Phar, Kim Beng (2026) Cautious optimism as Xi and Trump prepare for first 2026 summit. Free Malaysia Today, 2026 (36). pp. 1-3.
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Abstract
This article examines the strategic significance of the anticipated 2026 summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry and global economic uncertainty. It argues that while structural competition between the United States and China remains deeply entrenched, sustained high-level diplomacy is essential to preventing strategic rivalry from escalating into open confrontation. The discussion analyses the summit within the broader context of trade disputes, technological competition, supply chain resilience, artificial intelligence governance, maritime security, and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. It further explores how both powers seek to stabilise bilateral economic relations despite continuing disagreements over Taiwan, advanced technologies, and military influence. Particular attention is given to the implications for ASEAN and other middle powers, which continue to pursue strategic equilibrium by maintaining economic engagement with China while preserving security cooperation with the United States. The article concludes that the principal value of the summit lies not in resolving long-standing disputes but in sustaining channels of communication, reducing the risk of miscalculation, and preserving a degree of predictability within an increasingly fragmented international order.
| Item Type: | Article (Electronic Media) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | United States–China Relations; Xi Jinping; Donald Trump; Great Power Competition; Strategic Stability; Summit Diplomacy; ASEAN |
| Subjects: | J Political Science > JZ International relations |
| Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) Office of the Rector |
| Depositing User: | Dr Kim Beng Phar |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Aug 2026 12:16 |
| Last Update: | 01 Aug 2026 12:17 |
| Queue Number: | 2026-07-Q4416 |
| URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/130396 |
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