Global News Podcast - Xi tells Trump they shouldn't 'mess up' relationship

Episode Date: May 14, 2026

China's leader Xi Jinping tells visiting US President Donald Trump that there could be conflict if their relationship is not managed properly. In a busy day of diplomacy in Beijing, Mr Trump said the two countries could enjoy greater prosperity and co-operation. Also in this podcast: Ukraine says Russia continues to launch drones on its territory. A senior minister resigns in Britain - throwing the prime minister's future into further doubt. There have been protests in Cuba over the economic crisis. And Israel's entrant in this year Eurovision Song Contest talks about the controversy surrounding his participation.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [e-mail]

This is the global news podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Celia Hatton, and at 15 hours GMT on Thursday, the 14th of May, these are our main stories. A day of complex diplomacy in Beijing, Donald Trump is welcomed to China by Xi Jinping, though thorny issues remain. Ukraine has come under heavy attack by Russia just days after a ceasefire officially ended. We've seen rare protests in Cuba as people in Havana react to the Kavana, react to the continued US blockade. Also in this podcast, the British schoolboy who was kidnapped by his mother and then disappeared for more than five years.

Hi, Grandma. I want to live with my mummy and granddad. It is one million times better. Please do not get anybody to look for us. We start with Beijing and the first full day of the Superpower Summit, a meeting between the leaders of U.S. and China that both sides have described as historic. It's a critical relationship. The two countries have the world's largest economies and the most powerful militaries. But as we'll hear, it's not yet clear whether efforts to improve Sino-U.S. ties have produced results. The long day of

diplomacy ended with China's leader, Xi Jinping, hosting a banquet for President Trump in the Golden Room at the Great Hall of the People. Here's some commentary from my colleague Steve Lai as the two main guests arrived. We're just getting some movement now and the Great Hall of the People where we can see the U.S. President Donald Trump arriving with his entourage around him as well. The music ramping up on his arrival as we can see the President of the United States. Donald Trump making his way into the banquet hall of the Great Hall of the People, accompanied by Siegen-Ping as they walk in side by side.

just a certain of this atmosphere. And when that music stopped, Xi Jinping gave a speech in which he commented on the importance of ties between China and the United States. Today, President Trump and I had in-depth exchanges on China-U.S. relations and the international and regional dynamics. We both believe that the China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never mess it up.

It was a theme that was continued by President Trump when he got to his feet to speak. The relationship between the American and Chinese people goes all the way back to America's founding. The first American consul to China, Samuel Shaw arrived on the first American trading ship to reach these shores in 1784. The Chinese merchants had a name for the Americans. They called their visions the new people. Two and a half centuries later, that first connection is grown into one of the most consequential relationships in world history.

All that came after a ceremonial greeting for President Trump right in the heart of Beijing in Tiananmen Square, after which the two leaders and their delegations sat down for two hours. meeting. Our correspondent in Beijing, Stephen MacDonald, told me about some of the issues on the agenda. The Chinese side is rather forcefully saying, come on, can we get on with this now? The whole trade war thing, it didn't work. We need to cooperate with one another. And partly, it's because China wants to get access to computer chips from the US. And just like the US wants to get access to rare earths from here. Another thing that's interesting, we just had this announcement

from the Chinese side, that there's some sort of an agreement that has been reached. Now, I should warn you, this is going to sound very vague to the point of being meaningless, but what is being described as a constructive, strategic stability relationship between China and the US has been agreed upon to provide strategic guidance for bilateral ties over the next three years. Now, I've got no idea what that really means, except that I suppose people would at least welcome their commitment to be trying to get on with one another rather than being at loggerheads. Sounds like they're really trying to coordinate some things, especially on trade. But what about the issue of Taiwan, Stephen?

