The meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping has produced a truce in an otherwise turbulent relationship. It is being presented as a breakthrough moment, but beneath the smiles and handshakes lies an uneasy truth. This is not reconciliation, only a carefully timed pause. The world’s two largest economies remain on a collision course, their temporary truce driven more by tactical convenience than mutual trust.

For President Trump, the optics of success are indispensable. His political brand thrives on high-stakes dealmaking, on projecting control amid chaos. The promise of a “great” agreement with China plays well to domestic audiences unnerved by trade volatility and inflation. For Mr Xi, the calculation is longer and colder. He knows the value of endurance ~ the slow accumulation of leverage through patience, not spectacle. His approach is to steady the ship at home while waiting for the storm abroad to pass. The meeting’s limited........

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