What We’re Watching: Trump inks trade deals in Asia, Zelensky under pressure at home, India and China make nice

Trump announces flurry of Asian trade deals

Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Japan on Tuesday, easing fears of escalating tensions with a key US ally (and the world’s fourth largest economy to boot). Under the agreement, the US will lower tariffs on Japanese cars to 15% and Japan will open its markets to more American cars, rice, and other goods, while also pumping $550 billion worth of fresh investment into the US. The president also announced similarly structured deals with the Philippines and Indonesia, though details remain spotty.

Zelensky sees first major protests against his government

Thousands Ukrainians gathered on the streets of Kyiv on Wednesday, defying martial law rules to protest president Volodymyr Zelensky’s moves to seize control of the nation’s independent anti-corruption body. It was the first time that Ukrainians have protested their government like this since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. Zelensky’s office says the measure is needed to streamline anti-corruption probes and insulate them from external meddling. Will Ukrainians accept that?

Are India and China looking to patch things up?

India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens tomorrow for the first time in five years, as Asia's two billion-strong powerhouses look to thaw a frosty relationship. The visas were banned amid a flurry of bilateral bans and restrictions that took hold after a military clash in 2020 over their long disputed Himalayan border. Chinese president Xi Jinping and Indian PM Narendra Modi have plans to meet in October.