𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor

Award-winning @Newsweek Senior Writer/Deputy Editor covering Middle East/China/Russia/North Korea/more ex-@ibtimes @DailyStarLeb @nypost @SIAdvance #ForzaNapoli

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest @Newsweek EXCLUSIVE:

In his first interview with US media in years, I sat down with Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss ongoing talks with the US, President Donald Trump's military threats and the future of Communist Party leadership
https://t.co/xc2NDGSuI5

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest alongside my @Newsweek colleague @johnsfeng: How China could help solve Trump's Iran nuclear problem

Trump acknowledged Beijing's capability to handle Iranian enriched uranium. It would be a high-stakes bet for Xi, but the payoff is substantial.
https://t.co/NI272EylZm

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: China and Russia will have their say in who wins a US-Iran endurance match

Beijing, Moscow and Tehran aren't interested in a military alliance, but the Islamic Republic's strategic significance makes it a partner worth preserving for Xi & Putin
https://t.co/0P1BFUAvSp

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest, written before news Iran was suspending US talks over Israeli operations against Hezbollah:

Why Iran isn't backing down on Lebanon

Tehran views Axis of Resistance as NATO-like coalition critical to its security, with Hezbollah as a key player
https://t.co/g0IHL5BB7D

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest EXCLUSIVE interview—This African leader has a diamond-reach deal for Trump

Botswana President Duma Boko tells @Newsweek he's looking for a zero-tariff trade agreement that includes cooperation on rare earths at heart of US competition with China
https://t.co/YErGlq6nIb

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Israel's expansion of Lebanon war forces tough choices on US and Iran

Netanyahu's decision to intensify operations against Hezbollah puts pressure on both Washington and Tehran to weigh between their desire for peace and commitment to allies
https://t.co/CjRDNi3NZa

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: The US-Israel war with Iran is tearing Iraq apart

As the White House pushes for peace, a new govt in Baghdad faces major pressure from foreign and domestic forces, including Axis of Resistance militias prepared to respond to any new escalation
https://t.co/ycanVrZBhn

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: US indictment of Raúl Castro sets stage for Venezuela-style action in Cuba

The decision to charge the former communist leader follows a similar strategy pursued against Maduro, captured in January. Trump may not find neutralizing Havana so easy
https://t.co/Mg37bcVV7o

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Iran sticks to its guns as Trump's threats begin to lose power

Rather than concede, Tehran's lesson from the White House's fiery yet shifting rhetoric on war goals has been to hold the line. The approach, while costly, appears to be working.
https://t.co/NHqYHaO8nK

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Iran war puts Saudi Arabia at odds with growing Israel-UAE axis

Riyadh & Abu Dhabi have long been partners & competitors. But a regional conflict has accelerated an Emirati effort to diversify partnerships in ways that redraw geopolitical lines
https://t.co/GIJn7HMi9f

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Cuba braces as Trump doubles down despite Iran war woes

Havana hoped a Middle East quagmire would deter the White House from escalating closer to home. It hasn't. Now, it's preparing for the worst by making the island a not-so-easy target.
https://t.co/r6DLpdZhv2

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Trump is love-bombing China's Xi. It is not being reciprocated

The US leader known for his volatile approach to friends and foes alike who cross him has dropped the "madman theory" act to play the nice guy. Beijing doesn't seem so convinced.
https://t.co/RaXrqVrDG7

[Xie Feng 谢锋 @AmbXieFeng]

Q: Are you aware of the #BecomingChinese and #Chinamaxxing trends involving Western users adopting Chinese culture as fashionable? What does this mean for China-U.S. people-to-people interactions and relations?

Both the “Becoming Chinese” trend that emerged at the end of last year and “Chinamaxxing” this year reflect the growing eagerness of our two peoples to reach out to one another. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. The “50,000 in five years” initiative announced by President Xi in 2023 to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in five years has significantly boosted interactions between our peoples. Since last year, we have witnessed a positive rebound in U.S. public opinion toward China for the first time in five years, and a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs showed that 53% of Americans favor friendly cooperation and engagement with China. According to a latest Pew Research Center survey, the proportion of Americans having a positive opinion of China has nearly doubled since 2023. The desire of our two peoples to build closer ties is simply unstoppable.

