Beyond the effusive words of a fawning US President and the cold political formulations of the stolid Chinese leader at the Beijing summit, what stands out is the difficult quest to build a new equilibrium between the world’s two most consequential powers. Both sides have projected the meeting as a success. Donald Trump highlighted several commercial agreements and China’s support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Xi Jinping declared that the two leaders had reached a common understanding on building a framework for “constructive strategic stability”. But the relationship between Washington and Beijing is likely to remain volatile and unpredictable. The differences between the two powers are structural........

© Indian Express