International relations

Early voting in Virginia's 2025 midterm elections is running far ahead of the 2022 cycle, according to data from the Virginia Public Access Project. As of the latest count, 183,217 Virginians had cast ballots, more than double the 75,819 recorded at the same point four years ago. Political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington attributes part of the surge to voter uncertainty stemming from the political climate under President Donald Trump, noting that early voting tends to be most pronounced in areas where Trump is less popular.

By congressional district, Virginia's 1st District leads the state with 25,774 early votes cast, reflecting a closely watched race between Republican incumbent Rob Wittman and Democratic challenger Shannon Taylor. Farnsworth says the elevated turnout in competitive districts like the 1st and 2nd signals voters see these races as tight. Early voting in Virginia continues through October 31.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's Washington meeting with US President Donald Trump centered on a shared framework the two sides call "constructive strategic stability," first floated during Trump's May visit to China and given more substance in this summit. Xi described the goal as a relationship marked by cooperation as the mainstay, moderate competition and manageable differences, arguing that stability requires both expanding areas of cooperation and shrinking the list of disputes rather than resolving every disagreement first.

Trade talks produced a new joint arrangement, with Trump calling for continued negotiation toward a fuller agreement. The leaders also agreed to pursue dialogue on artificial intelligence risks, misuse and human control, and pledged mutual support for hosting the 2026 APEC summit and G20 leaders' meeting. Discussions additionally touched on the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula. Analysts note the summit's real test will be whether these commitments translate into predictable economic ties and sustained working-level engagement rather than remaining symbolic diplomatic language.