What to Watch at the Trump-Xi Summit
China often develops catchy names and numbers for its major policy initiatives—wrapping up complex agendas and outcomes in short, repeatable constructs that shape how they are understood. What’s your "formula" for the Trump-Xi summit—what matters most, what each side wants, where a deal is possible, and where the real risks lie?
By Leigh Wedell
September 21, 2026
Three Bs and hold the I: Beans, Beef, and Boeing
China has already bought the beans; beef and Boeing remain possible summit deliverables, putting the Board of Trade on a positive trajectory. Beijing’s 300-company delegation sends an important signal of investment interest, but the “I” to hold is expectations for an institutional mechanism such as the Board of Investment, which has implementation challenges for both sides. Overall, the summit could reinforce that the floor in the bilateral relationship is holding and give businesses more confidence due to greater stability. In fact, AmCham’s latest survey shows companies are now more concerned about how to compete in China than they are about the geopolitics.
Leigh Wedell
Basilinna President and COO
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