Trump and Xi bought temporary quiet - and Israel may get stuck in the middle | Dr. Anat Hochberg-Marom
Dr. Anat Hochberg-Marom analyzes the Trump-Xi summit as a tactical pause, not a strategic reconciliation. The gaps on core issues have not narrowed, and the decoupling trend between the superpowers is intensifying. Israel, she says, may get stuck between the American and Chinese models, as China continues to maintain its ties with Iran.
Dr. Anat Hochberg-Marom analyzes the Trump-Xi summit in Washington and concludes that it is a tactical pause, not a strategic reconciliation. The understandings reached, including the extension of the Busan agreement until January 2027 and reciprocal tariff reductions, were intended to stabilize relations and prevent uncontrolled escalation, but the gaps on core issues - the trade balance, the semiconductor industry, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, Iran, and Taiwan - have not narrowed. Bilateral trade volume shrank by 25% to $494.6 billion in 2025, while China's trade surplus soared to a record $1.2 trillion. The decoupling trend is becoming institutionalized and intensifying, with a shift toward two separate technological and industrial systems. For Israel, the heart of the matter is that China continues to maintain its economic and security ties with Iran and does not exert real pressure on the ayatollah regime. Israel is required to maneuver between the American model, which relies on containing Iran and security alliances, and the Chinese model, based on energy stability and economic diplomacy. Full alignment with Washington could reduce its room for maneuver with Beijing, while an attempt to deepen ties with China could be perceived as a deviation from the shared strategic line. Israel, she says, may get stuck in the middle.