The much-anticipated phone call between the leaders of China and the US could offer a respite for many Asian countries caught in their rivalry, but the detente might also complicate their calculations on how to strike a balance between the two superpowers, according to analysts.
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More than four months after his return to the White House, US President Donald Trump had what he described as a “very positive” phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday.
While Trump said his 90-minute discussion with Xi had not touched on matters beyond trade, it was widely considered a diplomatic breakthrough after weeks of worsening tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.
For many of China’s neighbours that have relied on trade with both powers, the call between the two leaders has eased their predicament of having to choose between prioritising trade with China and navigating aggressive US policies.
Lee Seong-hyon, a senior fellow with the George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations, said the phone call marked a “tentative step back from the brink, offering brief respite for Asian neighbours like South Korea”.
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But he said the relationship between the two powers had “become more fragile than ever”, noting that it was the first phone call with Xi since Trump’s inauguration in January.