The US and China’s top defense and foreign officials held rare telephone conversations, suggesting a meeting between the superpowers’ leaders may be imminent.
The sudden flurry of diplomacy came despite lingering tensions over trade and security between the world’s two largest economies. Washington and Beijing have imposed tariffs on one another and US President Donald Trump complained last month of a huge military parade hosted by Chinese leader Xi Jinping attended by other autocrats.
The duality of the US approach — courting China even as it targets it — mimics Washington’s strategy with New Delhi: Trump yesterday called India’s leader a “very good friend,” even as he maintains hefty tariffs on the country for purchasing Russian oil.