Trump–Xi summit highlights limits of transactional diplomacy

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing ended without the major breakthrough many had expected from his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit instead highlighted the widening strategic gap between the two powers. Both sides projected warmth and stability during the two-day visit. But the meetings showed how difficult it has become to turn high-level engagements into meaningful cooperation on major issues such as Iran, Taiwan, and technology. Ahead of the talks, ana...