United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping started a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Thursday. The 2 leaders want to manage the growing rivalry between their superpowers in a stable manner. Trump arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday evening for a 3-day visit. This trip marks his 1st visit to China since November 2017. The 2 men last met face-to-face in Busan, South Korea, late last October during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
A massive welcome ceremony greeted the American president. A military band played both national anthems while young children waved flags and flowers. Trump and Xi shook hands before heading inside the Great Hall of the People. Trump spoke with great optimism about the future. He told Xi that he considers him a friend and predicted that their 2 countries will build a fantastic future together. Trump pointed out that whenever the nations hit a bump in the road, the leaders always work it out very quickly.
Xi shared a similar positive outlook during his opening speech. He told the room that a stable relationship between China and the United States helps the entire world. Xi translated his thoughts through an interpreter, stating that the 2 nations must act as partners, not rivals. He even asked aloud if the 2 superpowers could avoid the famous Thucydides Trap. Historians use this term to describe the danger of a rising power going to war with an established power over pure mistrust.
Business sits at the very top of the agenda for this summit. Top American business executives traveled with Trump to help negotiate new deals. Trump wants total reciprocity in international trade. He needs to secure big economic wins before the American midterm elections happen this coming November. To win over voters back home, Trump expects China to buy massive amounts of American soybeans and beef. He also wants China to purchase new Boeing aircraft and replacement parts.
The ongoing war in the Middle East also forces the 2 men to find common ground. Trump desperately wants to find an exit strategy from the months-old war with Iran. He needs to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway serves as a vital shipping lane for crude oil and fertilizer. China also worries deeply about the conflict. Even though Beijing buys alternative energy and maintains large oil stockpiles, a closed strait threatens long-term economic growth for the 2nd-largest economy on earth.
Beyond trade and oil, the 2 leaders will argue over Taiwan’s security. China views the self-governing democracy as part of its own territory, while the United States sells weapons to the island. Technology creates another fierce battleground. Both countries fight daily for global dominance in the artificial intelligence sector. Trump and Xi need to set clear boundaries to prevent these tech and security issues from sparking a new Cold War.
Observers expect the 2 presidents to discuss North Korea before the trip ends. Trump repeatedly tells reporters he wants to resume direct diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. China wields significant influence over Pyongyang through steady trade and diplomatic ties. Trump hopes Xi will help bring Kim back to the negotiating table soon.
After they finish the heavy political talks, the leaders will spend time building their personal relationship. They plan to visit the Temple of Heaven park, a beautiful imperial complex right in the city. Later tonight, they will attend a massive state banquet with hundreds of guests. On Friday, the 2 men will share tea and eat a working luncheon before Trump boards his plane and flies back to Washington.
This Beijing trip is just the 1st of a series of planned meetings for the 2 leaders this year. Diplomats already scheduled another sit-down for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, this November. Exactly 1 month later, Xi will travel to America to meet Trump at the Group of 20 gathering in Florida.
