1. ‘Partnership, not pressure’, US soybean farmers urge Trump before Xi talks

Increasingly desperate US farmers, including many who voted for US President Donald Trump, are urging him to adopt a conciliatory approach rather than a confrontational one if a lasting soy deal can be reached when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.

2. China sees Europe as indispensable force for stable multipolar world: envoy

China would like to see France lead Europe to become a truly independent power to help build a stable multipolar world, Beijing’s top diplomat to France told the South China Morning Post in an exclusive interview.

3. Leading Chinese AI researcher Liu Haolin dies aged 37 after brief illness

Academics and students have paid tribute to Liu Haolin, a leading computer scientist who died at the age of 37 after a sudden illness.