Topline
President Donald Trump hailed Xi Jinping, calling him a great leader, while the Chinese President said he believes the U.S. and China “should be partners rather than opponents,” and work together at a time when the world is at a crossroads.
Key Facts
Trump was greeted by Xi at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People after receiving a guard of honor from the Chinese military, a 21-gun salute and a group of children waving the two countries’ flags and flower bouquets.
Xi delivered the opening remarks after the two leaders sat down for the summit, noting that the world is in the midst of “turbulence and transformation,” and that the two countries must work together to “meet challenges and bring greater stability to the world.”
In his opening remarks, Trump lavished praise on Xi and said, “You’re a great leader. Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it’s true,” and highlighted the phone calls made to each other “whenever we had a problem” and worked it out “quickly.”
Trump also boasted about the business delegation traveling with him, calling them the “biggest” and “greatest,” and claimed that he asked the top 30 to join him and “every single one” said yes.
The president added that the business leaders were here to “pay respects” to Xi and to China.
What Is The Thucydides Trap And Why Did Xi Mention It?
In his opening remarks, Xi asked if China and the U.S. will be able to overcome the “Thucydides Trap” and establish a new model for ties between two great powers. The phrase “Thucydides Trap” was popularized by Harvard professor and political scientist Graham Allison that draws a parallel between the U.S.—China rivalry and historical clash between Athens and Sparta. The theory suggests that the rapid rise of a emergent power—like China today and Athens in the past—can draw a established power—like the U.S. today or Sparta in the past—into an inevitable conflict. In an op-ed outlining this more than a decade and half ago, Allison urged leaders of both countries to talk to each other “much more candidly about likely confrontations and flash points,” and make “substantial adjustments to accommodate the irreducible requirements of the other.”
Xi’s Warning To Trump About Taiwan
According to Chinese state media, during the summit meeting Xi told Trump that the Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, could end up being flash point between Beijing and Washington. He said if the issue is handled well the two countries “will enjoy stability” but if its mishandled it could prompt a clash and put U.S.-China ties “into a very dangerous situation.”
This is a developing story.
