President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing this Thursday for a high-stakes summit to steady their countries’ relations and tackle urgent global problems. Both leaders stressed their wish for a constructive partnership and strategic stability, but the discussions take place amid extraordinary international volatility. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the complex security environment around Taiwan are among the regional security concerns still at the center of the discussions. President Xi pointed out the complexity of the current international situation and asked whether the two countries can successfully avoid the “Thucydides Trap” and avoid conflict. In the meantime, the summit is focused on economic deliverables like trade imbalances and market access as both administrations seek to manage their competitive rivalry while forging a more predictable framework for cooperation. As the two-day meeting begins, the world is watching to see if the high-level talks can yield tangible deals that ease geopolitical friction and set up a sustainable path forward for the world’s two largest economies.
