Why Chinese President Xi Jinping won’t just ‘hop on a call’ with Donald Trump
Donald Trump has sent mixed signals regarding a potential call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This uncertainty highlights the cautious approach of Beijing, which is wary of the implications and timing of such discussions. Diplomatic observers suggest that the nature of any conversation could reveal much about China's attitude toward engaging with Trump.
This week marked the implementation of tariffs on Chinese goods, and Trump's statements shifted from a potential call happening within "24 hours" to expressing that he was "in no rush" to speak. According to Pang Zhongying, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, this reflects Trump's usual communication style, drawing parallels to his earlier claims about resolving the Ukraine conflict quickly. He noted that for leaders in other countries, contact might be straightforward, but for China, initiating a phone call is a more complex affair, contrasting their diplomatic customs with Trump's more direct approach.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Donald Trump has sent mixed signals regarding a potential call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This uncertainty highlights the cautious approach of Beijing, which is wary of the implications and timing of such discussions. Diplomatic observers suggest that the nature of any conversation could reveal much about China's attitude toward engaging with Trump.
This week marked the implementation of tariffs on Chinese goods, and Trump's statements shifted from a potential call happening within "24 hours" to expressing that he was "in no rush" to speak. According to Pang Zhongying, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, this reflects Trump's usual communication style, drawing parallels to his earlier claims about resolving the Ukraine conflict quickly. He noted that for leaders in other countries, contact might be straightforward, but for China, initiating a phone call is a more complex affair, contrasting their diplomatic customs with Trump's more direct approach.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
