Donald Trump breaking US presidential protocol for Xi Jinping is no ordinary event!
When US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump arrived at Joint Base Andrews to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, it was only natural for the entire world to be astonished! This was the first time since 1962 that an American President had personally gone to the airport to receive a foreign dignitary. This raised a question: Is this truly respect for China’s stature or some new kind of politics by the US? It has been a diplomatic tradition in the United States that whenever foreign dignitaries arrive, the responsibility of welcoming them at the airport lies with the Vice President, the secretary of state or the protocol officer. The President receives guests strictly at the White House.
However, there have been exceptions in the past. For instance, in 1962, the then President John F Kennedy personally welcomed the then British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan at Andrews Air Force Base. Kennedy is believed to have done this to display the strategic partnership and friendship between the US and Britain to the world. My friend and MP Shashi Tharoor recently revealed that when India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reached the US in 1949, the then President Harry S Truman welcomed him at the airport.
Similarly, when Pandit Nehru visited the US in 1961, John F Kennedy received him. As the architect of Panchsheel, Pandit Nehru commanded immense stature. So the question is: Why did Trump break protocol to welcome Xi Jinping? Is the US now acknowledging China’s stature? Look, China has undoubtedly built a stature for itself, and whether one admits it directly or not, the US too is well aware of this reality. However, this does not mean Trump welcomed Xi solely because of China’s status. Trump is a businessman at heart and he views politics through a commercial lens too. Probably, he was thinking that if Xi Jinping received a grand reception and praise, Xi might extend a hand of friendship towards the US.
Naturally, such a mindset develops from the position of power the US occupies. It feels everyone is eager to be its friend. China, however, is different. Xi Jinping has established China as the world’s largest trader, making it a game of trade diplomacy. So, the one who manages to outsmart the other in strategic manoeuvres will ultimately emerge the gainer. If you watch the videos of Xi Jinping’s visit to the US and observe the two leaders’ body language, Trump appears enthusiastic whereas Xi Jinping maintained a deeply composed and solemn demeanour. In fact, China believes that the US is doing everything it can to stall its progress. Xi is well aware that Trump is trying to lay a trap.
Trump temporarily put the process of providing $14 billion worth of arms to Taiwan on hold to please Xi, but China wants an explicit assurance that the US will not extend any help to Taiwan! Taiwan is one of China’s raw nerves and the US wants to keep its grip firmly on that nerve. China, too, is not shying away from showing its aggressive posture at every opportunity. It responded with equal firmness to the US’ trade war. The US extended the November deadline over the trade war for only two months. China wanted it to be extended by at least a year. China wants Trump’s term to pass somehow and deal with what comes next when the time comes! Meanwhile, the US wants China to offer concessions regarding rare earth minerals, but China is also keeping its fist tight. It is simply not prepared to bow down to the US under any circumstances. China realises that despite several domestic challenges, it has emerged as a global powerhouse, and only by standing up to the US can it progress towards achieving global dominance. And therefore, China is treading with extreme caution.
Poles apart on AI!
Have you noticed that the global superpowers, the US and China, are not on the same page when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI)? Concerns are currently emerging: Will AI eventually overpower humanity? Experts argue that this issue demands serious attention. Xi Jinping has consistently maintained that AI must always remain under human control, whereas Trump flatly dismissed the fear that AI could destroy humanity! In my view, not just the superpowers, but the entire world must unite on this critical issue to ensure that no threat looms over the very survival of humankind.
Why is Turkey raising kashmir issue?
Turkish President Erdogan has once again played the Kashmir card at the UN General Assembly. Frankly, this man is strange. In 2024, when Turkey was trying to make inroads into BRICS, he maintained silence in the UN General Assembly. But in his desire to become the leader of the Islamic world, he gets an itch over Kashmir. I don’t know why Erdogan forgets that the population of Indian Muslims is twice the size of Turkey’s entire population. Don’t you dare even talk about Kashmir!
*The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha. [email protected]
