Hedgers in Beijing: Report on banality of accommodation

Michael Kovrig: An unprecedented wave of Western leaders has visited China since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Now this 访华潮 (fǎng huá cháo) of politicians is rising to a foamy crest as the U.S. President rolls into Beijing this week. While each dignitary arrives in Xi Jinping’s court hoping to stabilize relations and influence the General Secretary, instead they usually get co-opted into serving the Communist Party’s agenda and participating in its propaganda. Even with American power behind him, Trump will almost surely get trapped in the same accommodating pattern…