Trump, who has just been talking about China's 200% tariff on rare earth, has suddenly swung up in London these days, saying that China-U.S. relations are "very good", and also said that it is "near to reach an agreement".
The attitude of the front and the back is like changing individuals, leaving the outside world a fog. But even though the words are good, people do not move, the one that passed most of the half of the year's visit to China plan, is still "only smell the stairs, do not see people down."
American media even dug out the "truth" of his delayed visit to China, and in the end, it is not only a complex game of Sino-US relations, but also closely related to Trump's own interests.
What is happening?
Reality Anxiety Behind Trump’s “Face Changes”
Trump’s “change of face” is not coincidental, but realistic.
Start with his most concerned stockpile.Since the end of last year, U.S. inflation has been on the rise, and people’s days are getting harder, especially those with low- and middle-income households.According to the Wall Street Journal, food bills alone cost $2,400 more a year.
Who did? Trump swallowed the tariffs after taking office, dropped the 57.6% punitive tariffs to China, wanted to blow out the "America's priority" momentum, and the result hit his own wallet. In the first quarter of 2025, the U.S. GDP suddenly shrunk 0.3%, far below market expectations, corporate investment shrunk, and consumer confidence declined.
Public dissatisfaction has risen, and his support has fallen to a record low. The Pew Research Center poll shows that more than half of voters are dissatisfied with his administration, and even the former Iron Belt supporters have started to shake.
And on the international stage, Trump wanted to pull the "anti-China friend circle", not too hard. he shouted to join allies to China, but on the other side found himself shouted half a day, looking back, standing in place or himself.
The media on the EU side have long pointed out that European countries are more concerned about their own interests, especially Germany and France, which are emphasizing "strategic autonomy" and are simply unwilling to fully accept the rhythm of the United States.
The British government has also stated with reluctance that “it is stupid not to have contact with China,” giving Washington a note.
On the Asia-Pacific side, the attitudes of Japan and South Korea are more subtle. Although they are polite, everyone knows that these two countries are too tightly tied to China economically. If they really want to follow the United States, they will suffer first.
Moreover, China’s counter-reaction is not vegetarian either.
Faced with Trump’s tariff threat, Beijing has played a precise “combination fist”: rare earth export controls, agricultural procurement shifts to South America, and restrictions on high-tech exports to the United States, every step is at the pain of the United States.
Especially in rare earth, China has the absolute voice in the global rare earth industry chain: mining accounts for 60%, processing accounts for 90%.
The Wall Street Journal once warned that once the supply of high-tech and military industries in the United States is cut off, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore, Trump shouted fiercely, but he actually knew in his heart that this matter could not be forced.
People are in London, but their hearts dare not fly to Beijing
Looking at these external pressures alone is enough for Trump to have a big head. But what's more interesting is that the real reason why he delayed visiting China has something to do with his own body and "face".
Remember, he is 79 years old this year.At the beginning of the year, when he visited Britain, his interaction with King Charles was a little bit: shouldering his shoulders, distracting conversations, walking around during meetings, and being mocked by British media.
Trump's physical strength and concentration can no longer support high-intensity diplomatic activities. For him, the task of visiting China is not only physical work, but also psychological warfare.
Once the situation is poor, the scene is out of control, not only the image is damaged, but it can also make people feel that the United States is "defeated" in the game against China.
Trump has always questioned the “winner logic,” where he can make concessions but can’t let anyone know he’s making concessions.
His diplomatic philosophy is simple: to appear in the camera, you have to be like a winner.
But now this situation, the United States in the trade war hasn't taken advantage of anything cheap, but instead was caught in the neck; the allies did not react actively, even the "circle of siege" did not circle.
So, what he now plays is a vague set of tactics: the mouth shows good, the action is delayed. say "very close", while dragging without talking.
It can both reassure the domestic market, stabilize the sentiment of investors, and not give China a “American head down” picture. For him, this is the safest and most calculated way.
It sounds nice, but none of the problems have been solved
The bigger problem is that even if Trump’s mouth is sweeter, the core contradiction between China and the United States is not moving at all. What he calls “deal is close,” sounds like a slogan to reassure voters, is actually a cover-up.
Take the tariffs for example, the 90-day suspension reached in Geneva this year, although it is a sign of mitigation, but it does not change the substance at all. The United States wants China to open its market significantly, while China demands that the United States completely abolish the punitive tariffs.
The technical field is even more needle-to-needle. The United States has not loosened its suppression of China's high technology, with layers of restrictions from chips to artificial intelligence; China, on the other hand, continues to hold on to the trump card of rare earths, and no one will let go first.
Just like two people holding a knife in each hand, everyone knows that they will bleed if they do it, but no one wants to put down their weapons first. In this situation, how can the negotiations make substantial progress?
Let's look at the more realistic economic weapon, Boeing orders. China's suspension of Boeing aircraft purchases is a big blow to the American manufacturing industry.
This not only affects corporate profits, but also directly affects the Trump campaign's most frequently hanging in the mouth of the "reanimation of manufacturing" promise.
In the face of these challenges, China’s attitude is clear.
Dialogue is welcomed, but on the premise of equality and mutual respect.A visit to China is not a problem, but cannot come to the door with the fantasy of “letting China make concessions.”
Trump wants a deal where he can go home and say, “I won,” but China won’t sacrifice its core interests to accomplish his performance.
conclusion
The repetition of Trump’s policy toward China is a real picture of his difficult relationship between domestic political pressure, international strategic isolation, personal image anxiety and real diplomatic difficulties.
He wants to maintain a "tough" personality, but he doesn't dare to really make the relationship stiff; I want to win votes, but I'm afraid that the trade war will backlash too deeply.
Whether to visit China or not has become the key node of this drama. How to go next is not only the vane of Sino-US relations, but also the touchstone of Trump's "trading art". The world is waiting to see if he continues to pretend or shows some real skills.
Source of information:
US President Trump arrives in the UK for a state visit 2025-09-17 09: 03 · Guangming.com
2025-08-27 16: 21 · Observer.com-Trump threatens to impose a 200% tariff on China on the supply of rare earth magnets. Analysts: This move cannot threaten China