President Trump insisted that he and President Xi Jinping had a “very strong phone call” on Wednesday. But if Mr. Trump kept alive the rapport he has painstakingly cultivated with the Chinese leader, the 45-minute call still served to underscore the widening fissures between Washington and Beijing and the deepening confusion about how the Trump administration is managing the relationship.
The National Security Council is conducting a review of the White House’s China policy — taking into account Mr. Trump’s populist trade agenda and differences over how to curb the rogue government in North Korea — but it has commanded little attention. Aside from Mr. Trump himself, it remains unclear who in the administration wields genuine influence on the relationship.
The National Security Council is conducting a review of the White House’s China policy — taking into account Mr. Trump’s populist trade agenda and differences over how to curb the rogue government in North Korea — but it has commanded little attention. Aside from Mr. Trump himself, it remains unclear who in the administration wields genuine influence on the relationship.
