president biggly dances to the chinese music quoth the larry johnson report on the trip; 

 

I thought it would be useful to highlight the reporting and analysis of the New York Times, the Washington Post and Politico regarding President Donald Trump’s trip to China. I read it so you don’t have to. All three publications converged on the same bottom line, differing mainly in tone and emphasis: China achieved its primary objectives — equal-footing recognition, Taiwan ambiguity, no structural economic concessions, and a friendly summit aesthetic — while the US achieved pageantry, claimed unverifiable Chinese commitments on Iran and nuclear weapons, and left without any of the concrete breakthroughs the White House had sought. As one analyst quoted across multiple outlets summarized: “The summit is unlikely to alter the character and course of the U.S.-China relationship long-term. It is about managing for stability, not solving outstanding concerns.”

The New York Times

The Times’ analysis was anchored by a single, powerful central thesis: that Xi arrived scripted and in command while Trump arrived in a position of weakness.

The Times wrote that “Mr. Xi arrived highly scripted, leaving no doubt that for all of China’s problems — deflation, depopulation, the bursting of the real estate bubble — the moment when China acts as a peer superpower had arrived.” The paper observed that at every turn, Trump appeared to be on the back foot...........more..........