Just days before Donald Trump is set to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing, Jeremy Kinsman and Peter Donolo welcome back Howard Balloch, Canada’s former ambassador to China, to discuss the state of play heading into the summit and various scenarios that may emerge from it.
Balloch’s view is that Xi arrives with a clear strategy, while Trump remains far harder to predict. The discussion turns to Taiwan, China’s long game, the risks of a new G2-style world order, and what smaller powers like Canada can do when the two most powerful countries increasingly shape the rules around trade, security and global stability.
