While Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were hailing their friendship for the cameras, it was less amicable for the rival Chinese and US security services.
From a standoff over a US Secret Service agent’s weapon to a US staffer trampled during a melee, tensions bubbled to the surface throughout Trump’s visit to Beijing.
The mutual distrust was underscored when US officials made the staffers and media, including an AFP reporter, board Air Force One, hand over all badges and pins given to them by the Chinese side.
Surveillance cameras are seen near a portrait of former Chairman Mao Zedong at Tiananmen Gate into the Forbidden City on May 15, 2026, in Beijing, China. — AFP
Along with “burner” phones from the US delegation, the confiscated items were tossed in a trash can at the bottom of the stairs of the presidential jet.
