US Democrats criticise lavish Trump-Xi summit as lacking substance
Senate Democrats criticised President Donald Trump's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying it prioritised pageantry over substance on issues including artificial intelligence, trade, critical minerals and weapons for Taiwan. In a statement signed by at least 19 of the 47 members of the Democratic caucus, they called on Trump to deliver more than US$15 billion in security assistance for Taiwan and criticised his loosening of restrictions on high-end chip sales to China. The statement said the United States would compete successfully with China only through sustained investment, close coordination with allies, and unwavering defence of democratic values.
Why it matters: This matters for the geoeconomics theme because congressional pressure on Taiwan arms sales and chip export rules shapes the economic statecraft of US-China competition.