"For the first time in years, a Chinese leader desperately needed a few things from the United States."
"All this may explain why Mr. Biden's aides were able to negotiate, fairly quickly by Chinese diplomatic standards, potentially major breakthroughs on stopping the flow of the chemical precursors for fentanyl to the United States and a resumption of military-to-military communications..."
"Nonetheless, Mr. Biden seems happy to take advantage of the breathing space, hoping that he will have more time before the presidential election to rebuild manufacturing competitiveness and hem in China's gains in the Pacific."
"The lurking question now is whether Mr. Xi's charm offensive on full display Wednesday night as he entertained chief executives marks a lasting shift or a tactical maneuver."