Is Trump's China letter a friendly overture or a snub?
President Trump sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, thanking his Chinese counterpart for his inaugural congratulations and wishing Xi well on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. "President Trump stated that he looks forward to working with President Xi to develop a constructive relationship that benefits both the United States and China," the White House said.
Despite the note's apparently friendly tone, it presents an obvious contrast to the phone calls Trump has made to other world leaders since he took office. Though Trump did speak with Xi by phone in November, the letter format could be interpreted as a snub to China, which the president has often targeted for aggressive economic critique.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Will the mystery of MH370 be solved?Today’s Big Question New search with underwater drones could finally locate wreckage of doomed airliner
-
The biggest astronomy stories of 2025In the spotlight From moons, to comets, to pop stars in orbit
-
Why are micro-resolutions more likely to stick?In the Spotlight These smaller, achievable goals could be the key to building lasting habits
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
Danes ‘outraged’ at revived Trump Greenland pushSpeed Read
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
