Trump's China Deals Are Just "Performance," Says Ex-US Trade Rep

Summary

Former US Trade Representative Katherine Tai analyses the Trump-Xi summit, arguing it is largely symbolic and fails to address deep structural issues in US-China trade. She criticises the lack of clear principles behind administration tariff policy and warns that China's dominance in rare earths and manufacturing overcapacity poses ongoing risks.

• Katherine Tai views the summit as mostly performance with little substantive progress.
• She points to unresolved trade commitments like soybean purchases and Boeing jet orders.
• The US tariff strategy is criticised for lacking clear objectives and coherence.
• China's concentration in rare earths and manufacturing is seen as a strategic chokepoint.
• The US has not addressed the 'second China shock' from overcapacity in solar, EVs, and batteries.
• The administration's emphasis on deals with CEOs undermines its working-class rhetoric.
• Tai expresses concern that past mistakes in US-China policy are being repeated.
• The future of US-China relations remains uncertain and potentially less peaceful and prosperous.