(Image source from: x.com/WhiteHouse)
During a breakfast gathering with US senators, President Donald Trump talked about his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, sharing a funny story about how serious Xi’s team looked. Trump mentioned that he wanted his Cabinet to have the same level of focus as Xi’s aides, who he described as “rigid, quiet, and expressionless” during their discussion in Malaysia. “President Xi is a strong, clever person,” Trump said. “I have never seen people looking so frightened in their lives.” The president imitated how Xi’s aides stood with their arms behind them and heads held high while explaining to senators how none of them said anything during the conversation. “There were six on either side of him, and each one was standing like this,” Trump said as he demonstrated. “They were very attentive. I asked, ‘Are you going to reply to me?’ and got no answer. Xi didn’t allow them to speak.”
Turning to Vice President JD Vance, Trump teased, “Why don’t you act like that? JD doesn’t act like that. JD jumps into conversations! I would like that for at least a couple of days, alright, JD?” This joke made everyone laugh. This light moment took place during serious talks regarding trade, rare earth elements, and US-China economic ties. The meeting between Trump and Xi was held just before the APEC summit and came after months of rising trade conflicts and export limitations. Trump mentioned that the discussions included important topics like stopping fentanyl smuggling, making TikTok separate from ByteDance, and dealing with tariffs and technology access. “Two months ago, it seemed like the entire world was at risk concerning rare earths,” Trump stated. “Now, that’s not a big topic for people. Without tariffs, I couldn’t have achieved this.” He also said that China had promised to take stronger steps against fentanyl trafficking and agreed to buy more American energy, including oil and gas from Alaska. “We have a deal,” Trump said, pointing out that both sides plan to renew it each year.
