History Turned In Beijing
How polished are the Chinese, how delicate in their gestures, after two millennia’s experience in statecraft and the diplomatic arts. They can tell a visiting dignitary of high station that relations have changed — and with relations the world order — even before the lapsang souchong is poured.
Donald Trump got the full treatment. You saw this coming as soon as he descended the Air Force One stairs last Thursday to begin his two-day summit with Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader was not at the airport to greet the American president: Xi left that to children with flags on sticks and his vice-president, the not-much-heard-of Han Zheng.