Trump and Xi meet at the White House amid speculation on Iran and Taiwan

Donald Trump received Xi Jinping at the White House for a bilateral discussion centered on the fraught U.S.-China dynamic. Political scientist Sergiu Mișcoiu, who teaches at the University Babeș-Bolyai and University Paris-Est Créteil, predicts the dialogue will be dominated by mutual displays of strength and diplomatic formalities, with limited substantive content. Iran and Taiwan are expected to feature among the topics, yet Mișcoiu doubts any substantive barter, such as trading Taiwan for Chinese support to Iran, will materialise.

He described the encounter as largely theatrical, noting the leaders' long tenures and contrasting their political systems. The analyst also referenced past talks between Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin to highlight differences in approach, concluding that the Trump-Xi summit is unlikely to produce decisive outcomes.