China Decode: Trump Promised to Be Tough on China. Xi Outplayed Him.

Trump returns from Beijing claiming victory after summit with Xi Jinping, but Alice Han and James Kynge analyze whether the meetings delivered real results or strategic theater. They examine the economic promises, Taiwan tensions, CEO involvement (Elon Musk, Jensen Huang), and which companies—Apple, Tesla, Nvidia, Boeing—stand to benefit most. The episode also covers China's geopolitical leverage on Iran and energy markets, soft power expansion at Cannes, and what actually gets implemented versus what was promised.