Mr. Xi said China could come into conflict with the U.S. over the Taiwan issue. Those seem like really strong words to come from the Chinese leader right at the start of what is supposed to be quite a friendly summit aimed at recent. setting relations. Yeah, well, again, from this readout, apparently Xi Jinping said that this was the most important issue between China and the US. Now, interestingly, when the two leaders were walking around the Temple of Heaven, this is the UNESCO World Heritage site that the Chinese government has taken Donald Trump to go and see. One of the reporters, like the pool reporters, who was following them round, asked Donald Trump three times what he said to Xi Jinping about Taiwan. And Donald Trump, just dodged it. In response to one of those questions, did you say anything about Taiwan? He said,

oh, this is a great place. It's unbelievable. China is beautiful. And he just didn't answer it at all. Now, perhaps he didn't want to embarrass Xi Jinping because he was standing nearby. But at the moment, he said nothing about it. So we don't quite know what the response of Donald Trump has been to these sort of forceful remarks from Xi Jinping on Taiwan. Stephen, the Chinese side has made it clear many times that Taiwan is their top issue, which is their red line issue that they really care about. But if they don't seem to get any leeway from the Americans on that, even behind closed doors, what do you think is their number two issue?

What do you think they could get from the Americans in return for perhaps promising to buy a lot of American goods? One thing they want is for interaction to be opened up between both. sides. I mean, something I didn't expect Xi Jinping to raise, which apparently did, was the extent to which Chinese students and professors and business people have been hassled in the US, like harassed by officials, in some cases questioned, kicked out of the country and this type of thing. And there's been a lot of this in the Chinese press on social media here. And you would think that with the war in the Middle East and whatever happening, this wouldn't be the number one issue raised by

the Chinese side, but obviously it's something that really bothers the Chinese government. And it is something that would be pretty easy for Donald Trump to give them. Stephen MacDonald in Beijing. And we have more on China's complex relationship with the United States. Go to our YouTube channel. Search for BBC News on YouTube. And you'll find the global news podcast in the podcast section. Ukraine's Air Force says Russia fired more than 1,500 drones in the space of 36 hours. The missile and drone attack was mostly focused on Kiev, where the number of dead now stands at five, but at least 10 more are feared to be buried under the rubble of buildings. Abdul Jalil Abjurzilov is in Kiev.

I'm at the site where the nine-story building was badly damaged during the attack that took place overnight. I can't get too close to the debris because the area is tensed off by the police. It's not just Ukrainian first responders who are working here, but also forensic experts, they're carrying out their investigation as well, and therefore they're not allowing media to get any closer. And it appears that it was a direct hit because the entire section of the building collapsed. And right now, I can see the first responders wearing helmets

and their special uniform trying to clear the debris. They're pulling out all this concrete wreckage that was left, following their attack and there are two cranes working at the side and the hope is that they can still find anyone who managed to survive their attack they already pulled more than two dozen people who were stuck and trapped under the day breathing the thing is these kind of operations that first responders carry out it often gets delayed because Russia sometimes uses a so-called tactic of double-tap when they strike the same target twice within the short period of time. Because of that, the emergency workers themselves become a target.

And we know that, according to Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched more than 700 drones and missiles, including ballistic missiles that are very hard to intercept. Ukraine has only one weapon to stop these missiles, and that's American-made hatred systems. The problem is that there's a massive, shortages of these interceptors and systems as well. Abduljil Abduosilov in Kiev.

Here in Britain, a development in the deepening crisis affecting the governing Labor Party. A senior government minister, West Streeting, has resigned. He said he'd lost confidence in the leadership of the Prime Minister, Kirstarmer. Calls for the PM to step down have been growing louder since Labor's dismal local elections results last week. Our political correspondent Rob Watson told me more. It looks as though Labor is perhaps about to tip into a civil war over who should lead the party because Wes Streeting, who I should say was the health secretary, has resigned and has called for a leadership debate. In other words, he's saying that Keir Starman needs to be replaced.

It's a really stinging, stinging letter of resignation. He says, where we need vision, we have a vacuum, where we need direction, we have drift. This was underscored by your speech on Monday. Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords. And he says, it is now clear you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election, and therefore Labour MPs want the debate about what comes next. So there we have it. He is, if you like, fired the starting gun.

