‘Less aggressive. More measured. Almost restrained’: Did Trump cow down to Xi in China?
Donald Trump has departed China after two days of talks with Xi Jinping. From lavishing praise to staying mum on the thorny issue of Taiwan, the US president was measured, almost subdued, in his interactions with his Chinese leader. Some observers even claimed that the American leader appeared to be grovelling. But why?
It’s a wrap! After two days of intense talks with Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump has departed from China and is heading back to the States.
Before his departure from Beijing, the US president noted that he had made “fantastic trade deals” with China’s Xi Jinping and also reaped a Chinese offer to help open the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve made some fantastic trade deals, great for both countries,” he said after a walk with Xi among the rosebushes in the gardens of Zhongnanhai, the secret compound next to Beijing’s Forbidden City. “We’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to solve,” he added, without providing details.
More from ExplainersAs locals flocked to see the US president’s departure, it was hard to miss the fact that Trump was quite toned down with his interactions with Xi. He was uncharacteristically subdued and on many occasions even seemed to be deferential to Xi.
Trump’s high praise of Xi
Most often, Trump is known for being bombastic and confrontational in his interactions with world leaders. Who can forget his argument with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House last year?
However, none of that was visible when Trump touched down in China on May 13 and began his talks with Xi Jinping a day later. On Day 1 of his visit, after formally meeting his Chinese counterpart outside China’s Great Hall of the People, the two leaders sat down for extensive talks. At the outset, the American president called Xi a “great leader” and spoke of a “fantastic future”.
Trump added that it was an “honour” to meet and call the Chinese president his “friend”.
“We’ve gotten along. When there were difficulties, we worked it out. I would call you and you would call me. People don't know, whenever we had a problem we worked it out very quickly,” he said. “You’re a great leader, sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it’s true...It’s an honour to be with you; it’s an honour to be your friend... We’re going to have a fantastic future together.”
Later, in an interview with Fox News, Trump once again resorted to praising Xi. “If you went to Hollywood and you look for a leader of China, to play a role in a movie, he’s central casting… you couldn't find a guy like him.
“Even his physical features, you know, he’s tall, very tall, and especially for this country, because they tend to be a little bit shorter… but no, if you went to Hollywood, you wouldn’t find that, you’re not going to find a guy to play the role who’s good.”
Many even noted that Trump wasn’t just effusive in his praise for Xi, but also that his mannerisms seemed more toned down. Commentator Chris Wick noted, “Trump’s tone just changed — and people are starting to notice. When he speaks about Xi, it’s different.
“That shift is raising questions. Because Trump is known for applying pressure, not pulling back. So when the tone softens, it suggests something deeper may be at play. Respect maybe fear? You tell me,” he posted on X.
Trump remained muted on Taiwan
Before Trump left Washington for China, many noted that Taiwan would dominate the Xi-Trump talks. Observers suggested that Taipei feared the unpredictable and transactional Trump might overturn Washington’s longstanding support for the island democracy, which Beijing claims as a breakaway province, during the talks.
However, throughout Thursday and Friday’s talks, Trump remained mum on the island. When asked about Taiwan during their Temple of Heaven visit, Trump sidestepped questions, choosing to remain mum. Even a White House readout of the meeting published later omitted mention of the country.
Trump’s silence comes after Xi took a firm tone, declaring that “Taiwan independence” and peace in the Taiwan Strait were “incompatible”. The Chinese leader even issued an ominous warning that the “Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations” and that any disagreements on the hot topic could result in war.
“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,” Xi said.
Xi calls US a ‘declining nation… And Trump agrees!
If these weren’t enough indicators of a more restrained Trump, then his post on Truth Social would provide sufficient proof. Trump agreed with Xi in describing the US as a nation in decline. He, however, sought to soften the impact of the remarks by asserting that the Chinese leader was referring specifically to the Joe Biden administration and not the current state of the country under his leadership.
“When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100 per cent correct,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“Our country suffered immeasurably with open borders, high taxes, transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, DEI, horrible trade deals, rampant crime, and so much more!," Trump added.
Many note that the American leader’s post was in reference to Xi cautioning against falling into the “Thucydides Trap” — a concept in international relations drawn from the rise of Athens as it challenged the dominance of Sparta. The theory, coined by Harvard professor Graham Allison, suggests that an established power eventually clashes with a rising one after feeling threatened by its ascent.
Reasons behind Trump’s toned-down behaviour
Trump’s mannerisms, choice of words, and overall tenor are in stark contrast to his previous approach to China. Not too long ago, the US president accused China of ripping America off. Stealing its jobs. He then imposed “tremendous tariffs. Bigly pressure.”
But that was then. Now, Trump had to go into the meeting knowing he was not on even keel with Xi and China. The Asian giant leads the world in trade, exports, energy consumption, rare earth minerals, and electric vehicles. With its huge market, China has an upper hand.
The other factor is the Iran war. Despite his grand claims, Trump has failed to make Tehran relent. And the US president may have been desperate to get Iran’s partner, China, on his side. To do that, may be Trump realised that he would have to bend a bit.
As Christopher Bucktin wrote in The Mirror, “The art of the deal, it turns out, looks a lot like the art of the grovel when the other man holds all the cards. Xi knew it. The ‘greatest’ businessmen in the world knew it. The only person in the room who appeared not to notice was the man standing there calling everyone beautiful.”
With inputs from agencies
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