America Has Lost Its Leverage Over China
Trump’s China diplomacy now trades optics for leverage. The Busan deal and Beijing summit tilt rules toward China. That shift raises Taiwan, export-control, and alliance risks. Washington should stop mixing quick wins with strategy.
Key points
- Beijing gains leverage fast.
- Trump trades strategy for optics, and China cashes in on the opening.
- Taiwan is now bargaining material.
- Busan and the 2026 Beijing summit could lock in weaker U.S. leverage for years.
- Allies will read mixed signals and hedge.
This is one of fifty stories I surfaced this week from Surface — a tiny slice of the full feed.
