May 9th, 2026

‘It’s Not Because They Want to Be Friends’: Brilliant on What to Expect From the Trump-Xi Summit

The postponed Beijing summit between President Trump and China’s President Xi is back on the agenda, delayed by a war in Iran that has reshaped the dynamic between the two leaders. After a tumultuous 2025 that saw tariff escalation and revealed critical mineral choke points, both sides are looking for stability, not a breakthrough. Myron Brilliant, who recently returned from Beijing, says China thinks it's cracked the code on Trump.