In fact, this is not the first time “Chinamaxxing” has occurred. As early as over 1,000 years ago, envoys, caravans, and scholars from more than 300 countries traveled to Chang’an, the capital of China’s Tang Dynasty, to live, study, and work there, writing an epic chapter of history in which diverse cultures met, blended, and resonated in perfect harmony. Today, Generation Z are sharing online their fascinating experience of drinking hot water, and marveling at speedy food delivery and efficient mobile payments in China. In admiring everyday joys of modern China, young people are expressing their love for life and their interest in learning more about each other’s cultures. It is really heartwarming to see such vibrant cultural exchanges happening.

Earlier this month, our Embassy hosted an Open House again, which attracted over 7,000 American visitors. Some of them complained to us that, one day is far from enough to experience the rich program, and they wish the Embassy could open its doors every day. While this is challenging, the doors of our country are open 24 hours a day. We welcome more American students to study in China, and more American people to take advantage of our 240-hour visa-free transit policy and online visa application system to travel to China and have a wonderful journey.

At the same time, the potential of China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges is yet to be fully unlocked. We hope the U.S. side will remove bottlenecks in visa application and border entry for Chinese citizens as soon as possible, stop taking selective and discriminatory measures toward Chinese visitors, and further increase direct flights, so that together we can open up a fast track for two-way engagement between our peoples.

[Xie Feng 谢锋 @AmbXieFeng]

It’s a pleasure to give an exclusive interview to Tom O'Connor @ShaolinTom from Newsweek on President Trumps upcoming visit to China and China-U.S. relations, and answer 9 questions including the upcoming summit in Beijing between the two heads of state, Taiwan, China’s domestic and foreign policies and the 15th Five-Year Plan, trade, Iran, fentanyl, competition, AI, and people-to-people exchanges. I welcome such candid and in-depth exchanges of views, and hopefully this interview will help our American friends better understand China’s position on these important topics.

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

"In an increasingly turbulent world, the strategic value of China-U.S. relations becomes more prominent," Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng tells @Newsweek as Trump prepares to meet Xi amid ongoing US war with Iran & other issues rocking the international order
https://t.co/AR4cy5l6Pu

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest EXCLUSIVE interview: China ambassador talks Trump visit, Iran war and "Chinamaxxing"

In one of his most extensive interviews, Ambassador Xie Feng outlines to @Newsweek hope for cooperation with US & tackling sources of tension on various fronts
https://t.co/SG0hTZKRp0

[Ali Alfoneh علی آلفونه @Alfoneh]

Quoted in @ShaolinTom's "Iran’s Regime Is Changing—And the Man Taking Over Is a Problem for Trump" @Newsweek (New York) April 30, 2026. https://t.co/0P5CKx1IAR

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Iran's regime is changing—and the man taking over is a problem for Trump

The rise of IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi, Quds Force founder and shrewd, pragmatic operator with roles behind the scenes & in govt, dashes US hopes for more amenable leadership
https://t.co/xcBMfD0pmg

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest @Newsweek Magazine cover: The Middle East now runs on Netanyahu’s security-by-strength doctrine

Despite myriad controversies, Israel's PM has rewritten the rules, shattered assumptions & imposed a new regional reality as part of a 30-year vision
https://t.co/RzI2DyvhrU

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest (from yesterday): Hezbollah backs Trump's Israel-Lebanon ceasefire: "The enemy must adhere"

Hezbollah spox tells @Newsweek Israel must withdraw and respect truce, unlike November 2024 agreement. Experts weigh in on what this means for the group.
https://t.co/Wr2Rc1bnDD

[𝕋om 𝕆'ℂonnor @ShaolinTom]

My latest: Iran’s toughest battle has only just begun

While the Islamic Republic has so far withstood the test on the battlefield, Trump's blockade may prove an even greater trial as a lack of sea trade squeezes a nation already beset by economic woes.
https://t.co/9eTgiIvEkf