US Air Force Shuts Down China Aerospace Studies Institute Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

The US Air Force is defunding the civilian staff of the China Aerospace Studies Institute, a think tank providing open research on China's military. This action occurs shortly before Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to Washington. While the Air Force claims the mission of the China Aerospace Studies Institute will continue, the director of the institute asserts that this funding cut will effectively end the organization, highlighting a dispute over the status of the entity.