim sum restaurants, and close by to Ground Zero. But as I discover, Doyers Street, named for Hendrik Doyer, an 18th century Dutch immigrant, is also the backdrop for a number of historical Chinese figures, whose vision allowed others to achieve better lives of their own. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

As part of a wider Africa visit, Xi Jinping was in Kigali - the first Chinese President ever to visit Rwanda. Paul Kagame described their partnership as a symbol of what is possible. But what are China's intentions in Africa, and is it a two-way relationship? Meanwhile, the trade war with the U.S. rumbles on. Are the American people in support of more tariffs? (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

A hundred years ago this week, the man who would become Nelson Mandela was born. And so began a lifetime of struggle, ideals and triumph. In this episode, I look back at my interview with his grandson Ndaba, whose new book, Going to the Mountain, is newly published. But is the world regressing, and how does this play against the backdrop of expanding tensions in the world? Listen for more on Donald Trump at NATO, and Xi Jinping's commitment to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

This episode looks at some of the defining stories of the past seven days. leading-off, China's Premier Li Keqiang meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel, presenting a united front for globalisation. But how far are their respective trade disputes with the U.S. pushing them closer together? Also, China and European powers meet in Vienna to resuscitate the Iran nuclear deal, after President Trump pulled out of the agreement in May. And scientists at the University of Hong Kong make a breakthrough in the fight against AIDS, just ahead of the largest gathering of HIV activists in Amsterdam. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

It hasn't happened since 2014, so when General James Mattis became the first U.S. Secretary of Defense to visit China in four years, it was set to be a news event in itself. President Xi Jinping said Beijing won't cede an inch of territory - a well-known 'red line', and a reference to the ongoing South China Sea dispute. But there was a nuanced response to Mattis, a military figure who on this trip demonstrated deft diplomatic skills. Further reading: link to Wu Zurong's opinion piece here. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross came under a new spotlight this week, as domestic opposition to a trade war with China emerged. Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving Republican senator in history, led calls for American businesses and people to be protected after President Donald Trump applied new tariffs on Chinese goods.  (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)

They’ve met, maybe not conquered, but Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have laid the ground for a further possible meeting at the White House. Meanwhile, Mike Pompeo thanks China for facilitating the Singapore Summit in a signal that the Beijing is critical for the end goal of denuclearization. (At Large Podcast by China-US focus)