Among the few winners from Donald Trump’s election victory was China’s Xi Jinping. This may not seem obvious as the two leaders meet at the so-called winter White House in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Mr Trump has things to get off his chest — about trade, North Korea and, probably, the South China Sea. Any short-term discomfort for the Chinese president, however, should be measured against Beijing’s long-term strategic gain.
For a US president who is nothing if not a narcissist, this first meeting with his Chinese counterpart is a moment to show he can play tough. Bluster has its downsides. He has been obliged to step back from an early challenge to China’s claim on Taiwan. A campaign promise to charge Beijing with currency manipulation in building its huge trade surplus has also been put to one side. But Mr Trump needs to get something on trade. The smart move for Mr Xi would be to offer him at least a modest win.
Canvassed before November’s US presidential election, Chinese officials seemed to favour a victory for Hillary Clinton. They had no love for the Democratic party contender. On the contrary, Mrs Clinton’s role in Barack Obama’s Asian “pivot” aroused considerable hostility, as did her insistence on raising human rights. But she was judged predictable. The Beijing leadership values predictability — this year more than most as Mr Xi seeks to tighten his grip on power at the Communist party’s 19th National Congress.