Trump expects ‘big, fat hug’ from Xi amid tense agenda

Taiwan, tariffs, rare earths and the US-Israel war on Iran are among the contentious topics set to be discussed by the two leaders, whose styles of communication could hardly be more different. Trump’s often bombastic, freewheeling comportment on the international stage contrasts dramatically with Xi’s measured, tight-lipped approach to foreign policy. In mid-April, the US president predicted that Xi would greet him with a “big, fat hug” upon his arrival in Beijing, adding that “we are working together smartly, and very well!” China, in contrast, did not confirm the visit was taking place until Monday, typical of its reserve on such matters. Despite the clash of styles, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Monday that China considers leader-to-leader diplomacy as playing an “irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations”. Trump’s trip to China is the first by a US president since he visited back in 2017. During that first-term sojourn, he received what the Chinese termed “state visit-plus” treatment, including a private tea reception in the Forbidden City. Trump, who will turn 80 next month, and Xi, who will turn 73 a day later, last met face-to-face in October on the sidelines of a regional summit in South Korea. There, the two agreed to a one-year truce in a trade war that saw tariffs on many goods exceed 100 per cent. His 2026 trip is expected to include a tour of the Temple of Heaven and a state banquet, but analysts say the pomp will not match that of nine years ago. Since Trump’s first visit, China has learned that while “aggrandisement… plays to his ego, it cannot