President Donald Trump and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping met in Washington on Thursday and Friday, with few details released about their discussions on Taiwan, artificial intelligence, Iran, and other key issues. On Taiwan, Xi pressed Trump during the talks to oppose Taiwan independence. The White House has not publicly commented on the issue. The lack of details has raised questions about whether the meeting could lead to changes in U.S. policy toward Taiwan. Meanwhile, the CCP is tightening its grip on its people, a move some experts say could signal deeper concerns within the regime. With China’s economy slowing and technology gaps widening, could Beijing turn to conflict as a distraction? NTD spoke with Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and former U.S. diplomat, for his assessment.
