Pats and praise: How Trump and Xi’s body language speaks louder than their words

All eyes are on Beijing as United States President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, sat down for historic talks on topics such as trade, Taiwan, and the Iran war. While much of the focus will be on what the two most powerful men in the world spoke, many others are looking at their body language.

After all, a lot can be gleaned from a handshake, eye contact, and pats on the back.

Here’s an analysis of Trump and Xi’s body language to get you into the minds of the two leaders as they met in Beijing.

The Trump-Xi handshake

When US President Donald Trump meets with other world leaders, he usually uses the handshake to cement his position of strength. Most body language experts note that the American leader uses his handshake as a weapon, a declaration of superiority.

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And in Beijing, Trump opted for the same tactic against Xi Jinping, but to no avail.

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. AP

The two world leaders met outside China’s Great Hall of the People, a massive Communist Party showpiece overlooking Tiananmen Square, to kick off their high-stakes summit. This handshake marks the seventh face-to-face between Trump and Xi and the pair’s first meeting in China since November 2017.

After Trump arrived with his entourage of business leaders as well as administration officials, he approached Xi for the handshake. This is interesting, noted body language expert Judi James. “It was Trump instigating the handshake by throwing his own hand out, palm tilted upward, from a few paces away. The one instigating the shake gets an early sense of dominance, which is why it is usually the host,” James told the Daily Mail.

The US president then tried to do his signature tug with Xi. However, the Chinese strongman remained firm, instead pulling Trump towards him.

According to Dr Lillian Glass, a communication and body language expert, the handshake also showed how serious Trump is about his visit. “When Trump was standing near Xi, and they were shaking hands, he leaned in towards Xi, showing warmth and closeness towards Xi,” she told The Mirror. “It indicates that this is one of the most serious trips he is having, and he is not taking it lightly.”

Trump’s high praise for Xi and China

Another notable aspect of Trump’s visit to China was the high praise that the American leader lavished on Xi Jinping and China.

After shaking hands at the formal welcome ceremony, the two world leaders entered the Great Hall of the People, where they held a two-hour conversation.

President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing. AP

In his opening remarks, Trump noted that it was “an honour” to be meeting Xi. “We’ve gotten along, when there were difficulties, we worked it out. I would call you and you would call me,” Trump said. “People don’t know, whenever we had a problem we worked it out very quickly.”

“I say it to everybody, you’re a great leader,” added the US president.

Following the talks, the two leaders also visited the Unesco World Heritage site, the Temple of Heaven. Even during this interaction, Trump was effusive in his praise for China. “Great place, incredible, China’s beautiful,” said the US president.

China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. AFP

Trump’s back pats are a power move

Many noticed that when Trump and Xi met, it was the American president who was gesturing directions to his Chinese counterpart. This suggested that it was Trump hosting Xi, rather than the reverse.

Also, Trump, on many occasions, made it a point to tap Xi on the arm or on the back. According to Dr Glass, this was a gesture of friendship as well as power. “Trump was very friendly with patting him,” she told the New York Post. “They were in close proximity to each other. There were a lot of smiles.”

The back pats were a “power move” but also served as “an affection move,” she added.

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping greet children waving Chinese and US national flags and flowers during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. AFP

Xi exudes calm yet power

Meanwhile, China’s Xi Jinping remained calm the entire time, maintaining a certain sense of aloofness while dealing with Trump, noted body language experts.

Many noted that while Xi expressed an openness with Trump, it wasn’t on the same level as he did with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un when the latter travelled to China last year. Nor was the same warmth on display when Vladimir Putin visited China last year.

However, experts noted that there was some affection shown by Xi as he even patted Trump on the back. Moreover, the seating arrangement within the Great Hall of the People also told its own story. James observed that while “the meeting room was huge the layout of the tables was actually relatively intimate by normal Chinese government standards, suggesting a desire from Xi to indulge in more direct and functional face-to-face discussions”.

Social media users also noted that in the battle of body language, it was Xi who emerged on top while Trump appeared to be nervous and deferential to his Chinese counterpart.

With inputs from agencies