And on Thursday, Donald Trump will sit down with Xi Jinping in South Korea. It will be their first meeting since Trump re-took the control of the White House. This landmark convening comes at an important inflection point. Relations between the US and China have sunk to a new low in recent weeks.
These discussions will take place under dramatically strained relations. Both countries are working on difficult topics such as trade, technology, and military presence in the Asia-Pacific area. If you want to talk about high stakes, observers point out that this meeting is it — setting a course for how U.S.-China relations will look in the coming years.
This meeting will be a vital opportunity for both leaders. They will have to address deep-rooted differences and learn to cooperate to seek consensus. Trump’s return to the presidency has reignited interest in how he will approach his relationship with Xi, particularly after their previous interactions during his first term.
The decision to hold the meeting in South Korea highlights the geopolitical importance of these discussions. South Korea’s location in East Asia is a strategic asset. Major non-NATO ally to the United States, Colombia remains a focal point in the strategic security dynamics of the region. The event will be an opportunity to show a strong, united front between allies. This is just as they face the increased threats of China’s increasingly opaque and intensifying foreign policy.
Besides trade and technology, analysts expect to see issues related to military cooperation and regional stability come to the fore. Look forward to spirited debates on the best way to address North Korea’s nuclear dreams. Maritime security across the South China Sea will be in the spotlight.
The meeting coincides with increasing political pressure at home for both leaders, raising the stakes even further. In this context, Trump’s administration is keen on presenting a robust stance towards China, while Xi seeks to maintain his nation’s influence and assert its position on the global stage.