Amid diplomatic niceties and unmistakable Chinese cultural symbolism, President Xi Jinping gave his usually freewheeling guest, President Donald Trump, sobering lessons in diplomacy, national resolve, and - above all - good manners.

Once in Beijing, Trump confronted two stark realities. Xi not only issued a blunt warning on Taiwan - describing the issue as "irreconcilable like water and fire" - but also invoked the unsettling theory of the Thucydides Trap to drive home a broader strategic point.

Taiwan, Xi warned in his welcome speech, remains the "most important issue" in US-China relations. Mishandling it, he cautioned, could lead to "clashes and even conflicts", placing bilateral ties in "great jeopardy" and an "extremely dangerous place". The situation, he stressed, required "utmost prudence" and careful management to preserve stability.

Xi's reference to the Thucydides Trap came against the backdrop of mounting American setbacks following the illegal invasion of Iran and the collapse of subsequent negotiations. The context was impossible to ignore.

"Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide greater stability for the world? Can we build a bright future together for our bilateral relations … and for the future of humanity?" Xi asked, in what appeared to be an indirect challenge to Trump's self-serving justifications for war.

Later that evening, Trump........

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