Pekingology Behind the Scenes of U.S.-China Summitry
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Oct 16, 2025 Sarah Beran, a former U.S. foreign service official, dives deep into the complexities of U.S.-China diplomacy. She shares insights on how meaningful talks with adversaries are structured, the significance of predictability in negotiations, and how China prepares for presidential summits. Sarah contrasts U.S. action-focused approaches with China's emphasis on optics and signaling. She discusses key players in Chinese decision-making, Xi's evolving diplomatic style, and the impact of summits as action-forcing events, providing a nuanced picture of international relations.
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Create Predictable Channels For Trust
- Build predictability into engagements to substitute for trust when dealing with adversaries.
- Walk through logistics, topics, and post-meeting statements to make senior contacts comfortable and consistent.
Optics Are A Key Chinese Objective
- Beijing prepares leader meetings bottom-up across ministries and focuses heavily on optics and signaling.
- Positive photos and ceremony serve to signal equality and relationship stability to domestic and international audiences.
China's System Makes Leader Meetings Essential
- Structural differences shape prep: Chinese ministries control narrow portfolios and need top-level buy-in.
- Only leader-level engagement can compel cross-ministry action in China's centralized system.