Live Roundups Editor's Desk Insights Executive Ops Weather About 🔍
Home › Politics › How the US went from ‘a position of strength’ to...
Politics

How the US went from ‘a position of strength’ to ‘gung-ho’ on China

How the US went from ‘a position of strength’ to ‘gung-ho’ on China
South China Morning Post Friday 02 October 2026, 08:30 UTC By Jianlu Bi 1 min read
Key Points

Not so long ago, Washington’s approach to relations with Beijing was anchored by a single assertive phrase: dealing “from a position of strength”. It was rooted in a unipolar mindset: a belief that the United States could dictate terms, manage competition unilaterally and demand compliance from a distance. Yet, at their recent summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump formally established a new strategic framework: a “constructive strategic stability relationship...

Not so long ago, Washington’s approach to relations with Beijing was anchored by a single assertive phrase: dealing “from a position of strength”. It was rooted in a unipolar mindset: a belief that the United States could dictate terms, manage competition unilaterally and demand compliance from a distance. Yet, at their recent summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump formally established a new strategic framework: a “constructive strategic stability relationship based...
US (LOCATION) China (LOCATION) Washington (LOCATION) Beijing (LOCATION) the United States (LOCATION) Chinese (ORG) Xi Jinping (PERSON) Donald Trump (PERSON)
Originally published by South China Morning Post Read original →

Related Stories

Did Trump order Maduro’s kidnapping based on Grok’s advice?

The US president spent hours in the White House asking Musk’s AI chatbot questions, including how Venezuelans would react if the US captured Maduro, Time magazine reports. In December 2025, Elon Musk visited the White House for a secret meeting with the US President, with Trump spending hours asking AI chatbot Grok questions about his presidency and legacy and how Venezuelans would react if US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro, Time magazine reports. According to an official present...

Euronews 18m ago

UK is not facing diesel shortage despite fears of Trump export ban, minister says

In effort to avoid panic at pumps, Keir Mather insists supply of fuel to Britain is ‘inherently resilient’Business live – latest updatesThe government has moved to avert panic at the pumps, insisting that the UK is not facing a diesel shortage after Donald Trump threatened to cut off US supplies of the fuel. The transport minister Keir Mather said on Friday that the UK has a wide range of sources of the fuel and is in talks with other European countries over the potential release of...

The Guardian World 22m ago

UK is not facing diesel shortage despite fears of Trump export ban, minister says

In effort to avoid panic at pumps, Keir Mather insists supply of fuel to Britain is ‘inherently resilient’Business live – latest updatesThe government has moved to avert panic at the pumps, insisting that the UK is not facing a diesel shortage after Donald Trump threatened to cut off US supplies of the fuel. The transport minister Keir Mather said on Friday that the UK has a wide range of sources of the fuel and is in talks with other European countries over the potential release of...

The Guardian UK 22m ago

Flydubai hero pilot tells Modi 'I could not let all those people die'

Flydubai hero pilot tells Modi 'I could not let all those people die' Smit Machchhar, the Indian captain who was attacked by his co-pilot onboard the Flydubai flight 1073 in an apparent attempt to crash the plane, on Friday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that although he was severely injured in the altercation, “I could not let all those people die”. Although collapsed, he made a last-ditch effort and managed to push the door to the cockpit open. Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who was...

France 24 27m ago