Pageantry matters for US-China summits, even with modest results
Por Bernard Chan — South China Morning Post – News feed
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Opinion Bernard Chan Pageantry matters for US-China summits, even with modest results
While Hong Kong was absent from discussions, this year’s summits show that Beijing and Washington can manage ceremony, dialogue and pragmatic compromise
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Bernard Chan Bernard Chan, born in 1965, is a Hong Kong businessman. Published: 9:30am, 16 Oct 2026 The most consequential outcome of President Xi Jinping’s Washington visit might be his US counterpart Donald Trump’s unusually lavish welcome . It told Beijing, US allies and global markets that, however fierce the strategic rivalry, China’s importance makes sustained diplomatic engagement essential.
The airport greeting, lavish banquet at the White House and flyover by military aircraft restored the appearance of a workable relationship between two powers. Even so, Beijing has learned not to mistake presidential warmth for policy assurance.
Trump visited Beijing only four months earlier. That May meeting produced plans for new trade and investment boards alongside Chinese commitments on aircraft and agricultural purchases. Yet in July, Trump’s administration imposed new tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners, including China, alleging they had failed to curb imports made with forced labour. Select Voice Select Speed 0.8x 0.9x 1.0x 1.1x 1.2x 1.5x 1.75x 00:00 00:00 1x AI-generated voice
