Trump and Xi plan Beijing summit as global tensions rise

In short: The US and Chinese presidents are preparing for a Beijing summit as a wider, messier set of global risks pushes both countries toward either talks or conflict.

What's going on

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are preparing for a high-stakes summit in Beijing in early 2026. Some analysts compare it to the 1972 Nixon-Mao meeting, which helped reset ties during the Cold War. The big difference now is that there is no single shared enemy pushing both sides together.

Instead, the pressure comes from what the article calls a growing global disorder, meaning many problems happening at once. The piece points to Trump’s more go-it-alone approach, including a U.S. operation in Venezuela that captured Nicolás Maduro and drew criticism from other countries. It also notes rising tensions tied to Iran, stalled ceasefires in multiple conflict zones, and U.S. withdrawals from international bodies like UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and the UN Human Rights Council.

China, meanwhile, is trying to present itself as steadier and less willing to jump into wars, especially in the Middle East. At home, Xi relies on tight political control, which can limit how flexible he can be with the United States. The relationship is also deeply connected through trade, so decisions in Washington and Beijing can quickly spill into prices, jobs, and supply chains worldwide.

What to watch

A key risk is miscalculation, especially as faster weapons shorten the time leaders have to decide what is happening (like having seconds, not minutes, to judge whether a test is an attack). Watch for any summit agreements on crisis hotlines, military notifications, or rules for new technologies, since these small steps can lower the chances of an accidental clash.

Source: NYTimes