Trump-Xi summit preparations falter as planning gaps unsettle Beijing
Analysts warn thin US coordination and rushed timelines risk weak deliverables and surprises ahead of high-stakes Beijing meeting
Less than six weeks ahead of a likely summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, preparations are inadequate, bilateral contacts anaemic and outcomes diminished, according to analysts and former government officials familiar with planning.
The shortfall reflected in part Trump’s reluctance to delegate, disdain for process and focus on quick wins, banking instead on personal magnetism and his “gut” as summit organising principles, they said.
The planning deficit also speaks to differences in US and Chinese political culture, with Beijing inclined towards heavily staged events free of missteps, especially involving its president, and Washington more tolerant of spontaneity, particularly under Trump.
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The renewed push follows an unusual bipartisan letter from 37 US lawmakers on February 12 urging Taiwan’s legislature to fully fund the eight-year package.
They stressed that Taipei “must demonstrate resolve by increasing defence spending” in line with Lai’s proposal.
In response, Taiwan’s legislative speaker Han Kuo-yu said the bill would be “given top priority” once lawmakers returned to work on February 24 after the Lunar New Year recess.
He described Taiwan-US ties as “grounded in shared democratic values and a joint commitment to maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific”.
