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.

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 ...

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?

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 ...

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? ...

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.

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.

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.

It was a week of opportunities for global leaders. As China, Russia and India gathered quietly together, the world's seven largest advanced economies met and, some would say, fell out. Donald Trump demanded fair market access from America's allies, while calling for Moscow to be allowed back in. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping awarded Vladimir Putin China's first Friendship Medal. How important was this week for China and the U.S.?

Taiwan accuses Beijing of “dollar diplomacy” after losing the Dominican Republic and now Burkina Faso in the same month. In Africa only Swaziland, now known as eSwatini, recognizes it. We listen to the political leaders, but more importantly the people impacted by this decision.