How the Trump-Xi summit could set superpower relations for many years to come Anthony Zurcher,North America correspondentandLaura Bicker,China correspondentBBCSecurity around Beijing's historic Tiananmen Square has been heightened for days, with rumours on social media swirling of a special parade or some big, choreographed event.Preparations for this major event have started with a whisper, but China appears ready to put on a show for US President Donald Trump.The visit will include talks, a banquet, and a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a complex of imperial temples where emperors would pray for a good harvest.And both Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be hoping the visit will bear fruit. This summit between the world's two most powerful leaders is set to be one of the most consequential encounters for years.Getty ImagesThis is the first visit by a US president since Trump's last one in 2017For months, US-China relations have been a lower priority for Trump. His focus has been on the ongoing war with Iran, military operations in the Western Hemisphere and domestic concerns.
But that all changes this week. The future of global trade, rising tensions in Taiwan, and competition in advanced technologies are all at stake.Economically, the ongoing trade war with the US and the conflict in Iran may be bad news for Xi, but ideologically and politically they're a gift and he will feel he has a strong hand.This visit could set the groundwork for future co-operation – or conflict – in the years ahead.The Iran whisperer?Speaking to reporters at the White House before heading to China on Tuesday, Trump said he would have a "long talk" about Iran with the Chinese leader.China is trying to quietly step in as a peacemaker with the war, now in its third month. Beijing has joined Pakistan as a mediator in the US-Israel war against Iran.Officials in Beijing and Islamabad presented a five-point plan in March with the aim of bringing about a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
And behind the scenes, Chinese officials have been gently nudging their Iranian counterparts towards the negotiation table.There's no doubt, despite its steady show of strength, that China is eager for an end to this war.The country's economy is already battling slower growth and higher unemployment. Increasing oil prices have driven up the cost of items made with petrochemicals, everything from textiles to plastics. For some producers in China, costs have gone up 20%.ReutersA billboard in Tehran shows the Strait of Hormuz as a gag stitched across Trump's mouth China has enviable oil reserves and the lead it has taken in renewables and electric cars has insulated it from the worst effects of the fuel crisis, but the war is causing more pain to a sluggish Chinese economy that is heavily reliant on exports.
However, if China is to step in and help the US, it will still want something in return.The visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Beijing last week seemed designed to show the kind of hold and influence China has in the Middle East.The US was watching closely. "I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "And that is that what you are doing in the Strait is causing you to be globally isolated.
You're the bad guy in this."VCG via ImagesOil prices affect Chinese exports and textile production significantly The US has also attempted to convince China not to block a new UN Security Council resolution condemning Iran's attacks on ships attempting to transit Hormuz after it, and Russia vetoed an earlier proposal."I think if we're going to bring Iran back to the negotiating table in an enduring way, I think that the United States recognises that China is going to play some role," says Ali Wyne, Senior Research and Advocacy Advisor for US-China relations at International Crisis Group.Trump, for his part, has appeared unbothered by China's close relationship with Tehran. While the US recently sanctioned a China-based refinery for transporting Iranian oil, the president last week downplayed any Chinese support for Iran during the conflict."It is what it is, right?" he told a US journalist. "We do things, too, against them."Taiwan's futureThe Trump administration has been sending mixed signals when it comes to Taiwan.Last December, the US announced an $11bn (£8bn) arms deal with Taiwan, infuriating the Chinese government in the process.
Trump, however, has downplayed the US willingness to defend Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory."He considers it to be a part of China," Trump said of Xi, "and that's up to him, what he's going to be doing."He has also said Taiwan does not adequately reimburse the US for its security guarantees, adding that it "doesn't give us anything". Last year, he imposed a 15% tariff on Taiwan and accused it of stealing semiconductor manufacturing from the US.Last week, Rubio said that Taiwan will be a topic of conversation during the visit, although the goal will be ensuring that the issue does not become a source of new tension between the two superpowers."We don't need any destabilising events to occur with regards to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo-Pacific," he said. "And I think that's to the mutual benefit of both the United States and the Chinese."Anadolu via ImagesTaiwan relies on the US for military supportFor its part, China has signalled that Taiwan is a priority in these talks.
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