As Trump readies to meet Xi, experts say he is ‘desperate for a win’
Key takeaways
- Trade between the two countries has suffered since Trump came into office even as China’s exports have hit new highs.
- The US is busy with wars in the Middle East, and President Donald Trump’s approval rating is cratering at home: he is desperate for a win, which could give China the upper hand.
- Beijing retaliated with its own tariffs and halted the exports of rare earth metals, an essential component for a range of industries, including cars and smartphones, and which China has a monopoly in.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Trade between the two countries has suffered since Trump came into office even as China’s exports have hit new highs.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Donald Trump is headed to China for a summit with his counterpart Xi Jinping desperate for a win [File: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters]By Megha Bahree Published On 13 May 202613 May 2026With the leaders of the United States and China set to meet this week, experts say this is the best time for President Xi Jinping to negotiate. The US is busy with wars in the Middle East, and President Donald Trump’s approval rating is cratering at home: he is desperate for a win, which could give China the upper hand.
Trade between the world’s two largest economies has been disrupted since Trump returned to office last year and unleashed a series of tariffs on the world, imposing some of the highest rates on China, 145 percent at one point.