The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping concluded a turbulent period in U.S.-Chinese relations, with both leaders touting stabilization despite unresolved major disputes. Dan Kurtz-Phelan, editor of _Foreign Affairs_, interviewed Sinologist Orville Schell, who observed Trump's effusive respect for Xi, a transactional approach that "worked its magic." Chinese officials leveraged Trump's ambiguity, connecting with his "Big leader to big leader" mentality. While Xi proposed a "constructive relationship of strategic stability," critical issues like Taiwan and economic imbalances remain unaddressed, with the U.S. considering $25 billion in arms sales to Taiwan. Schell noted a shift in China's tolerance for "competition" but highlighted their continued strategy to weaponize supply chains, seeking autarky while cultivating foreign dependence for leverage. This dynamic suggests a future of continued competition, with leaders like Trump and Xi driven by "imperial greatness" aspirations, making genuine concessions unlikely.
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