Trump, Xi Barely Finish State Visit Before Booking Two More Meetings

The handshake hadn’t cooled off in the Washington air before Xi Jinping was already booking two more rounds with President Trump. That’s not a social call. That’s the choreography of serious diplomacy. When two men who run the world’s biggest economies can’t seem to stop scheduling meetings, it tells you something useful: both sides think talking is worth more than posturing.

The left will spin this as Trump getting chummy with Beijing. They see a photo of two leaders and shout “sellout” before reading the calendar. But look at what actually happened. Xi just announced APEC in Shenzhen for late November, and then another get-together in December. These are working meetings, not a victory lap. That’s how you deal with a rival. You don’t lecture them from a podium. You make them sit across the table, look you in the eye, and agree to the next round.

America First was never about hiding under a table. It’s about making sure our side gets a seat and keeps pulling it back up to the table. The last administration gave China speeches and got nothing. Trump gives handshakes and gets a follow-up invite to their own city. The calendar doesn’t lie. Whatever gripes you have with the details, two more meetings means the president has China’s attention, not just their applause lines.