Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping hold a call and discuss trade, Taiwan and Ukraine
NPR3 days
Trump, Xi Plan State Visits Amid Taiwan, Ukraine Talks
Is Trump enabling PRC aggression, or promoting responsible global dialogue?
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025. Image credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump's diplomatic engagement with China creates dangerous breathing room for Beijing to escalate pressure on Taiwan and Japan while avoiding economic consequences. China is strategically redirecting aggression toward smaller allies after securing trade benefits from Washington, using the U.S. relationship as cover to intensify coercion campaigns and threaten regional stability through calculated escalation management.
Pro-Trump narrative
President Trump is deftly navigating Sino-American relations. Great progress is being made on trade, drugs and agriculture. The Trump administration is looking forward to constructive upcoming dialogue.
Pro-China narrative
Xi's diplomatic outreach to Trump reinforces legitimate historical claims over Taiwan while promoting regional stability through great power cooperation. China's measured response to Japanese provocations demonstrates responsible leadership, seeking to preserve hard-won progress in U.S.-China relations while defending core sovereignty interests through established international frameworks.
Metaculus Prediction
There is a 50% chance Xi Jinping will leave power in China by November 2031, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0