President Xi Jinping appeared to quietly undercut Donald Trump's trademark 'juvenile' power handshake during ahigh‑stakes summit in Beijingon Thursday, as the Chinese president kept his posture rigid and unflustered while the US leader tugged and gripped for the cameras.
Trump's handshake has become something of a diplomatic sideshow over the years, a physical ritual that critics say he uses to project dominance over fellow leaders. Videos of his encounters with Emmanuel Macron, Shinzo Abe and most recently King Charles III have circulated widely, dissected frame by frame as if they were penalty shoot‑outs rather than protocol moments.
This latest meeting in China was supposed to be about the big questions of global politics and trade. Instead, within minutes of the two men greeting each other, the spotlight flicked to Trump's right hand. As photographers shouted and shutters snapped, Trump clamped onto Xi's hand in a tight, lingering grip, leaning slightly in as if to pull the Chinese leader towards him.
On social media, the verdict was swift and not especially flattering. 'Trump attempts his juvenile power move, tug-of-war handshake, with President Xi, who knows exactly how to handle a malignant narcissist,' one user wrote on X, summing up the mood among critics who have come to see the handshake as theatre rather than diplomacy.
The description might be loaded, but the footage shows Trump's knuckles whiten as Xi's arm barely budges.
Trump attempts his juvenile power move, tug-of-war handshake, with president Xi who knows exactly how to handle a malignant narcissist asshole.pic.twitter.com/akYVL1j4L4
Another observer on X argued that Xi, far from being overpowered, 'comes across as the one quietly dominating the interaction by refusing to play long or show any tension.'
Screen grabs circulating online show Xi's expression hardly changing, his shoulders square and his elbow pinned in close, a classic way of stopping another person from yanking you off balance.
This comes after Trump was seen trying a similar manoeuvre with King Charles III during his four‑day state visit to the US. That earlier handshake reportedly lasted around ten seconds, with the King refusing to be the first to let go and standing firm as Trump attempted his familiar pull. Commentators at the time noted that the British monarch had essentially neutralised the move by sheer stillness.
In Beijing, Xi seemed to take a similar approach. One X user, watching the clip, wrote that 'Xi tucked that elbow in and didn't give. He just said, 'You're in my country bud, I'm the captain now.'
Source: International Business Times UK
