The ‘G2’ illusion? After Xi-Trump summit, China wants equality while the US seeks deals

AI Summary

Following a Xi-Trump summit, Washington and Beijing have reportedly signed an agreement framed around reciprocity, but its meaning for China's status as an equal remains disputed. Other countries are watching the ambiguity, while the summit's ceremonial staging has been interpreted as a signal about diplomatic rank.

Washington and Beijing may have signed an agreement built around “reciprocity”. But a more consequential question remains unresolved: does it mean equal status for Beijing? Countries without a seat at the table are watching that ambiguity closely. The spectacle of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington – the tarmac greeting, the flyovers, the state dinner – has been interpreted less as courtesy than as a statement of rank. Some argue that China is no longer being treated as...