May 12, 2026
Eyck Freymann
When Donald Trump sits down with Xi Jinping this week, he will be facing a leader who is patient, perceptive, and ambitious. While the best way to safeguard Taiwan’s autonomy is to ensure Xi never receives the signal that patience is no longer required, Trump's carelessness could have the opposite effect.
STANFORD—From the Iran war and nuclear weapons to tariffs and AI, the agenda for this week’s Beijing summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is packed. Xi will also almost certainly bring up Taiwan, if only to demonstrate his inflexibility on the matter.