It would seem to me on the battle to who succeeds Kirstama, if indeed Kirstama is to go. I note from the letter that he doesn't seem to have. have actually officially declared himself as a candidate, but it would seem to be a hugely significant, Celia. The firing shot, the opening shot in yet another, my goodness, yet another competition for who should be Prime Minister of Britain. Fascinating. I mean, you say this is the opening shot,

but we've actually been waiting to see what West Reading might do for a couple of days now. I should also say it comes just a few hours after we heard the Chancellor, the UK's finance minister, Rachel Reeves, telling the BBC that a leadership contest for the Labour Party would plunge the country into chaos. That is why, Celia, that this is a profound political crisis, not just for the Labour Party, but for the country more broadly, a profound political crisis. Because absolutely the governing Labour Party, and we should focus on them, is split over what on earth it should do. It's split over who should lead the country, who should lead the party. be Prime Minister therefore whether you should have a contest now and if there is a contest who should succeed Kirstama should it be West Streeting or should it be somewhere else and what you heard from

the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is if you like the Prime Minister's argument and that of his supporters which is look it would look nuts it would look nuts to Britain and to the outside world if we were to have a leadership contest and a seventh Prime Minister in 10 years so that is the rearguard action that the Prime Minister is fighting now whether it's going to to work or not, whether Mr. Streting will challenge him, I mean, actually officially mount a challenge with enough supporters amongst Labour MPs to do it. We don't know. But I mean, certainly you can sort of sense that a process is underway with this resignation. Our political correspondent Rob Watson. What began as the trip of a lifetime across the South Atlantic

has turned into weeks of medical isolation for dozens of passengers who've been aboard the cruise ship, the M.V. Hondias. That's after a deadly Hanta virus outbreak on board. Among those passengers now isolating the 30-year-old American photographer and content creator Jake Rosmarin, he expects to spend more than six weeks at a quarantine center in Nebraska. Jake spoke to Sumis Somoskanda about how he was doing. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good.

I'm staying positive. I actually got more packages today. I was able to make up my bed with a mattress pad, new pillows, those new sheets. So I'm really just trying to make myself comfortable here as it's going to be my home now for the next 39 days after today. Yeah. What has your quarantine in general been like? And I think that's a stationary bike behind you. So getting some movement as well. Yes. So I haven't started using the stationary bike yet, but it is definitely my plan to do so. In general, the days are pretty relaxed. There's not too much that we have to do. A general day like today was this morning.

I got my temperature check in the morning, and then I had a call with a doctor, I think, midday, and then I had a town hall meeting in the afternoon, and that's really it for today. And then we get to live at our meals, and I get to talk with family and friends, and I kind of just get to relax in the room. Can I ask a bit about what the doctors are saying at this moment? I mean, are they giving you certain signs that you should be looking out for? What have they been sharing with you? I think we all know the general initial symptoms that we should.

should be looking out for. Like I said, we have our daily temperature checks. And I think we're also going to have the nightly one. So yesterday at a morning and nightly temperature check. So I think that's the first major sign that we should be looking out for in terms of symptoms. I actually got a PCR test yesterday done. And mine came back today negative. So that was really exciting news for me. How worrying is this entire experience for you? Help us kind of give us a picture, if you can, of what this has been like for you. So I think it's been a bunch of different emotions that. I felt, I think the scariest period was being on that ship on the Hondias for those extra seven days after we found out that there was a hanta virus and there was exposure potentially to all of us.

For me, that was a really scary time. And after I made my video, I got a bit of hate online. And that was hate that wasn't really backed by anything factual. So I also had so much love and support from all of my family and friends and people that I hadn't heard from in years. And that love and support felt straight from the heart. And that's really what got me through those seven days because I don't know what I would have done without that love and support since it was a really tough time for me. A lot of crying in my cabin. But getting off that ship was a turning point.

And it was a glimmer of hope and almost a new chapter and a way that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm in a place now where I'm under great care. I know that I have access to all of the medical needs that I may need to have if something happens. So I'm just trying to stay positive. At the end of the day, I know I'm here for the next 39 days now. So it's either I can sulk and just lay in my bed and be sad, or I can try to look at the bright side and the positive side of things and try to stay positive because that's the best that I can do for myself right now.

