North Korea's ties with China, its largest trading partner and aid benefactor, appear to have cooled due to China's reluctance to join an anti-Western alliance with North Korea. The completion of a Russian beach resort's construction ceremony drew the Russian ambassador and his staff, suggesting that Russia may become a new tourist market for North Korea. Experts believe that Chinese tourists will also be welcomed soon, as North Korea has invested heavily in tourism and wants to recoup its investment. However, South Korean and American tours are unlikely to resume anytime soon due to North Korea's rejection of dialogue offers from the US and South Korea since 2019.
https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-tourism-coast-kim-jong-un-c26f24ea0f149b7153ddcf98397c07b5Pakistan and the US are set to conclude their ongoing trade talks with a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) aimed at promoting market access and incentivizing bilateral trade. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a virtual meeting with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, where both sides expressed satisfaction over the negotiations and resolved to conclude them next week. The US may cut cotton and soybean export tariffs, boosting Pakistan's trade position, which currently has a surplus of $3.1 billion.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/611000-pakistan-us-explore-preferential-trade-agreement-in-ongoing-talksDonald Trump's approach is seen as unfiltered and unchecked by critics, who point to examples such as his sudden shift from disinterest in a conflict to deploying B-2 bombers, inviting the army chief of a terrorist state for lunch at the White House, and courting autocrats. Professor Elizabeth N Saunders notes that this includes actions like shipping noncitizens to prison camps in El Salvador, imposing tariffs on countries worldwide, and bullying allies. Trump's second term is marked by a sense of urgency to cement his legacy before the midterms, with critics warning of potential consequences for democracy and international relations.
https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/daddy-trump-why-the-spinmeister-us-president-is-the-perfect-leader-for-social-media-generation-13900695.htmlChairwoman Tukan Akbas of Turkey emphasized that the current Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Pakistan lacks comprehensive coverage, excluding key areas such as services, investment protection, and digital trade. This omission is particularly challenging for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which face complexities in visa processes, unequal access to public tenders, and difficulties in providing mutual services.
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkiye-uk-explore-trade-boost-at-house-of-lords-roundtable-210765The UK government plans to consult businesses about joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean customs convention, which could simplify rules around international supply chains. The move is aimed at increasing flexibility for UK exporters sourcing inputs from abroad, particularly those with production chains crossing borders.
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-brexit-european-union-joining-customs-pact/The United Nations Charter, signed in San Francisco on June 26, 1945, has been criticized for its ineffectiveness in preventing global conflicts. The charter's principles, including the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for human rights, have been repeatedly violated by member states over the past eight decades. Critics argue that the Security Council's power to impose sanctions or deploy military force is often used as a pretext for aggression, with examples including Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the US strike on Iranian nuclear sites. The charter's difficulty in being amended has led to a lack of progress in addressing issues such as the "crime of aggression" and self-defence, with UN Secretary-General Guterres and the General Assembly denouncing Russia's actions but not the Security Council due to its veto power.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1324798-un-charter-a-cornerstone-agreement-among-nations-that-continues-to-be-violatedUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China's Vice-Premier He Lifeng have been leading trade talks between the two countries. Harvard scholar Graham Allison, a former assistant secretary of defence under Bill Clinton, believes an agreement could be reached as early as next week, with a memorandum of understanding potentially coming out of the discussions.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315914/us-china-trade-deal-near-harvard-scholar-hints-progress-very-intense-talks?module=top_story&pgtype=sectionThe US no longer values large exclusive multilateral groupings like the G7, Group of 20, or UN organizations, instead opting for smaller "minilateral" groups such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with Australia, India, and Japan, or the AUKUS partnership between Australia, Britain, and the US.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/06/26/world/trump-and-death-of-multilateralism/Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged China and the European Union to strengthen their cooperation, citing mutual responsibility and capability to provide stability in a turbulent world. He made these remarks during a meeting with EU diplomats at the Polish embassy in Beijing, ahead of a two-day summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and EU leaders later this month. The gathering comes as trade tensions between China and the EU widen, and marks 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two entities.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315882/china-eu-relations-rare-earths-taiwan-discussed-wang-yis-visit-embassy?module=top_story&pgtype=section