Trump hosts Xi in Washington as Republicans face midterm risk
rfi.fr —
President Donald Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Thursday for a summit aimed at boosting Trump's standing ahead of US midterm elections, with Republicans at risk of losing Congress. The meeting faces disagreements over trade, Taiwan, Iran, and human rights. A successful summit could raise Trump's prestige, though expert Michael Dillon notes advantages are mainly in appearance, with detailed negotiations already ongoing between trade officials. Xi seeks to appear strong against a weakened Trump and may push for US withdrawal from Iran to protect China's energy imports. Taiwan arms sales and human rights issues remain secondary, as Trump's approach is transactional rather than principled.