Jay Krasmaren. Still to come in this podcast. In the moment I got here, like in Austria, they welcomed me with open arms and like with a lot of love. And I feel really welcomed. After protesters disrupt one of the Eurovision Song Contest semifinals, the Israeli contestant gives his reaction to the BBC. This is the Global News podcast. Rare protests have broken out in the Cuban capital, Havana,

as the island experiences its worst power blackouts in decades triggered by a U.S. blockade. Our reporter Mimi Sway, told us. us more. These protests mark the single biggest night of demonstrations in Havana since the energy crisis took hold in January. They are very rare. It's not very often you see people going against the communist government and going into the street in such numbers. It's thought about hundreds, well, hundreds across several areas of Havana, the capital, mainly the outlying neighborhoods, took to the streets, denouncing the fuel shortages and the long extended periods of blackouts. They were blocking rows with burning big piles of rubbish and banging pox and shouting anti-government slogans.

But this really marks, again, a deterioration in public sentiment. People are getting incredibly frustrated with the lack of basic goods and especially fuel shortages now. It's a tense situation. This comes as the United States is putting serious pressure on the Cuban authorities. Can you tell us more about what's been happening there? So the US has imposed an oil blockade or a fuel blockade on the island since January. And the island before that had a very poorly maintained power grid. So fuel and energy was already not in a great situation.

But since then, the island has been absolutely crippled by no fuel essentially. It has had one delivery from a Russian tanker, which was allowed through the blockade in March. Now, according to the energy minister, Vicente de la Olivi, that donation has run out. So no other countries are allowed to sell oil to Cuba. They are threatened with tariffs in the US. But Cuba has now officially run out of diesel and oil according to the energy minister. He added that gas was in a very limited supply and it was in a critical situation. The power grid was reaching a critical situation.

So very tense and he said the situation is going to get more tense as it gets hotter with the summer months and people need more energy to survive. How are people coping from day to day? People are really living basically in our shoestring. Food is incredibly scarce. People are saying they're mainly surviving of bread. Many people have spoken to said the only thing they can get hold of is bread. I've also heard of people waking up in the middle of the night when there is a scarce moment of electricity, two or three in the morning sometimes, to do basic tasks like washing clothes and cooking for the next day. People are trying to be resourceful as well. We've heard of people trying to use solar panel, which is expensive to set up as a source of alternative. it electricity and energy, but it's really difficult. People are struggling, and that is getting increasingly harder as there is generally no fuel on the island. Mimi Swayby. In 2017, an 11-year-old British schoolboy, Alex Batty, vanished when he was on holiday in France with his mother and grandfather. It sparked an international missing person

investigation, but years passed without a trace of him. That is, until 2023, when he suddenly turned up on a country road in southern France, after leaving the country. commune where he'd been living. Now, he's been telling his story in a new BBC documentary called Kidnap by My Mum. Rowan Bridge has this report. Hi, Grandma. I want to live with my mummy and granddad. It is one million times better. Please, do not get anybody to look for us. This is the voice of Alex Batty speaking in 2017. It's a video message directed to his grandmother and legal guardian, Susan. He'd been taken on holiday by his mum Melanie Batty and grandfather David Batty.

Susan was sent the video and then the three of them vanished. In the wake of it, police launched a missing person investigation. But there was no sign of him. He disappeared off the face of the earth until 2023. Relief, but more questions than answers after an old and teenager turns up in France after going missing six years ago. Now we hear what happened in those missing years as they travelled between Spain and France. Alex says his mum and grandfather disappeared into conspiracy theories.

Turn off your TVs. Have a look into what's really going on in the world. Throw all your newspapers in the bin. Get on the internet and start researching some truths because you really are living in a bubble. First few weeks, we'd always wear hats and glasses. I grew out my hair. We changed our names just to put people off a little bit.

My mum was Rose and then I chose Zach. Even in private we'd call each other that. We'd see someone and we'd think that they were looking at us for a long time and then we'd turn around and they'd stop looking. It was all just paranoia at the time. I never thought I'd be back in. Now he's revisiting what happened and reliving some painful memories. We had a mum's camper van here and then we had my tent there.

At 15, Alex started rowing with his mum over her beliefs. He said she kicked him out of her camper van and made him spend a winter sleeping outside. The campsite staff called French social services. I thought it was a bit of abuse, so I called social services, except they told me that because you were a foreigner and that I did not have your true identity, they could not do anything. We contacted the French authorities who say they can't comment on individual cases,

as everything is confidential. I was super lonely. As the years ground on, Alex became increasingly fed up with the life he had. We used to sit at a cafe quite often. I'd hear the school ballerang. The kids had come out of school. It really made me miss it.

