While expectations for the summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were low, it was disappointing to watch them prioritize pageantry over substance. Trump’s cringe-worthy declarations of heartfelt admiration for Xi reflect his twisted sense that the trappings of power are power itself.
NEW HAVEN—Long on ceremony but short on substance, the eagerly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was a disappointment. Perhaps not a major disappointment, as expectations were generally low, and as some talk is certainly better than no talk. But on the major issues of trade, AI, Taiwan, and addressing China’s role in two theaters of war, there was little or no progress. Instead, ceremonial flourishes substituted for substance, unmasking the summit as yet another Trump vanity project.
NEW HAVEN—Long on ceremony but short on substance, the eagerly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was a disappointment. Perhaps not a major disappointment, as expectations were generally low, and as some talk is certainly better than no talk. But on the major issues of trade, AI, Taiwan, and addressing China’s role in two theaters of war, there was little or no progress. Instead, ceremonial flourishes substituted for substance, unmasking the summit as yet another Trump vanity project.