Tag: Trump, Donald J

Days After Hosting Trump, Xi Serves Up Tea and Smiles to Putin

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When the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, hosted President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Beijing on Wednesday for what China said was the Russian leader’s 25th visit, the elephant in the room was President Trump. Less than a week earlier, the American president had made the journey to the Chinese capital. During that trip, Mr. Xi warned Mr. Trump against mishandling Taiwan and asked him to reopen the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran, as China seeks to stabilize its tumultuous relationship with the United States. Mr. Putin’s…

Xi Meets Putin Days After Trump Visit

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new video loaded: Xi Meets Putin Days After Trump Visit <img alt="Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin walk side by side on a red carpet. A line of soldiers stand to the side, holding guns." src="https://www.chinastrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/xi-meets-putin-days-after-trump-visit.jpg" data-testid="betamax-poster" sizes="(width < 1024px) 100vw, (width 0:57 China’s leader, Xi Jinping, welcomed President Vladimir Putin of Russia to Beijing, less than a week after a visit from President Trump. By Shawn Paik May 20, 2026 <img loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.chinastrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/xi-meets-putin-days-after-trump-visit-17.jpg 400w, https://www.chinastrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/xi-meets-putin-days-after-trump-visit-18.jpg 735w, https://www.chinastrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/xi-meets-putin-days-after-trump-visit-19.jpg 1200w, https://www.chinastrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/xi-meets-putin-days-after-trump-visit-1.jpg 2400w" sizes="(width <= 600px) 220px, (width Xi Mentions Putin During Private…

As a Weakened Putin Follows Trump to Beijing, Iran War Offers an Opening

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President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a state visit in a position of relative weakness. His army is struggling to move in Ukraine. His seat of power, Moscow, has been increasingly vulnerable to Ukrainian drones. Russia’s economy is under severe strain. More Russians are growing tired of what increasingly looks like a fruitless and endless war. Even in better times for Moscow, its relationship with Beijing has been defined by economic imbalance. “China has massive leverage and can dictate exactly what it wants from…

Eager for Arms Deal, Taiwan Stresses Need for U.S. Support

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President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan said on Sunday that weapons sales from the United States remained a crucial element for maintaining peace and stability in the region, comments made after President Trump suggested a multibillion dollar weapons deal with the island could be used as a “negotiating chip” with China. Mr. Lai made a point to thank Mr. Trump for his support since his first term as president, including “a sustained increased in the scale and value of arms sales to Taiwan, assisting us in strengthening our self-defense capabilities.” Continued…

Here’s the Trade Deal That Trump and Xi Should Have Reached

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With some family gatherings, the best you can hope for is that no one gets drunk and starts a fistfight. Expectations when President Trump and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, met on Thursday and Friday were similarly low — and they were met. Mr. Trump had some warm words about the duo’s “fantastic future” and how the Chinese would buy American goods, but the meeting ended without clear progress toward resolving the two sides’ trade disagreements. The result was like a host saying brightly, “It’s so nice when you all get…

China Indicates Tariffs Were Discussed at Trump Summit

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The Chinese government indicated on Saturday that the United States and China had discussed the issue of tariffs during President Trump’s visit to the country this past week, seemingly contradicting statements a day earlier by Mr. Trump, who said that tariffs were not discussed. A spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a briefing on Saturday that the countries had agreed in principle to reduce tariffs on a set pool of products that were “of concern to each side.” It said that the countries had agreed to set…

Rubio, Once a China Hawk, Strikes Softer Tone to Align With Trump

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Before he shook hands with President Xi Jinping of China in Beijing this past week, Marco Rubio was an official enemy of the Chinese state. As a senator representing Florida, Mr. Rubio was among Mr. Xi’s harshest critics in Washington. He accused the Chinese leader of “crimes against humanity” and of plotting to weaken the United States. Fed up, Mr. Xi’s government placed sanctions on Mr. Rubio in 2020 and banned him from entering the country. So Mr. Rubio, now President Trump’s secretary of state and national security adviser, posed…

China’s Peak Is Now

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A grand summit in Beijing is a natural time to assess the state of the U.S.-China competition, the dynamics of great power conflict, the balance of forces in this new Cold — or maybe just Cool? — War. It’s also a good time to revisit my own predictions. Six years ago, in the early days of the coronavirus, I argued that rather than a “Chinese century” we might be looking at a “Chinese decade,” a window when China’s power would hit a peak and the American position would be maximally…

The Great Political Realignment of 2026

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The Supreme Court’s recent decision on the Voting Rights Act has supercharged a redistricting frenzy in states across the country. The Times Opinion contributors Robert Siegel and E.J. Dionne and the SCOTUSblog editor Sarah Isgur discuss the ruling’s implications for future elections. Ms. Isgur makes the case that voters are over reality TV politics and warns Democrats against embracing Trump-style candidates. Below is a transcript of an episode of “The Opinions.” We recommend listening to it in its original form for the full effect. You can do so using the…

‘For Example, Putin’: How Xi Used a Private Garden Walk to Charm Trump

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An off-the-cuff exchange between President Trump and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, on Friday provided a glimpse into how the two leaders interacted this week as they negotiated the rivalry between their countries. Mr. Xi, who is rarely shown in Chinese media without prepared remarks, was filmed by the U.S. press traveling with President Trump. The two leaders are seen chatting through translators as they walk through Zhongnanhai, a walled compound that houses China’s leaders. Mr. Xi puts his hand out to guide Mr. Trump through an archway, pointing to a…