It made me want it. Eventually, he tried to enroll in a local college and told staff who he really was. Marie works there. So he told me, I have to tell you something. Zach Edwards isn't my real name. My real name is Alex Batty. An internet search quick.

revealed his backstory. The college contacted the police who visited where Alex was living, but Greater Manchester Police weren't tipped off. The BBC's followed up with the French authorities were yet to get a response. Six years after being abducted, Alex decided he'd finally had enough. He wrote a note and left. I decided to hitchhike and I got in this guy's van. After about five, ten minutes, he asked me what I was doing on the road and that's kind of where I just came. came out with her all. It was the start of a journey which saw him land back in the UK and into the media's glare. Tonight, the British teenager who was missing for six years has arrived back in the UK.

Out of nowhere, a missing boy stepped back into the world. Despite everything, Alex was clear he didn't want his mum prosecuted. The police closed their child abduction investigation and Melanie Batty has never been charged in relation to Alex's disappearance. She declined to comment to the BBC. We've not heard from David Batty. Hey mum, I know how much you care about me. Alex has decided now to get back in touch with this mum,

though their relationship is complicated. So I messaged my mum yesterday just to start something, but hopefully one day I'll be able to get to the point where maybe I can go and see them and have an enjoyable time rather than have my mum push things down my throat like she used to do. Since returning home, Alex has been a bit of. past GCSEs and is looking for work. And his stories come full circle. In January, the boy who was

abducted by his mom became a parent himself. Rowan Bridge reporting. Eurovision, the international song competition that says one of its main aims is to strengthen ties between nations. There have been tensions, though, during the first semi-final. Several audience members were removed from the arena in Vienna on Tuesday night after chance of stop the genocide were heard, while the contestant from Israel was performing. The singer, Noam Betten, has told the BBC he was surprised by the protest that disrupted his performance of Michelle. The public broadcasters of five countries are boycotting this year's Eurovision in protest at Israel's offensive in Gaza. Let's hear what Noam Betten said to the BBC's Nomia Ikba. This whole Eurovision, it's one of the most fun experience I had in my life. In the moment

I got here, like in Austria, they welcomed me so. with open arms and like with a lot of love and I feel really welcomed here. I heard those booing and everything and there was a moment of like a wow effect you know like a little bit a little shock and I looked for the flags you know of the people who love love me and wants me to do my best and that really carried me on stage. I know that you have said before that you had prepared for the booing

in your rehearsal just give me a sense of like how much you prepared for that part of it, the booing. You can't ever like really prepare for this. You can't bring 13,000 people to a rehearsal room and to yell boo, you know. So yeah, I have a few of my people in my crew to trying to make it hard for me, you know, to practice this moment. But you can't really prepare for this. But I felt eventually really strong on stage.

I'm really curious about, you know, your experience here because I've been here a couple of days and, you know, met other contestants and other artists. And I think their experience from what I've seen, my point of view, is very different because of course you have huge security here. So I wonder to what extent that affects you and how much you are able to fully enjoy the competition. I enjoy like I never enjoyed in my life. This experience is the most fun thing I did in my life. Also, I met a lot of the other artists, you know, from all the countries. Yeah. I see a lot of hate outside, okay, on social media and everything.

But in person? In person there's nothing. I feel we're connected. I'm not even feeling that I'm in a competition. Like we're saying good stuff to each other, we try to give good vibes, you know. I want to say also like I really, I really hope that next year and all countries could sing and could give love. I was never a person that is connected to those kind of stuff.

I just, I'm just here for the first time. time in the Eurovision, trying to do my best, trying to spread my love. The Israeli singer, Noam Betten, speaking to Nomiya Iqbal. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch, you can email us at Global Podcast at BBC.co.uk. You can also find us on X at BBC World Service. Use the hashtag Global NewsPod. And don't forget our sister podcast, the global story, which goes in-depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the Global News podcast was mixed by Holly Smith, and the producer was Vanessa Hini.

The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Celia Hatton. Until next time, goodbye.