In this ‘ask ian,’ Ian Bremmer explains why the Trump-Xi meeting is set up to go well, and what each leader wants out of it.
As Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping during UN General Assembly week, Ian says the two leaders are approaching the meeting with very different timelines.
Trump is focused on what he can deliver before the next election, including Chinese purchases of soybeans and Boeing aircraft and gaining control of TikTok's data and algorithm. Xi is thinking five to 20 years ahead, looking for openings on Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the durability of US alliances.
Ian notes that China is also positioning itself as a more stable, engaged player in institutions like the United Nations. He closes by pointing to artificial intelligence as the one front where neither country is slowing down, and where American public opinion may be a bigger obstacle for Washington than the technology gap itself.
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