ALBAWABA - The last summit in Beijing between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping portrayed an appearance of stability and cooperation, but beyond the formalities, tensions between the two countries remain firmly rooted.
The tour was dotted with carefully scripted moments – ceremonial ceremonies, friendly encounters and public declarations of “friendship” and “mutual interests.” But behind the scenes, both sides clashed over major issues, including sanctions, cyber security, artificial intelligence, Iran and Taiwan.
In the weeks preceding up to the meeting, Washington had been turning up the pressure on Beijing. U.S. authorities sanctioned Chinese companies on allegations of providing Iran with satellite intelligence and expressed alarm over alleged cyber espionage against vital U.S. infrastructure and data systems.
Meanwhile, claims emerged of theft of sophisticated U.S. artificial intelligence models, underscoring the increasing technical competition between the two nations.
But in conversations, Trump was significantly milder, praising Xi as a great leader and underlining the need for stable relations. But Chinese authorities have reiterated that Taiwan remains a red line and warned that any miscalculation on the matter may lead to a direct clash.
The conference also highlighted competing strategic agendas. The United States concentrated on recalibrating trade relations and increasing economic engagement, while China promoted what it called a framework of “strategic stability” to limit unexpected U.S. moves, such as tariffs, sanctions or military backing for Taiwan.
This disparity was especially visible in the Taiwan file, which became the most controversial subject during the discussions. Beijing has said long-term stability in relations will depend on Washington’s attitude toward the island, while the U.S. appeared to hold back several decisions, including a large military aid package, to avoid escalating tensions ahead of the summit.
Disputes stretched beyond Taiwan to Iran, where Washington remained suspicious of Beijing’s ongoing commercial relations with Tehran, particularly in the energy sector. The two countries agreed on the need to work together on artificial intelligence and agreed to initiate conversations on safety and regulation of the technology, as competition in the field heats up.
The summit underscored a dual-track relationship, with public diplomacy to keep escalation at bay while a quieter but growing strategic rivalry was playing out, analysts said. Though both sides seem bent on avoiding outright conflict, their differences continue to mark a long-term battle on the economic, technological and geopolitical fronts.
The meeting ended with an offer for Xi to visit Washington later this year, but the larger picture is that the apparent thaw in relations may be ephemeral, with tensions likely to remain.
