As Trump Heads to Beijing, China Is ‘Locked and Loaded’ for a Fight
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- President Trump and China's Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing, emphasizing peace and stability publicly while both countries prepare for a prolonged economic conflict behind the scenes.
- China has recently taken assertive steps including introducing legal mechanisms to counter U.S. sanctions, blocking Meta's acquisition of a Chinese AI start-up, and punishing foreign businesses that comply with Western pullbacks.
- The escalating economic tensions involve steep tariffs, restrictions on rare earths and critical technologies, and sanctions on major industrial firms from both sides.
- The upcoming meeting will test whether the two leaders can agree on measures to limit their economic confrontations, amid China's signals of readiness to intensify countermeasures against U.S. sanctions.
- This confrontation has been developing over the past decade, with Trump initiating tariffs and sanctions during his first term, and China responding with regulatory and legal counteractions.