In just 43 hours, the 79-year-old held two meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, inspected troops, attended a state banquet and walked around the Temple of Heaven in the sweltering heat – not to mention posting his signature social media posts in the early hours of the morning.
There were no signs of jet lag, and Trump appeared to be in good spirits, cheering up everyone he met and looking genuinely happy. In Beijing, he was at his best, temporarily abandoning the antics he often uses to fool other world leaders. He followed protocol, spoke like a consummate diplomat, and despite his well-known teetotaller, appeared to take a sip of champagne as he toasted his Chinese hosts.
If an alien had visited Earth this week, we might have concluded that this was a meeting between two great allies, not two superpowers locked in an intense rivalry that threatens to collapse global peace and order.
However, it would be naive to think that two days of fraternization between Xi and Trump would reset a relationship fraught with mutual suspicion. While the two leaders smiled for the cameras, readouts released afterward revealed that each remained strictly focused on their own priorities. Details of any actual deals remain scarce and vague, and many pitfalls lie ahead – especially regarding the US handling of the Taiwan issue.
