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Analysts tip a stronger hand for China ahead of Xi-Trump summit in Washington

When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make…

By Samantha Johnson / September 19, 2026

When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the second part of a series, Fan Chen looks at Beijing’s stronger position going into the high-stakes visit.

Beijing is poised to begin this week’s summit with Washington from a position of strength, bolstered by a flurry of recent diplomatic outreach.

Chinese confidence could be further reinforced by the United States’ latest push to make headway on conflicts in Ukraine and Iran – wars that observers say Washington may need Beijing’s cooperation to help resolve – even if a near-term truce remains unlikely.

Just weeks before his Washington trip, Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on one of his most intense overseas itineraries, paying a state visit to Egypt after wrapping up the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

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