Why the Xi-Trump summit is a high-stakes gamble
The Chinese and Americans have different views of diplomacy and both sides have a lot to lose with a negative outcome from the meeting
This week’s summit between President Xi Jinping and US counterpart Donald Trump has rekindled an old debate about the meaning of diplomacy.
Summit diplomacy is perceived differently in Beijing and Washington, with Chinese diplomats appearing to attach more importance to protocol and American ones preferring to focus on substance over form, and that raises the stakes enormously.
Gu Su, an expert on mainland politics from Nanjing University, said the debate might boil down to differences in political system and ideology.
“It’s been a tradition in China to value these kinds of in-person meetings between important leaders,” he said. “Small symbols such as their handshakes are all part of our face diplomacy and often cited as diplomatic accomplishments.”
But in the West, where political systems were more open and transparent, people would want to know “where’s the beef?”, Gu added.
The different understandings of diplomacy have prompted some observers to express concerns about negative outcomes from the summit, citing the massive risks and challenges both leaders face – at home and abroad.
