Xi Jinping Lays Out the New Rules for Trump

Friday, September 25, 2026

Xi Jinping has called for extensive cooperation with Washington to avoid the "Thucydides trap" that could put the US and China on a military collision course amid rising tensions over artificial intelligence, trade and Taiwan.

Posted by Corky at 07:30 PM | 14 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

Alternate links: Google News | Twitter

When Xi invokes the Thucydides Trap, as he did again today, he means he sees China as the rising power and the U.S. as the declining power. Kinda weird for an American president to just let that go, especially in remarks delivered in the White House. But these are not normal times.
-- Michael McFaul (@mcfaulmike.bsky.social) 2:13 PM Â· Sep 24, 2026

Comments

Admin's note: Participants in this discussion must follow the site's moderation policy. Profanity will be filtered. Abusive conduct is not allowed.

"Xi invoked the phrase in his meeting with Trump in Beijing in May, asking the US president how he planned to avoid it.

Xi also extolled his personal relationship with his American counterpart, saying:

"President Trump and I have respect for each other. We have built personal rapport and stayed in touch."

"Despite the trade war between the two countries, Chinese imports have continue to surge into the US. China is on course to run a $1tn trade deficit for the second year running."

;;

Imagine what sort of a low-life character one has to be to have, 'great respect' for DJT... even if you are just placating his ego.

Most Corrupt Countries (higher the number the more corrupt)

tradingeconomics.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-09-24 04:31 PM | Reply

One thing I found interesting about this meeting of Pres Trump and Pres Xi ...

Initially, both sides were planning to bring major Tech Execs to the meeting.

Then in the last day or so, China seemed to have pulled out of that aspect of the meeting.

So, no tête-à-tête between the US tech execs and the Chinese tech execs.

That apparent last minute change left Pres Trump with a roomful of tech-execs, but no one for them to alk to or with.

As I mentioned... interesting.

Why the apparent last-minute change by the Chinese delegation?

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-09-24 08:51 PM | Reply

No Chinese CEOs on state dinner guest list
apnews.com

... The White House list of more than 130 invited guests for the state dinner includes plenty of American tech giants, but Chinese CEOs are conspicuously missing.

U.S. and Chinese planners did discuss including several executives from some notable Chinese companies, according to a person familiar with the planning for the state visit who was not authorized to comment publicly.

One obstacle that came up during the negotiations for the state visits was that the U.S. side was slow to suggest protocols and clarify what roles the Chinese CEOs would have in the state visit, the person said.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. ...

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-09-24 08:57 PM | Reply

I wonder what Xi thought of piggy showing him the picture of the auto pen he put up for Biden

America has a case of explosive diarrhea during the middle of sunday mass for a president

#4 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-09-24 09:02 PM | Reply

At this point, imo, it is too early to understand what may have occurred in the meeting, aside from the usual lies spouted by Pres Trump.

But, going into this meeting, Pres Xi had shown himself to be a leader concerned about the ~long term,~ and Pres Trump has shown himself to be a leader of ~what can you do for me now.~

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-09-24 11:27 PM | Reply

Was that contempt I saw on the face of the leader of China? He has to hang out with someone who clearly is not competent to cook a meal, or drive a cab, or pretty much anything but blather away...

#6 | Posted by Hughmass at 2026-09-26 06:37 AM | Reply

"Was that contempt I saw on the face of the leader of China?"

Bigly.

#7 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-09-26 08:03 AM | Reply

"President Trump and I have respect for each other. We have built personal rapport and stayed in touch."

In other words, the Chinese know when Trump's heart is going to beat before it does.

Along with loads of sensitive US information the Chinese thought it would take much more effort to get.

Xi has probably in his life never met someone without any intellectual curiosity or sense of personal honor or a notion of how the world operates outside of The Sopranos.

When Trump heard "Thucydides," his mind must have locked. Did he have a golf course there? That trap? The one by the 16th green?

And this is who the United States has elected for president. Twice. With eyes wide open.

No one will say the 21st century was the US's finest time. And there's a long way to go.

#8 | Posted by Dbt2 at 2026-09-26 08:47 AM | Reply

Imagine what sort of a low-life character one has to be to have, 'great respect' for DJT... even if you are just placating his ego.

It's called old-fashioned international states[person]ship. At least someone is maintaining their usual image of cool-headedness, for whatever purposes.

I can have great respect, in some respects, for someone I loathe.

Trump's not one of them.

I dunno. Pete Rose, maybe?

#9 | Posted by Dbt2 at 2026-09-26 08:54 AM | Reply

Donald Trump never knew who Thucydides is.

I long for a president who has a brain...

A heart...

Courage...

Instead of this thing that we've got.

#10 | Posted by Zed at 2026-09-26 09:14 AM | Reply

I'm surprised one of the rules wasn't to make journalists pronounce his name correctly.

Or maybe not, since he doesn't like being called "she".

#11 | Posted by sentinel at 2026-09-26 09:32 AM | Reply

"Did he have a golf course there? That trap? The one by the 16th green?"

Or maybe one from Thailand, that Hunter or Don Jr got stuck in one time.

#12 | Posted by sentinel at 2026-09-26 09:35 AM | Reply

Let's hope Der Dotard didn't sell out Taiwan at this meeting. An offer to develop at Trump-branded golf resort on the mainland was probably put forth as an inducement to stand by during the invasion of the island ...

#13 | Posted by catdog at 2026-09-26 09:51 AM | Reply

Jake Tapper Digs Up Clip of Trump Mocking Obama-Xi State Dinner: 'Get Down To Work'
www.mediaite.com

... CNN's Jake Tapper aired an old clip of President Donald Trump blasting then-President Barack Obama for hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state dinner in 2015.

"He's getting a big dinner, free, at the White House, addressing the UN," O'Reilly said in the clip, referring to the Chinese president. "If you were president, would you throw him a big dinner?"

"I would not be throwing him a dinner," Trump declared. "We've had this conversation. I'd get him a McDonald's hamburger, and I'd say, 'We gotta get down to work.'" ...

#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-09-26 01:32 PM | Reply