As President Trump winged his way back to Washington after a whirlwind tour in Asia, the latest buzz was all about his landmark meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping. And boy, if you ask Trump, it seems the meeting hit an unprecedented high note. Apparently, on a scale from 0 to 10, it was a 12. While the scale might seem a bit subjective, Trump was clearly thrilled, and perhaps he’s hoping the American people will cheer alongside him.
This diplomatic escapade was nothing short of a spectacle, with both sides seemingly backing away from the edge of a trade war cliff. China, in an unexpected twist, agreed to purchase U.S. soybeans and even allowed access to rare earths. Strong progress, it seems, considering how frequently these elements have been playing hardball in the global arena. Yet, how about the elephants hiding in the room? The conversation about Taiwan was apparently deftly sidestepped, perhaps leaving it for another glorious day.
President Trump, wielding tariffs like a maestro with a baton, made a strategic swipe before the meeting, announcing the reduction of the 20% tariff on China to a modest 10% in exchange for a commitment to tackle the fentanyl crisis. Now, who can forget that special moment when leaders stand and declare they intend to stop the deathly flow of drugs into other lands? Again, we’ll see how that plays out, given the past attempts and nods that didn’t alter much.
Meanwhile, Trump grabbed the spotlight just before his meeting, with an announcement that surely must have raised eyebrows and perhaps a few heart rates. He declared the U.S. was resuming nuclear testing, claiming that since everyone else was joining in, why not? Seems the old playground just got a tad more ominous with this geopolitical game of “mine’s bigger.”
All these moves and dramas on display as the U.S. and China moved towards a signed trade agreement, which is supposedly not far from a reality show finale. Judging by how the meeting was postured as both strategic and hugely successful, it looks like they’re set on rebooting their relationship. Let’s just say, in the global arena of diplomacy, when it comes to taking bows, both leaders are hoping for standing ovations.
