What Middle Powers Fear from the Trump-Xi Summit
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Several middle-power countries are securing defense and energy deals amid global uncertainty, including Poland hosting South Korean tank production, Australia purchasing Japanese warships, Canada sending uranium to India, India offering cruise missiles to Vietnam, and Brazil building military transport planes for the UAE.
- These moves reflect efforts by smaller nations to protect themselves amid disrupted global energy supplies caused by the conflict in Iran and the looming high-stakes summit between U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
- Global trust in the United States and China is low, with both powers using their influence over trade and security to coerce or punish other countries, prompting smaller nations to act cautiously to avoid provoking either giant.
- The upcoming Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing has generated a mix of dread and hope, especially in Asia, where oil shortages and export controls have hit hardest, leaving many middle powers feeling overwhelmed by the deteriorating international order.