A diplomatic split screen as Trump and Xi meet
WHILE world leaders gather at the United Nations for their annual diplomatic ritual, the two biggest power brokers in global politics will sit down in a different venue on Thursday: the White House.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in the White House, marking their second bilateral summit of the year. The high-profile encounter highlighted the critical nature of the US-China relationship amid a range of domestic and global issues. As delegations at the United Nations discussed multilateralism and conflicts, Trump and Xi focused on artificial intelligence, trade, and defense, collectively known as the "G2."
Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group questioned the relevance of the UN, noting that Xi rarely attends the General Assembly in New York. Financial woes, divisions among major powers, and limited influence over conflicts have intensified concerns about the UN's role. The UN's budget shortfall has led to significant cuts in personnel and humanitarian work. The United States, which has withheld payments, contributes only $725 million of its $3.7 billion annual dues, leaving the organization in dire straits.
The UN faces two primary challenges: its financial situation and the lack of consensus among member states on the UN's purpose. The UN's Secretariat is set to reduce its workforce by 21% and cut reporting by 700,000 words. Despite the criticism, the UN remains a hub for diplomacy, with over 1,000 bilateral meetings planned for the week.
Iran's Foreign Minister and US envoys held secret talks, and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy sought a ceasefire at the UN. While the UN's relevance is debated, it remains a platform for high-volume diplomacy.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
