Sometimes, what doesn’t happen at major summits is almost as important as what does. The Trump-Xi summit was long on well-choreographed pageantry and symbolism, short on measurable results. Bringing a phalanx of top CEOs, U.S. President Donald Trump sought to parlay his bonhomie with Chinese President Xi Jinping into deals but got both more and less than what he bargained for.
Trump touted deals, some still vague, and claimed that he had gotten support on Iran. The meeting has been dismissed by many Asia hands and much of the media as “pomp and circumstance, signifying nothing.” China hawks fearful of concessions on Taiwan and tech were relieved by their apparent absence.
Sometimes, what doesn’t happen at major summits is almost as important as what does. The Trump-Xi summit was long on well-choreographed pageantry and symbolism, short on measurable results. Bringing a phalanx of top CEOs, U.S. President Donald Trump sought to parlay his bonhomie with Chinese President Xi Jinping into deals but got both more and less than what he bargained for.
Trump touted deals, some still vague, and claimed that he had gotten support on Iran. The meeting has been dismissed by many Asia hands and much of the media as “pomp and circumstance, signifying nothing.” China hawks fearful of concessions on Taiwan and tech were relieved by their apparent absence.
