Beijing: US President Donald Trump's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing highlighted a growing effort by the world's two largest powers to stabilize ties through trade and economic cooperation, even as deep divisions over Taiwan, technology, tariffs, and regional security remain unresolved.
According to Anadolu Agency, during Trump's visit last week, the two leaders held multiple meetings focused on trade, investment, and global security issues, including the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, while unveiling a series of economic initiatives aimed at easing tensions after years of escalating rivalry. Analysts noted that both Washington and Beijing appear eager to prevent further deterioration in relations amid mounting geopolitical instability linked to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
'Neither side wants uncontrolled escalation right now, particularly amid economic uncertainty and wider geopolitical instability connected to Iran and global supply chains,' Nancy Snow, scholar of public diplomacy and professor emeritus at California State University, told Anadolu. She described the meeting as less a breakthrough summit than a 'stabilization summit.'
William Yang, Crisis Group's senior analyst for Northeast Asia, said the summit projected an image of both sides trying to preserve stability. 'Beijing and Washington both need to ensure there is a degree of stability in their bilateral relationship so they have more bandwidth to deal with the pressing uncertainty and challenges extending from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as well as the Russia-Ukraine war,' he said.
The summit produced a series of economic announcements aimed at rebuilding confidence in commercial ties after years of trade disputes and technology restrictions. A White House statement said the two countries agreed to establish two new bilateral institutions: the US-China Board of Trade and the US-China Board of Investment. China also approved an initial purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft for Chinese airlines, marking its first major commitment to buy American-made Boeing planes since 2017.
Snow said the economic deliverables appeared designed more to create momentum and market confidence than to finalize comprehensive long-term agreements, stressing that the language surrounding the deals remained deliberately vague. 'At this stage, many of the announced agreements appear aspirational rather than fully institutionalized,' she said.
Despite the emphasis on economic cooperation, analysts said the summit did little to resolve the most contentious geopolitical disputes between the two powers. According to the White House, Trump and Xi discussed Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and North Korea during their meetings. For Snow, the relatively limited public discussion of Taiwan during the summit was revealing. 'Taiwan remains the most dangerous flashpoint in US-China relations, but both sides appeared careful not to inflame tensions publicly during the visit,' she said.
Looking ahead, analysts said the summit ultimately reflected a broader shift in how both countries are managing their increasingly competitive relationship. 'The US-China relationship is evolving toward a more transactional and economically managed relationship, particularly under Trump's leadership style,' Snow said. She cautioned, however, against concluding that the relationship is becoming purely economic in nature. 'The geopolitical rivalry remains very real,' she said.
Trump is expected to welcome Xi to Washington this fall, while both governments said they would support each other as hosts of the G20 and APEC summits later this year. Snow noted that the proposed timing of the Washington summit would come around six weeks ahead of US midterm elections, suggesting that Trump might seek to make a significant trade deal announcement to boost economic sentiment.