By Philip Yeung
To Western journalists, President Xi's return visit to America appears heavy on symbolism and light on substance. But that's not how I read it. International relations sometimes work in creative ways, and evolve organically on friendly overtures.
To begin with, there is goodwill galore on both sides. Trump has gone out of his way to make his Chinese counterpart feel welcome, even taking the trouble of going to Maryland to meet President Xi on the tarmac. Throughout, there were only honeyed words of friendship. Not a single harsh syllable was uttered on either side.
For his part, the Chinese leader came bearing gifts: a pair of adorable pandas for the Atlanta zoo, and the offer to invite 100,000 US students to study in China. For too long, both countries have been trapped in a quagmire of mistrust and hostility. The professed Xi-Trump friendship appears to be bearing fruit. Inadvertently, Trump has been instrumental in altering Western misperception of China as a rival to be feared rather than a partner to be embraced. Nearly 60% of those polled in the West now view China positively, as a country they can trust and do business with. Trump's erratic behavior has been a game changer in altering America's ties with its traditional allies.
President Xi's visit came two months before US mid-term elections. Trump might be worried that any significant policy change might rub American voters the wrong way. He chose to play safe and stay vague. This time he puts his faith in atmospherics, rather than policy specifics. He also knows that China has the capability to bite back and could be a prickly porcupine if treated disrespectfully. He has quietly extended the trade agreement to February, and has tellingly put the $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan on the back burner to appease his visitor. Rumor has it that Trump has even asked the Chinese leader the unaskable question: whether he would be interested in purchasing US weapons. That is sending out an indirect signal that he is disinclined towards entanglement in any Taiwan conflict. Trump is coming to the inescapable conclusion that a war with China is unwinnable. On at least the Taiwan issue, Trump is better news for China than his predecessors. Taiwanese separatists must be having sleepless nights these days.
For Trump, the Xi visit comes with another bonus—a welcome distraction from the messy Iran war that is taking its toll on his political popularity. In an ocean of negativity, with surging inflation, unpalatable news from the warfront and Democrats nipping at his heels, Trump needs a dose of pomp and pageantry for domestic distraction. There is no good news from the Ukraine theatre of war either. Protracted wars without clean-cut victories are bad news for the incumbent president. China, a country at peace, is a major league player with teeth that hogs the headlines. By inviting the who's who of US high-tech and big business to a White House dinner in honor of the visiting Chinese leader, Trump is using the Xi visit to consolidate their financial support in the upcoming elections. Trump is a snob. He doesn't condescend to entertain supplicants and inferiors. He grudgingly admires China's strength and power. Putin is too much of a pariah in the West for a pow-wow. The Xi visit is good for his political calculus. That's why Trump even parades his granddaughter's vaunted ability to speak Chinese.
Overall, despite the absence of specific diplomatic breakthroughs, winning and dining President Xi in Washington is a gift for both countries. For a change, the Chinese are the glamor guys sought-after for photo-ops by American titans. Even notorious China hawks have learned to bite their tongues and engage in sweet-talking their previous favorite punching bag. To Xi, Trump is every inch a gracious host, doting on the only foreign dignitary who matters to him. Who needs summits? A well-oiled state visit will serve the same strategic interests. President Xi is right. Confrontation is bad for both. Cooperation may be the conveyor belt for tangible benefits on either side of the Pacific.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
Read more articles by Philip Yeung:
Opinion | May the Xi-Trump friendship bear fruit for peace and prosperity
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