Foreign Policy Live Unpacking the Trump-Xi Meeting
17 snips
Nov 4, 2025 
Elizabeth Economy, a renowned China scholar and former senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce, analyzes the recent Trump-Xi meeting, highlighting its implications for U.S.-China relations. She notes that while stability was restored, the meeting largely reverted to pre-trade-war dynamics. Economy contrasts Trump's aggressive rhetoric with China's cautious approach and discusses potential shifts in U.S. policies. They also address critical issues like rare earths and the structural challenges facing both nations, emphasizing the complexities of global influence.
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Reset Without Structural Change
- The Trump-Xi meeting mostly restored the pre-trade-war status quo with limited, short-term gains.
- Elizabeth Economy calls it a relief but says it mostly dug the U.S. out of a hole it created.
Rhetoric Versus Competence
- Trump’s rhetoric differs from policy: rhetoric pulls back on ideological framing but competition on tech and security remains.
- Economy argues U.S. stays competitive on technology and defense despite softer global leadership.
Invest And Coordinate With Allies
- Invest in domestic capabilities like chips, clean energy, and frontier domains to retain leverage against China.
- Coordinate allies on technology standards and joint investments rather than pursuing only bilateral deals.
