Trump began a two-day visit to Beijing with remarks at a state banquet in the Great Hall of the People. He claimed Chinese restaurants in America outnumbered the five largest U.S. fast food chains combined, a statement presented as false. The trip includes 17 businesspeople, with only two women accompanying him. The visit follows a nine-year gap in U.S. presidential travel to China. Trump and Xi are expected to discuss Iran, U.S. policy on Taiwan, and AI, while Xi reportedly referenced avoiding a “Thucydides Trap.” The context includes tariff disputes, with U.S. tariffs reaching above 140% and China responding by withholding rare earth minerals and magnets.
"“Chinese restaurants in America today outnumber the five largest fast food chains in the United States all combined,” he boasted. “That's a pretty big statement.” Well, flatly untrue, but I guess Trump could learn a thing or two about what real facts-or real representation-looks like. But I shan't dare dream too big."
"The president this week is being accompanied by 17 businesspeople on his trip to China, of which just two are women. (Jane Fraser, Citi's chief executive; and Dina Powell McCormick, Meta's president.) In some ways, this is somewhat of a measly step up from the number of women he invited with him on his visit to China in 2017 (which was none), but then, considering he's let Brett Ratner-an accused sex pest and the director of the Melania documentary-and Elon Musk tag along, I'd say that's another 281,323,152 steps back."
"The summit marks the first time a U.S. president has visited China in nine years (the last was when Trump visited in 2019), and could clarify the state of relations between the two countries, which have been relatively wobbly. Trump and Xi are expected to discuss, among other things, the war in Iran; the U.S.' stance on Taiwan; and AI. Speaking to an official broadcast early Thursday, Xi also reportedly said the summit might help the two to avoid a “Thucydides Trap,” referring to a theory that suggests war becomes likely when one rising power threatens to displace another."
"Of course, all this comes as the very awkward aftermath of Trump's aggressive tariff wars, which he waged (or tried to wage) against China last year. While the president's tariffs at one point hit more than 140%, Xi did not back down-and instead withheld rare earth minerals and magnets from going to the U.S. Even"
#us-china-relations #beijing-state-banquet #tariffs-and-trade #women-in-business-delegations #geopolitics-and-taiwan
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