Trump's China Shift: From Tariff Hawk to State Dinner Host for Xi
Trump hosts Xi Jinping for a state dinner, marking a dramatic shift from his past criticism of China as trade leverage slips away.
When Donald Trump first campaigned for the White House, he portrayed China as an economic threat that had hollowed out American factories and weakened the middle class. That message helped propel him to the presidency a decade ago. Now, the same president is preparing to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state dinner on Thursday, a striking reversal in tone and approach.
Trump has increasingly spoken of Xi in warm terms. This month he described the Chinese leader as "a great gentleman" and said the two get along well, adding that despite competition, the relationship is strong. On several issues, Trump has declined to confront Beijing. He dismissed reports that China supplied Iran with satellite imagery, saying Xi had "behaved reasonably well." When asked about alleged Chinese access to US voter files in 2020, he suggested China was different now and appeared reluctant to retaliate.
The hospitality comes as the two powers compete for global leadership. China has deepened its manufacturing dominance and pushed into artificial intelligence and electric vehicles, posing risks to economies from the US to Germany, Japan and South Korea. Unable to alter Chinese behaviour, Trump has turned to engagement. He visited Beijing in May, and the leaders may meet twice more this year at international summits. Preparations at the White House include a helipad on the South Lawn, though Trump has lamented that his ballroom will not be ready.
Trump insists the US remains ahead, but his tariff offensive last year backfired. China's near-monopoly on rare earths used in electronics helped force a trade armistice. "Xi and Trump got into a contest of leverage, and Xi came out on top," said Michael Kovrig of the International Crisis Group. Kovrig added that Trump has undermined alliances that could pressure China, citing mockery of French President Emmanuel Macron, mixed signals on NATO, and a trade fight with Canada.
Trump can claim symbolic wins. While Xi met three times with Democrat Joe Biden on summit sidelines, Trump will have secured two reciprocal state visits. The goods trade imbalance with China has declined from a year earlier, though officials note Chinese goods are increasingly routed through countries like Vietnam. Tariffs have not curbed China's manufacturing; it posted a $1.2 trillion global trade surplus last year as its low-priced EVs undercut rivals.
Both sides are using the truce to retrench. China is building military and AI capabilities despite chip restrictions, while the US pursues rare earth partnerships and pushes AI development. Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters it is "unfair to just label China" a bad actor on AI, adding that the two presidents "get along, they make deals together."
State visits usually yield policy or trade deliverables, but it is unclear what Thursday's meeting will produce. Evan Medeiros of Georgetown University said the main outcome may be the relationship itself. "We have this idiosyncratic president who believes in personal relationships and just wants to get along with Xi Jinping for the optics," he said, warning that this approach comes when the US needs to intensify competition.