The US-China G2 summit failed to produce any concrete answers to ongoing conflicts, from Taiwan to Iran, nor did it address issues such as tariffs. President Trump, suddenly well mannered, listened attentively to his counterpart Xi and imagined what relations between their two countries might be like if they weren’t at war.

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The visit of US President Donald Trump to the People’s Republic of China on May 13, 14, and 15, 2026, brought to light profound contradictions.

From a Chinese perspective, the visit aimed to ensure that Washington would continue to respect Taiwan’s status as a Chinese province, not an independent state. Beijing also wanted assurances that its Western partner would not cut off access to its raw materials and energy resources, but would instead allow it to develop its trade through the Belt and Road Initiative.

From a US perspective, the visit aimed to ensure that Beijing would not seize control of the “Western Hemisphere,” meaning the South American continent. Washington also hoped to open the Chinese market to its companies, which were heavily represented in its delegation.

The context of the summit was unique: the shift in the United States’ overall strategy. Realizing it lacked the means and that the strategy was not beneficial, the Pentagon abandoned the Rumsfeld-Cebrowsky Doctrine and adopted Elbridge Colby’s “denial strategy.” It kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and seized control of Venezuelan oil exports to China. Then, it attempted to overthrow the Iranian regime and take control of its oil exports to China. However, this dream of conquest was shattered by the resistance of the Iranian people.

The central question of the summit was therefore what overall strategy the United States might choose in the future and whether it would be compatible with China’s. Washington has exhausted three such strategies since the end of World War II, while Beijing has had only one.

President Trump, breaking with his cowboy approach, the Art of the Deal, refrained from any remarks that could be interpreted one way or the other and might provoke a diplomatic incident. He stopped posting messages as casually as breathing on his Truth Social network. His output plummeted from around fifty posts a day before his arrival to a few brief reflections during the three days of his trip.

Suddenly displaying impeccable manners, President Trump followed the Chinese custom of invoking the shared past to justify contemporary unity. It’s a balancing act. For example, his praise of the prestigious Tsinghua University, where his counterpart, Xi Jinping, studied, was a way of reminding everyone that it was funded in 1909 by President Theodor Roosevelt. But he had to avoid mentioning that this was after the “Eight-Nation Alliance” had defeated the “Boxer Rebellion” and imposed exorbitant reparations on the Qing dynasty. Regardless, he emerged unscathed.

He made sure to mention that in 1737, Benjamin Franklin published excerpts from *The Morals of Confucius* in his newspaper, *The Pennsylvania Gazette*, praising the importance of the Chinese sage’s philosophy on personal virtue. He also pointed out that Confucius is depicted on the eastern pediment of the United States Supreme Court, alongside Moses and Solon. In short, Donald Trump presented himself as a charming and cultured man, a far cry from the boastful charlatan he had been in the preceding days.

At the final state banquet, in the Great Hall of the People, he toasted his hosts, declaring: “It has been a fantastic day, and in particular, I would like to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome… and for so graciously hosting us on this very historic state visit.”

The challenge was to acknowledge that both sides are equals without offending either. While it’s clear that China is a larger producer than the United States, it’s uncertain which country has the greater military advantage. Chinese weapons may appear superior, but only the US military has field experience. Regardless, the two heads of state avoided positioning themselves as competitors and spoke only of cooperation.

President Xi Jinping responded, “We both believe that the China-US relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never waste it.” Donald Trump added, “This moment in history offers our two nations an incredible opportunity to advance peace and prosperity alongside other nations around the world.”

The expectations of US business leaders were not met at this summit. Economic decisions were few and far between, aside from mega-sales of soybeans and other US agricultural products from China, and the confirmation of a purchase agreement with Boeing for 200 aircraft, well below expectations. It doesn’t even appear that the amount of tariffs was discussed. Yet, tariffs of 10% still apply to Chinese imports into the United States, and even 50% on steel and aluminum.

Shares of Chinese high-tech companies in the CSI 300 index (Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges) fell by more than 1%, a sign that no progress was made on trade in rare earth elements and electronic components. Moreover, US companies are already investing heavily in artificial intelligence in Taiwan and South Korea.

Medium-sized countries in the region, such as Japan and South Korea, which were very concerned about this summit, were able to breathe a sigh of relief. They were not sacrificed in a division of the world between the two superpowers. But the United Kingdom and the European Union will surely be worried: they thought Donald Trump was now aligned with Elbridge Colby, but for three days he has reverted to his “Jacksonian” stance.

Let’s get to the heart of the matter: the status of Taiwan. During its revolution and independence, China split in two: the mainland, led by Mao Zedong, and the island of Taiwan, led by Chiang Kai-shek. Over the years, the two regions have developed with different economic and political systems. Nevertheless, they remain two parts of a single state, China. Their populations aspire to unity, as demonstrated by the visit of the Kuomintang (Chiang Kai-shek’s party) chairwoman to Beijing last month. But they intend to preserve their distinct identities.

Neoconservatives, reversing the policies of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, have revived a small pro-independence lobby in Taipei, which includes the president. Beijing has repeatedly warned that Taiwanese independence would reignite civil war, while Washington has sent mixed signals.

“If managed properly, bilateral relations can maintain overall stability. If managed poorly, the two countries will face a collision or even conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into an extremely dangerous situation. Taiwanese independence is fundamentally incompatible with peace and stability throughout the Taiwan Strait. Maintaining peace and stability throughout the Taiwan Strait is the greatest common dividing factor between China and the United States. The United States must handle the Taiwan issue with the utmost caution,” warned President Xi Jinping.

President Donald Trump declined to comment. “It is possible that the two sides do not entirely agree on the matter. Another possibility is that even if there is some tactical understanding, it may not necessarily be written down,” commented Colonel Zhou Bo, a Chinese expert.

After his trip, Donald Trump stated that he had discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Xi Jinping and that he would “decide” on the matter soon. To date, Washington does not recognize Taiwan, yet it sells arms to the country. An $18 billion deal is awaiting White House approval. If President Trump were to approve this transfer while reducing it, it would be a gesture of goodwill. However, he cannot oppose it without provoking the wrath of Congress.

In any case, the White House’s decision on arms sales to Taiwan will be the first indication of its strategic choice. The future of the conflict in the Persian Gulf may be inferred from it.

Major disagreements - such as the US military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region - will persist. But Beijing and Washington could continue their cooperation on non-sensitive trade and AI security.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Beijing this week [visit over-Ed]. This will be a routine, long-planned visit, without protocol. He will discuss their joint strategy toward the United States with President Xi. It appears he has already reached an agreement with Washington on peace in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. He has just obtained from his US partner the resignation of Christian Schmidt, the German High Commissioner to the European Union, who was preparing for war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Courtesy Thierry Meyssan; Translation Roger Lagassé

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