After canceling in April, US Pres Donald tramp now he will visit China this week after all. The United States is the largest, a China the second largest economy in the world, while China is the largest, a SAD the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping shines and Trump in that context must not fail - the governments are convinced of that Beijing i Washington. The expected agreement will have global significance. At the same time, the two ambitious statesmen want to present to their population - and in the case of the USA and voters - results that will show them in the best light. No one wants to lose face. Both want to leave the impression of "strong leaders", Deutsche Welle writes.
In doing so, Trump relies on communist China. He knows very well that he can count on positive news when China makes promises. Beijing, namely, does not want to put its own president, who has been firmly in power for 13 years, into an unpleasant situation due to a possible failure.
However, Trump must also have plans for compromises that he may be uncomfortable with, but which he could later explain to the American public.
Photo: AP Photo/Matt Rourke"Trump urgently needs positive news on the foreign policy front," said Chu Yin, a political scientist at the Beijing-based think tank Pangoal.
"Trump urgently needs positive news on the foreign policy front," said Chu Yin, a political scientist at the Beijing-based think tank Pangoal.
"Trump's popularity in the polls ahead of November's midterm elections is very low. His plan to quickly bring China's ally Iran to its knees with pre-emptive military strikes, then celebrate his triumph in Beijing and use it as a bargaining chip, has clearly failed."
Now he must rely on the possibility of at least reaching a partial agreement in the trade war over tariffs, Chu continued. Even before the meeting, the negotiators of both countries should on Tuesday and Wednesday at Seoul to try to reach an agreement.
American industry needs Chinese orders. It would be a successful start to Trump's mid-term election campaign. In the USA, on November 3, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, as well as 33 out of 100 senators, are being re-elected. Republicans they currently have a narrow majority in both houses. At the same time, elections for governors will be held in 36 federal states and three US territories.
Taiwan as China's red line
In the eyes of Beijing, the question of legal status of Taiwan represents a red line that must not be crossed in diplomatic relations with the USA. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province of the "People's Republic of China", which it is Mao Zedong proclaimed in 1949. However, the constitution of the "Republic of China", founded in 1911, is still valid on the democratically governed island.
According to Beijing's legal understanding, that country should not exist at all - just like the name "Taiwan" as an independent country. There is only one China. Taiwan is part of China, and the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate Chinese government. Beijing calls this triple concept the "one China principle", which is the basis of all diplomatic relations with the People's Republic.
Photo: AP Photo/Andy Wong, FileAt the same time, Beijing can use its importance in the current world situation to divert Trump's attention with contracts worth billions with Taiwan.
In the famous Shanghai Communiqué from 1972, which together with two other documents form the basis of the renewal of diplomatic relations between the US and China, the US government only "acknowledged" the principle of one China. It is not clear from the declaration whether the USA is referring to the People's Republic of China or the Republic of China in this context.
However, the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 authorizes the US government to "supply Taiwan with defensive weapons" and to "oppose any use of force or other forms of coercion that would threaten the security or social and economic system of the people of Taiwan."
During Trump's second term, Taiwan has already ordered a record $11,1 billion worth of weapons systems from US companies through 2025. Just last Friday (May 8), just before Trump's trip to Beijing, Taiwan's parliament passed a law on the acquisition of military equipment. By 2033, the island republic plans to purchase additional US weapons systems worth up to $25 billion.
Beijing sees that US President Trump has a lot of room for maneuver within the existing legal framework. Therefore, it is expected that China will use all opportunities to encourage Trump to make a statement favorable to Beijing's position on Taiwan.
The war with Iran and the war in Ukraine
At the same time, Beijing can use its importance in the current world situation to divert Trump's attention with contracts worth billions with Taiwan.
"The US needs Chinese support in the war with Iran," says Peter Qiu, president and founder of the Center for Globalization in Hong Kong.
China also plays a key role in ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. After Trump, in June at the latest, the Russian president is also expected in Beijing Vladimir Putin.
Photo: Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin PoolAfter Trump, in June at the latest, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected in Beijing.
In both wars, China is not a direct party to the conflict. Beijing claims to strictly comply with all international sanctions of the United Nations. Nevertheless, China is active and behind closed doors has intensive talks with Tehran i Moscow.
Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi visited Beijing. His Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, expressed concern that a war with Iran seriously threatens regional and global peace. At the same time, China supports Iran in the peaceful use of nuclear energy for civilian purposes - which is, after all, the right of any sovereign state.
In addition, Wang Yi expressed the hope that "all parties involved in the war with Iran will positively respond to the expectations of the international community and enable safe maritime traffic through The Strait of HormuzThus, Beijing sees the US as partially responsible for the blockade in the Persian Gulf.
"I hope the Chinese will convey that message to Iran," the US secretary of state said Marco Rubio, speaking of the Iranian blockade, "regardless of whether it will happen behind closed doors — but I hope it will be direct."
It is in China's interest "as an export economy" to Iran is no longer blocking the strait, Rubio said last week at a regular news conference in To the White House.
"Iran must not plant mines. It must not take the world economy hostage," said the US Secretary of State.
It is interesting that it is not yet clear whether Rubio will also travel to Beijing. Because of his critical statements about the human rights situation in Hong Kong and in the Uyghur province of Xinjiang from his time as a US senator from the state of Florida, Rubio remains on China's sanctions list with no entry.
Trade war agreement?
Trump's message to the Chinese leadership is clear: China should buy more American products to reduce the trade surplus. A year ago, Trump imposed high tariffs on Chinese products due to unbalanced trade. Some of them have been suspended, but the negotiators of the two countries have not managed to announce a significant agreement to date.
Despite the tariffs, in 2025, according to statistics from the US Census Bureau at the Department of Commerce, China still ran a high surplus of almost US$202 billion – roughly equal to the total annual economic output of Hungary.
"China is willing to buy American products," Qiu believes, "but Beijing is asking for concessions in return, such as easing the ban on the export of special American semiconductors for artificial intelligence (AI)."
The US has imposed strict export controls on advanced VI-chips – powerful semiconductors specially developed for machine learning with the help of complex algorithms. China is trying to get the necessary production technology, but the process is very slow due to American decisions.
"In the end, I expect some kind of 'grand deal' that will include the state interests of both world powers," concludes Qiu.
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
