Can steely Xi Jinping and volatile Donald Trump find the right personal chemistry in Florida?
David Shambaugh says any rapport between the two leaders at their first face-to-face meeting next week will be vital to the Sino-US relationship in the years to come. Whatever’s on the agenda in Florida, generalities will not be enough
While each leader will take the other’s measure in their first encounter, it is important that they establish such direct lines of communication. The signals the two presidents convey – from their body language to substantive policy discussions – will set the tone of the broader bilateral relationship in the months and years to come. If it goes well, the summit could contribute some much-needed stabilisation to the volatile and stressed relationship. A productive framework and process can be established to manage the complex agenda between the two countries.
When Xi meets Trump: why the casual approach in Mar-a-Lago could pay dividends
To be sure, we should not expect too much from one meeting, but it does offer the opportunity for a fresh start in this new chapter of the Sino-American relationship. If the two leaders can establish a respectful and positive tenor between them, it will help their respective bureaucracies and officials cope with the weighty set of issues they confront.
Conversely, if their personal chemistry is poor and the talks are contentious, this could lock in a negative dynamic that will be difficult to undo. In this regard, Trump’s volatile personality and propensity to overreact will be a wild card at the summit – while Xi’s steely calm and measured persona will be an asset if Trump proves caustic or confrontational. But if Xi is wooden and mechanically follows scripted talking points – as Chinese leaders are prone to do – it could irritate Trump, who is impatient and prefers impromptu dialogue.
