The main outcome of the Xi Jinping–Trump meeting was the fact of talks itself: Yana Leksyutina

Yana Leksyutina, PhD in political science, professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and deputy director of the RAS Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, commented to Alpha News on China-US relations on the sidelines of the international scientific and practical conference “Russia and the new multipolarity: from idea to reality,” held for the 20th anniversary of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE).

Commenting on the results of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s recent visit to the US, the expert said its main outcome was the fact that talks took place and that dialogue between the sides was preserved.

“As for the latest meeting, which took place quite recently, there were in fact no results. The main result was the observance of diplomatic ceremony. If you look at how this meeting was characterized, all we can see is the lavish reception given to Xi Jinping. As far as I can tell, no results were achieved, at least none that became public.

The only result was a certain understanding that the trade war, which has been going on for several years now, will be somewhat slowed. That is, there was a certain postponement in the introduction of tariffs, duties and so on. So we can say that, in principle, there were no results at all. Many analysts say the only result was the fact of the meeting itself. Of course, that is quite a significant achievement. It is Xi Jinping’s first state visit in several years. But, in principle, that is probably where the results end,” Leksyutina said.

In the expert’s view, relations between the US and China will remain complicated over the coming decades, marked by periodic crises and stages of stabilization.

“As for the Thucydides trap, it is quite a complex question. I think it is hard to give an unequivocal answer. It is obvious that it is quite difficult for two great powers to build partnership and cooperative relations. Whether these relations will worsen, whether some confrontational component will deepen, is quite hard to say.

But it is obvious that relations will nevertheless be quite complicated in the decades ahead. Most likely, these will be relations in which micro-conflicts and micro-crises occur, followed by a degree of stabilization. Whether we will see some major conflict is quite a complex question,” Leksyutina concluded.