Welcome to Inside. President Trump says the U.S. has reached a trade deal with Vietnam, giving full market access to American companies while slapping a 20% tariff on all Vietnamese imports. This deal would be the third following framework agreements with the UK and China ahead of Trump's July nine deadline.For more details on the deal, let's bring in Vietnam Bureau Chief Francesca Stevens. Francesca. Well, 20% is lower than 46, but is still very high.What do we know about this deal. Yeah, that's right. Wel ...

Policy Shift & Market Access - US officials previously restricted chip design software firms from selling technology to China, impacting market access [1] - Siemens, followed by Synopsis and Cadence, are resuming the supply of critical technology to mainland China after being informed they could restart [2] - NVIDIA's Jensen Huang cautioned against harsh clampdowns on China's access, suggesting it would drive self-reliance [3] Semiconductor Industry & Technological Advancement - The policy shift impacts efforts to restrict China's advancements in semiconductor technology [3] - The situation raises questions about a potential shift in Washington's policy thinking regarding technology restrictions on China [3]

China’s services activity slipped to a nine-month low, a private survey showed, a worry for the economy as higher US tariffs threaten exports https://t.co/QZ7jxSKswV ...

Surveillance State & Digital IDs - China, a forceful surveillance state, surprisingly did not roll out digital IDs earlier [1] - The report questions why China is implementing digital IDs now [1]

Geopolitical Risk & Diplomacy - Israel urges China to leverage its influence over Iran to curb its military and nuclear ambitions, emphasizing China's unique position due to Iran's economic reliance on Chinese oil procurement [1][6] - China, as a P5 Security Council member and IAEA participant, is encouraged to facilitate a diplomatic agreement where Iran abandons its nuclear military program in exchange for international benefits [11][7] - A settled agreement on Iran's nuclear program could lead to sanctions relief and economic prosperity for Iran, contingent on Iran making the correct decision to negotiate [10] Economic Leverage & Sanctions - China buys approximately 90% of Iran's oil, providing significant economic leverage to influence Iran's regional activities [11] - Revenues from Iranian oil sales are allegedly diverted to "malign activities" such as funding proxies like Hezbollah and Houthis, as well as the nuclear and ballistic missile programs [13][14] - Sanctions relief and positive trade relations could stabilize Iran's economy if it abandons its nuclear military ambitions [22] Iranian Threat & Regional Stability - Iran's pursuit of a military nuclear program is viewed as a threat to regional peace, particularly to Israel, with Iranian leaders openly calling for the "annihilation of the Jewish state" [3][16] - Destabilizing the Iranian economy could further destabilize the region, highlighting the need for a diplomatic solution that addresses Iran's nuclear ambitions and promotes economic stability [22] - The international community's focus should be on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, given its aggressive rhetoric and actions [20]

Trade Negotiations & Tariffs - The back half of the year is expected to resolve many trade issues, but progress has been slow [1] - Complexity of deals and limited US negotiation resources are delaying progress [2][3] - Reciprocal tariffs on some countries like Japan and India are likely [4][5] - EU negotiations are particularly tough, involving value-added tax, anti-monopoly law, and food regulations [8][9] China Trade Dynamics - China negotiations are focused on export controls in exchange for US access to rare earths [7][8] - A China deal is not expected to be negotiated quickly, with tariffs potentially remaining around 30% [8] - Securing a deal with China on export controls could open doors to further negotiations [8] Impact on Trade Relations - Failure to reach deals with Japan, India, and the EU could complicate a final deal with China [6] - The US is pursuing the most difficult trade issues, not low-hanging fruit [3]

President Lai Ching-te is touring Taiwan urging the island’s 23 million residents to unite against growing pressure from China https://t.co/xAVr8zn1Rk ...

Trade Dependency - The US relies on China for fireworks, especially on July 4th, when celebrating independence from British rule [1]

Trump's trade war has thrown American businesses that deal with China into chaos.Listen to the Big Take Asia Podcast to find out how one toymaker is challenging the president's tariffs in the courts https://t.co/EdZVB3uV8R https://t.co/WZ4WQv3zYE ...

“The view from Beijing is, it’s great if China’s cool. But what they really care about is…whether the soft power can help with the hard power.”Gabriel Crossley joins “Drum Tower” to talk about China’s image overseas https://t.co/TNgYz8kzMC ...