Michael Pillsbury on Trump's Asia Trip and US-China Relations

Trump's High-Stakes Asia Trip

• ✈️ President Trump is embarking on a high-stakes visit to Asia, with a key focus on a face-to-face meeting with China's President Xi Jinping.
• 🤝 The meeting is expected to cover critical topics including trade, fentanyl, and nuclear weapons.

Key Issues on the Agenda

• 💊 Fentanyl is a top priority, with Trump aiming to impose a significant penalty on China for its role, potentially through a joint investigation into money laundering rings.
• 📈 The discussion will also address trade imbalances, referencing a previous agreement from January 2020 that was reportedly not implemented under the Biden administration.
• 🛢️ Other significant topics include China's purchase of Russian oil and efforts to find an end to the war in Ukraine.

The Trump-Xi Relationship

• 🗣️ Despite past tensions, President Trump and Xi Jinping have a history of frequent contact and a personal rapport, having met approximately six times previously.
• 🤝 This personal relationship often allows them to rise above specific issues and focus on their connection, which Trump believes can lead to positive outcomes.
• ⚠️ A past point of contention was Trump feeling betrayed over COVID-19, but this is not expected to derail the upcoming summit.

Potential Breakthroughs

• 🤝 A significant breakthrough could involve China's assistance in facilitating a meeting between Trump and the leader of North Korea during the trip to South Korea.
• 🎯 While both sides often declare summits successful, the hope is for specific achievements rather than just a general positive outcome.
• 🇺🇸 The US seeks direct concessions from Xi Jinping, as Chinese officials prefer to deal directly with President Trump rather than lower-level secretaries.