• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

2

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

3

After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history

1

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

2

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

3

After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
LeadershipChina

Should the Trump-Xi Summit Worry American Businesses?

By
Scott Cendrowski
Scott Cendrowski
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Scott Cendrowski
Scott Cendrowski
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 5, 2017, 6:10 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

President Trump promised last week his meeting with China President Xi Jinping beginning tomorrow “will be a very difficult one.”

But if it goes according to the White House’s plan, two issues that Trump frequently mentions and that unnerve businesses in both countries—China being labeled a currency manipulator, or a punitive 45% tariffs being slapped on Chinese goods—won’t even come up. Instead, White House officials are describing the meeting as a way to exchange initial views and priorities, and one unlikely to raise public tensions.

President Trump said this weekend in an interview with the Financial Times that the issue of potential tariffs against Chinese imports would be left for another meeting.

And talk of China’s currency manipulation, an issue Trump has raised for years, also won’t come up, according to a senior administration official who spoke with reporters yesterday.

Some analysts suggest the Trump-Xi meeting may be too rushed to allow for detailed negotiations. It is the fastest scheduled gathering between U.S. and Chinese leaders, save a couple non-notable instances, since China opened to the West in the late 1970s. Trump’s U.S. Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, and the U.S. Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, remain unconfirmed by Congress, and Trump’s overall China policy remains unpredictable.

“I think that suggests that we shouldn’t over-expect what’s going to happen, particularly on economic issues, in terms of outcomes,” Scott Kennedy, deputy director of China studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said on Monday.

Twenty four hours of meetings between President Trump and China President Xi Jinping begin tomorrow at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. The subdued tone from the Trump side reflects a marked change in its China policy and one that will shape discussions in his private club. Both the U.S. and Chinese sides started aggressively in their negotiations with each other, and both have since pulled back.

Trump campaigned against allowing “China to rape our country.” He then called it one of the “grand champions” of currency manipulation, threatened 45% tariffs on Chinese goods, and questioned the long-standing “One China” policy, related to Taiwan, in an apparent negotiating tactic.

But in the past couple months, he has swung hard in the other direction, appearing to appease China. He formally withdrew the U.S. from Trans-Pacific Partnership, much to China’s delight, and reversed his take on “One China,” at the request of President Xi himself, the White House said.

The Chinese, meanwhile, have also changed their tack. The first Chinese representative to meet with advisors and family members of the newly elected President Trump was Yang Jiechi, a member of the ruling State Council. He struck an aggressive tone, according to reports.

When that turned out to be ineffective, the Chinese used a new messenger, Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai, and cranked up the charm offensive. The ambassador has reportedly built a backdoor to the President through Jared Kushner. And after Trump’s reversal on his One-China Policy and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit with Xi Jinping, during which he repeated phrases including “non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation,” which are used by Xi, China is feeling confident.

Even if Trump wants to press Xi on more economic topics, the antics of North Korea may interrupt.

North Korea fired what experts said appeared to be a medium-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan today. The White House said North Korea is an urgent matter and will be a key topic between Trump and Xi.

Xi and Trump will lay out their positions on trade and investment and may even resolve some issues in Florida this week, predicted the senior administration official, who said the big agreements would be discussed in weeks and months ahead.

About the Author
By Scott Cendrowski
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

ibm
Big TechIBM
‘We did not adapt and move quickly enough’: IBM CEO’s admission of weakness fails to prevent historic 25% stock crash
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 15, 2026
7 hours ago
cdc
PoliticsCDC
CDC nominee refuses to say if she’d defy RFK Jr. on vaccine orders
By Mike Stobbe, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
9 hours ago
Chipotle is trying to take over Mexico through its softest border town
North AmericaRestaurants
Chipotle is trying to take over Mexico through its softest border town
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 15, 2026
9 hours ago
Murati’s Thinking Machines releases first AI model for broad use
AIMira Murati
Murati’s Thinking Machines releases first AI model for broad use
By Shirin Ghaffary and BloombergJuly 15, 2026
9 hours ago
Job interview in office
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
Bending Spoons only hired 0.04% from its 800,000 job applications last year—its CEO says its cutthroat hiring process is unlike ‘useless’ interviews
By Emma BurleighJuly 15, 2026
13 hours ago
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
C-SuiteFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
By Fortune EditorsJuly 15, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
Law
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
By Barbara Ortutay, Alexandra Olson and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
15 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
North America
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 14, 2026
1 day ago
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
Economy
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
By Eleanor PringleJuly 15, 2026
17 hours ago
He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
Innovation
He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
By Lily Mae LazarusJuly 15, 2026
16 hours ago
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
C-Suite
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
By Fortune EditorsJuly 15, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.