U.S. President Donald Trump walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, May 15. AP-Yonhap
In his first visit to China in nearly nine years, U.S. President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping managed to portray an ambience of coexistence and cooperation, despite some barbs traded. Notably, Thursday’s meeting centered Iran, Taiwan and trade issues. The White House said the two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz should "remain open" and that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons, while the Chinese foreign ministry reiterated its stance on the Iran war.
The absence of major differences and blow-ups, along with trade deals forged, are the key points of the summit. Much hinged on this meeting, which had been delayed due to the war in Iran. The ceremonial pomp was befitting of the occasion. Trump and Xi visited the Temple of Heaven complex and Zhongnanhai compound, which is adjacent to the Forbidden City. Synonymous with China’s power, it hosts the Chinese leader’s primary residence as well as central government headquarters.
The public exchanges between the two were sufficiently welcoming and friendly, more so on the part of the U.S. president. The International Monetary Fund gave the summit a positive grade Thursday, saying it welcomed the dialogue between Trump and Xi.
Yet, we have to underline the visible differences in nuance and tone between the two leaders, who did not issue any joint statements. In Thursday’s public opening remarks, Trump said, "It’s an honor to be your friend," and expressed hope that the bilateral ties between Washington and Beijing were "going to better than ever before." For his part, Xi mentioned the "Thucydides Trap," a foreign policy term describing the tendency for tension between rising and established powers to lead to confrontation, as he did before in 2014. Xi may have conveyed that "cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both," and that "the two countries should be partners rather than rivals." Yet, considering the thickening rivalry between the two nations, Xi’s comments were notably pointed.
More importantly, Xi addressed the sensitive topic of Taiwan during a closed-door meeting, saying that any mishandling of differences on the issue could prompt U.S.-China ties to reach a "dangerous place." Trump did not publicly address reporters’ questions on the topic himself, delegating it to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Instead, Trump stressed the discussions on Iran on Friday and touted the "fantastic trade deals" forged with China concerning the purchase of U.S. agricultural products, oil and Boeing jets. Xi, on the other hand, categorized the summit as a "milestone visit," where the U.S. and China struck a new bilateral relationship, agreeing to build "a relationship of constructive strategic stability."
As the two leaders address their respective national interests in a relatively friendly and businesslike manner, Korea should read into the varying differences, the perceived "threat level" and the intention for cooperation demonstrated during the summit. The implications are not the easiest to untangle. The U.S. is a traditional ally of Korea, while China is one of its largest trading partners. Following the summit, Korea’s military relations with the U.S. and its ties with China as trading partners hang in the balance.
The issue of Taiwan may also well affect Korea in terms of security, as both areas are essential to the U.S.’ security landscape in the Asia-Pacific region. The pressing call for modernization of Seoul’s alliance with Washington translates into more strategic flexibility for U.S. forces stationed in Korea, most recently witnessed with the deployment of munitions from U.S. Forces Korea for the war in Iran. In that respect, Seoul must consider Xi’s comments on Taiwan with some gravity.
Source: Korea Times News
