Analysts tip a stronger hand for China ahead of Xi-Trump summit in Washington
When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the second part of a series, Fan Chen looks at Beijing’s stronger position going into the high-stakes visit. Beijing is poised to begin this week’s summit with Washington from a…
Analysts predict a stronger hand for China as the two nations prepare for their upcoming summit in Washington. Beijing has been ramping up its diplomatic efforts, bolstering its confidence ahead of the high-stakes visit. Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently concluded a busy overseas itinerary, including a state visit to Egypt and attendance at the Brics summit in New Delhi.
Xi's address during the SCO summit in Bishkek criticized US policies and called for deeper cooperation among member countries on issues like artificial intelligence. Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, noted that Beijing's diplomatic push strengthened its position for the second US-China summit of the year.
The Chinese president's visit to Egypt underscores China's growing influence in the Middle East, while US President Donald Trump indicated that Xi would visit on September 24, emphasizing the potential for fruitful discussions. Wu stressed Beijing's focus on Asia and the Global South, highlighting its expanding global power and contrast to the US administration that has alienated traditional allies.
International Crisis Group's Ali Wyne observed that Trump's foreign policy has enabled China to present itself as a more stabilizing force than Washington. While Xi is unlikely to challenge Trump directly, he might enter the summit with more confidence due to Trump's emphasis on their relationship over allegations of Chinese interference in US elections and support for Iran.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
