United States Participates in First APEC 2026 Senior Officials’ Meeting in Guangzhou The United States is sending a team of experts, led by U.S. Senior Official Casey Mace and joined by Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Ruth Perry, to the first  Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)  2026 Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM1) in Guangzhou, China, February 1-10, to further a

2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial Today the United States, together with our partners and allies, has set out to reshape the global market for critical minerals and rare earths. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined by Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, hosted representatives of 54 countries and the European Commission, including 43

Sudan Humanitarian Fund Call to Action Event The scale and severity of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan requires an urgent, sustained response. The United States yesterday hosted an event with allies and partners with raised pledges of $1.5 billion in new assistance contributions. We continue spearheading efforts of the international community in stepping up action, securing access to the people and areas most in need, and ensuring burden sharing. The United States invited mo

From 1 February 2026, 8 of the 14 train operators that DfT is responsible for will be in public ownership by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE I am confirming to the House that on Sunday, 1 February 2026, West Midlands Trains, operating as London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway, will become the fourth operator whose services will transfer into public ownership under the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act. Operations

Sanctioning Iranian Government Officials for Suppression of Peaceful Protest Today, the United States is imposing sanctions on Iranian officials responsible for the recent brutal crackdown on their own people. As the Iranian people protest 47 years of catastrophic economic mismanagement, the regime continues to choose funding terrorist militias abroad and its vast weapons programs over the basic needs of everyday Iranians.  The people of Iran suffer from rising inflation, cru

U.S.-Japan-ROK Trilateral Coordinating Secretariat Meeting Today, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jonathan Fritz participated in the U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea (ROK) Trilateral Coordinating Secretariat Meeting in Seoul with Japan Deputy Director-General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Otsuka Kengo and ROK Deputy Director-General for North American Affairs Yi Wonwoo. They reviewed progress on trilateral cooperation in a wide range

People smuggling gangs will be dealt a further blow with the Prime Minister expected to launch a border security agreement with China to tackle the flow of Chinese made small boat parts Prime Minister expected to strike new border security pact on first China visit in eight years to disrupt supply of small boat engines More than half of small boat engines used by people smugglers crossing the English Channel are manufactured in China Agreement will also scale up removals of t

2026 U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg led the sixth U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD), conducted under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), on January 27, 2026. Under Secretary Helberg was joined by representatives from across the U.S. government for discussions with Minister

Implementation of Iran-Related United Nations Security Council Resolutions The United States of America, along with 40 countries, gathered last week in Prague, the Czech Republic for a symposium designed to further advance the implementation of the reimposed United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) on the Iranian regime. Participants discussed the full range of issues affecting UN Member State implementation of the renewed obligations. The symposium served as an o