On April 21, U.S. President Donald Trump posted three photos on his social media platform Truth Social, captioned “A Gift from China in the Pacific Ocean!” The images showed large amounts of trash floating in the ocean. However, media investigations revealed that these photos were old images circulating online for years, some not even from the Pacific Ocean, and one was digitally altered. The Chinese state media WeChat public account “Bull Piano” (Niu Tanqin) criticized Trump, saying he should issue a public, serious, and solemn apology for spreading falsehoods.
“Bull Piano” published an article on Monday (April 28) stating that Trump posted three pictures showing massive ocean garbage, claiming it was a “gift from China.” But the photos were either outdated or outright fake. The article pointed out the irony that Trump, who often condemns “fake news,” was actually fabricating stories to slander and demonize China.
Trump posted three pictures showing massive ocean garbage, claiming it was a “gift from China.”
As the U.S. president, Trump’s posts attracted wide attention and many shares. The images of dense ocean trash were shocking, and Trump immediately blamed China without any proof. The article questioned how Trump could prove the trash originated from China, given the vast number of islands and countries in the Pacific. It argued that it was not easy for Chinese naval forces to bypass the so-called first and second island chains in the Pacific while this trash supposedly floated freely.
Mainland media soon exposed the lies with evidence, pointing out clear flaws in each photo:
The first photo was taken by nature photographer Ethan Daniels
The first photo was taken by nature photographer Ethan Daniels in July 2017 near Raja Ampat of West Papua in Indonesia, further east and south of the Philippines, separated from China by many islands.
The second photo was posted by underwater photographer Caroline Power on Facebook in 2017.
The second photo, taken near Roatan Island in northern Honduras, was posted by underwater photographer Caroline Power on Facebook in 2017. At the time, media reported that the trash came from neighboring Guatemala, but this area is not in the Pacific but in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, much closer to the U.S.
The third photo was found to be a composite image。
The third photo was found to be a composite image: the left side was an Associated Press photo of a floating barrier assembled in California to collect ocean trash; the right side was another trash photo by Caroline Power, which had been published by multiple media.
“Bull Piano” questioned where Trump found these images and criticized that he posted them without any fact-checking, causing a major embarrassment and making the world laugh at him. It said it was hard to imagine if Chinese officials did the same by using old or doctored photos to accuse the U.S., which would become a diplomatic incident. The article also questioned the competence of those preparing materials for Trump, suggesting they lacked basic journalistic literacy.
The article emphasized that deliberately spreading rumors to smear another country, especially by a leader, requires careful words and deeds. Since Trump is not an ordinary netizen, the consequences could be serious, possibly requiring not only an apology but administrative detention in some countries. Given the clear evidence, the U.S. should apologize, and if Trump is too embarrassed to do so, the White House spokesperson should issue a formal apology on his behalf.
The article also noted a recent phenomenon: U.S. officials keep hinting or openly stating that talks with China are ongoing daily and that tariff agreements are imminent. This forced China’s Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Commerce, and embassy in the U.S. repeatedly clarify that there is no contact, negotiations, nor agreements. The article concluded that Americans are anxious while the Chinese remain calm.
In a humorous twist at the end of the article, it quips, 'A friend suddenly had an epiphany: there’s a significant possibility that the American leader might have received a scam call from one of those notorious fraud hubs from Myanmar!'
Mao Paishou
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
After two days of closed-door negotiations in Geneva, senior economic and trade officials from China and the United States issued a joint statement on Monday (May 12), local time, pledging to reduce tariffs within 90 days. Under the agreement, China will lower its retaliatory tariffs on US goods from 125% to 10%, while the United States will cut its tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%. Both sides agreed to suspend 24% of the tariffs during the 90-day period. The news was met with relief by the international community, with many observers noting that the outcome exceeded market expectations and averted a full-blown trade war. European and Asian stocks rose, and US markets closed higher.
While markets responded positively, analysts cautioned that the results remain provisional, with core disputes in the China–US economic relationship unresolved. Still, the talks have laid a promising foundation for further engagement. The People’s Daily described the agreement as “a good start,” but insisted that a lasting solution would require Washington to fully reverse its “erroneous practice of unilateral tariff increases.”
He Lifeng, China’s chief negotiator and Vice Premier, described the talks as “frank, in-depth, and constructive,” calling them important steps toward resolving differences through dialogue.
Analysts cited by CNBC echoed this view, warning against expectations of a swift resolution to the trade dispute. Nevertheless, they acknowledged that the consensus reached by both sides has eased tensions and created a constructive starting point. Deutsche Bank strategists told CNBC that while it is difficult to predict developments after 90 days, the immediate market impact is clearly positive. Mikkel Emil Jensen, a senior analyst at Denmark’s Sydbank, said the announcement had eliminated much of the uncertainty surrounding global trade and could trigger a positive chain reaction, boosting demand for container shipping.
William Xin, chairman of Chunshan Pujiang (Shanghai) Investment Management Co., said the outcome far exceeded market expectations and brought greater certainty to China’s stock market and the Renminbi, both of which are likely to trend upward in the near term.
World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also issued a statement, calling the talks “a significant step forward” and expressing hope for a brighter future. Amid ongoing global tensions, she said, this progress is critical not only for China and the United States but also for the world’s most vulnerable economies.
However, Jane Foley, head of foreign exchange strategy at Rabobank, noted that the suspension period is only 90 days and that the 10 percent “base tariff” announced by the United States remains in place. She cautioned that significant uncertainty persists regarding the ultimate resolution of the tariff dispute and its impact on global economic growth and central bank policy.
It is widely believed that the China–US trade talks have produced only temporary results, and the true test will come after the 90-day period.
Changtai Xu, chief market strategist for Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Asset Management, echoed these concerns, saying that markets are awaiting further details about the agreement.
Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist at Hong Kong’s Pinpoint Asset Management, said investors’ short-term concerns about disruptions to global supply chains have been largely alleviated, but described the three-month tariff reduction as merely the beginning of a protracted negotiation process. He predicted it could take months for both sides to reach a comprehensive solution, but called the latest round of talks “a very good starting point.”
Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reported that even with progress in the talks, China is unlikely to lift export controls on a range of rare earth elements, though it may accelerate the approval of export licenses. The report noted that rare earth export controls are part of a broader strategy to preserve China’s dominance in mining and processing key minerals. While a complete removal of restrictions is unlikely, Beijing may expedite license approvals in response to the easing of trade tensions.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated that both sides agreed there is no desire to “decouple.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said both sides agreed during the talks that neither wants “a decoupling”. He described the discussions as “always respectful,” and said both countries share common interests and a commitment to trade balance.“So it was always respectful. We have the two largest economies in the world. We were firm and we moved forward. We tried to identify shared interests. We came with a list of problems that we were trying to solve, and I think we did a good job on that.”
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said the joint statement marked a significant step toward resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, laying the groundwork for further narrowing gaps and deepening cooperation. Both sides recognized the importance of stable, sustainable, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relations, and agreed to establish a consultation mechanism to maintain close communication on issues of mutual concern. Future consultations will be held regularly or as needed in China, the United States, or a mutually agreed third country.
The People’s Daily article emphasized that international opinion has praised the outcome, underscoring that maintaining healthy, stable, and sustainable China–US economic ties serves the fundamental interests of both nations and supports global economic growth.
The article concluded that the significance of the talks lies not only in the concrete results achieved but also in both sides’ reaffirmation of equal dialogue and consultation as the path to resolving differences. While the road ahead may be challenging, China expressed its willingness to work with the United States to build on the momentum, maintain pragmatic engagement, and expand cooperation for the benefit of both countries and the world.
