History repeats in Shenzhen? China hosts another lame-duck US president
Echoing Obama’s 2016 visit, the Apec meeting will show whether Trump can broker enduring agreements with Beijing
Quick Look
- Following midterm election losses, US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Apec summit in Shenzhen.
- The meeting raises questions about Trump's ability to secure lasting diplomatic agreements while politically vulnerable.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
In 2016, Barack Obama attended a G20 summit in Hangzhou while facing domestic political constraints. US-China relations subsequently deteriorated into a trade war during the Trump administration.
A decade after hosting a politically hobbled Barack Obama at a Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, China is preparing to welcome another “lame-duck” US president for a multilateral gathering: Donald Trump.
Following the Republicans’ loss of both chambers of the US Congress in the midterm elections on Tuesday – a drubbing that reached deep into historically red states – Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen. It will be their third face-to-face meeting this year.
Obama’s five-hour talks with Xi in 2016 did not prevent ties from later unravelling into a trade war after Trump took office – raising questions over whether Trump’s post-midterm vulnerability will limit his room for lasting diplomacy, even if he clinches quick deals in Shenzhen.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Trump and Xi to meet in Shenzhen in two weeks.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the meeting result in concrete trade agreements?
- How will the US midterm results affect Trump's foreign policy?
