Preparations for Trump-Xi Beijing Summit Lag as Clock Ticks Down

Preparations for a potential meeting in Beijing between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are behind schedule, according to analysts and former government officials familiar with the planning process. Sources point to limited bilateral contacts, a small inexperienced organizing team on the US side, and contrasting US and Chinese approaches to summit management as reasons the meeting may yield fewer concrete outcomes than expected.

Key Points

Preparations for the planned Beijing summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are behind schedule with under six weeks remaining.
Analysts and former officials point to limited bilateral contacts and an inexperienced, small US organizing team as contributing factors - affecting diplomatic coordination and potentially markets sensitive to US-China relations.
The US and China adopt different approaches to summit preparation: Beijing favors tightly staged events, while the US approach under Trump tolerates greater spontaneity, which may reduce expected outcomes.

Overview

Preparations for a potential summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are running behind schedule, with fewer than six weeks remaining before the planned meeting in Beijing, according to analysts and former government officials familiar with the planning process.

Why preparations are lagging

Sources who have observed the planning say the shortfall is driven in part by limited bilateral contact between the sides and by organizational choices within the US team. Analysts note that Mr. Trump has shown reluctance to delegate authority, a preference for seeking rapid, headline-grabbing wins, and a tendency to rely on personal ties and direct relationships rather than formal, layered diplomatic procedures. Those internal dynamics have reduced the time and structure typically devoted to detailed summit preparation.

Different diplomatic styles

The gap in planning also underscores a clear contrast in how the two capitals approach high-level meetings. Beijing is said to favor meticulously staged encounters designed to minimize errors, particularly when the president is involved. By contrast, the current US approach under Mr. Trump has been characterized by greater tolerance for spontaneity and less emphasis on tightly choreographed, error-proofed events.

Concerns from officials

A former US official with direct visibility into the preparations described a compact organizing group that lacks prior experience managing events of this scale. That source said Chinese officials are highly concerned about the perceived lack of preparation on the US side. The official added that Chinese authorities treat the summit as a major opportunity, while the US side does not appear to accord it the same level of priority.

Implications and outlook

Those involved in the planning process warn that the combination of limited contact, a small inexperienced team, and divergent expectations diminishes the prospect of substantive deliverables emerging from the meeting. Analysts and former officials say the current trajectory points to more modest outcomes than might have been expected for a summit of this importance.

Note: Reporting is based on accounts from analysts and former government officials familiar with the planning process.

Risks

Short preparation time and a small, inexperienced US organizing group increase the risk of fewer concrete outcomes from the summit - this uncertainty may affect sectors sensitive to geopolitical developments such as trade, technology, manufacturing, and financial markets.
Limited bilateral contact and differing expectations between Beijing and Washington raise the uncertainty that negotiators will close substantive agreements within the planned meeting timeframe - markets and firms tracking US-China policy signals could be impacted.
Divergent diplomatic styles and lack of structured planning raise the possibility of missteps or missed opportunities during the summit - businesses and investors that rely on clarity in US-China relations may face elevated volatility.

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