As Trump Returns to Power, World Leaders Seek Stability With China – The New York Times
As global politics grow more unpredictable, something interesting is happening in Beijing. World leaders who once kept China at arm’s length are now showing up in person—handshakes, high-level talks, and business delegations in tow. And this isn’t a coincidence.
In January alone, at least five national leaders visited China to meet President Xi Jinping. Among them were U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, marking their countries’ first top-level visits to China in nearly a decade. Ireland’s prime minister made a historic trip earlier this month—the first in 14 years—while Uruguay’s president is expected to arrive soon.
Why the sudden rush to Beijing?
The short answer: uncertainty around U.S. policy.
Countries navigating tense or unpredictable relations with Washington are increasingly choosing a more balanced approach—keeping communication channels with China open while avoiding a full geopolitical shift. As Yue Su, principal economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, puts it, these visits represent “managed, selective resets” rather than a wholesale pivot toward Beijing.
In other words, nations are hedging their bets.
A changing global equation
Since returning to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has expanded tariffs not only on China but also on several long-standing U.S. trading partners. His aggressive stance on trade—and renewed pressure on countries like Venezuela, Iran, and even Greenland—has added to global unease.
That uncertainty has opened a door for China. Beijing is positioning itself as a stabilizing economic partner, especially for countries that value access to China’s massive consumer market, the world’s second-largest.
According to Cui Shoujun, a professor of international studies at Renmin University of China, many countries still align with the U.S. on security matters but are now deepening economic engagement with China. It’s a pragmatic move, not an ideological one.
Business deals drive diplomacy
These state visits aren’t just about diplomacy—they’re about deals.
Large business delegations frequently accompany world leaders to Beijing. During Starmer’s visit, nearly 60 British companies and cultural organizations joined the trip. Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca used the moment to announce a $15 billion investment in China through 2030.
Canada’s visit also delivered concrete outcomes. Ottawa agreed to reduce tariffs on a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles—from 100% to 6.1%—in exchange for lower Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola seeds.
For global companies, China’s vast market remains impossible to ignore. At the same time, Chinese firms—especially electric vehicle makers—are accelerating their global expansion as domestic growth slows.
The U.S.-China reality check
Despite the renewed engagement, the United States still looms large. For many of the visiting countries, the U.S. remains their largest trading partner. Collectively, the five countries whose leaders visited Beijing in January have a combined GDP of $8.71 trillion, less than half of China’s $18.74 trillion—and far below the U.S.’s $28.75 trillion economy.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing haven’t disappeared either. China was the first major economy to retaliate against Trump’s tariffs in 2025, and while a fragile one-year trade truce is in place, the relationship remains delicate. Trump is expected to visit China later this year, with as many as four potential meetings with Xi Jinping on the calendar.
Hedging, not choosing sides
These diplomatic trips come with risks. Trump recently warned Canada against making deals with China and called Britain’s business ties with Beijing “very dangerous.” France’s President Emmanuel Macron has also threatened tariffs on China following his own visit.
That’s why experts describe the current strategy as careful hedging.
“These trips keep the China channel open,” says Jack Lee of China Macro Group, “but trust—especially between Europe and Beijing—remains limited.”
What comes next?
China’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum later this year could further accelerate diplomatic traffic to Beijing. Senior officials are set to meet in Guangzhou next month, ahead of the main leaders’ summit in November.
For now, one thing is clear:
As U.S. policies grow less predictable, world leaders are choosing flexibility over confrontation—and Beijing is emerging as a key stop in that global balancing act.
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