When Xi Jinping arrives in Washington today for a much-anticipated summit with President Donald Trump, the Chinese leader will want to show the world that this is more than just an act of reciprocity for hosting the US president four months ago. At a time of ongoing global disputes ranging from trade to the Iran war to the ever-elusive North Korea problem, Beijing will want to give the impression of stabilised relations with the global hegemon. Beneath the surface, however, China shows few signs of altering its worldview. This not only remains fundamentally in opposition to what it calls the ‘anti-China’ West but crucially involves its support for Western adversaries, including North Korea.

The last time Trump and Xi shared a tête-à-tête was in May. Although the Chinese leader did not welcome his US counterpart as Air Force One touched down at Beijing Capital Airport – in contrast to what Trump plans to do – the visit prioritised Beijing-style pomp and circumstance over tangible outcomes. Most revealing was the readout from the White House after the summit, which highlighted how the two sides agreed that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons and that North Korea’s denuclearisation was a shared goal.

The West must not be deceived by today’s pleasantries

The West must not be deceived by today’s pleasantries

In Beijing’s eyes, however, Iran and North Korea seemed little more than peripheral. Its narrative........

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