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HSF Korea Team's HANAS Northeast Asian Report
The Trump–Xi Beijing Summit and Northeast Asia's Strategic Future

The current HANAS Northeast Asia Report by HSS Korea analyzes the outcomes of the U.S.–China meeting and explains why the summit points less to a relaxation of tensions than to the continued strategic rivalry between the two major powers. It also examines the foreign and security policy challenges facing South Korea, as well as possible courses of action.

Ms. Jacqueline Jenne and Ms. Leonie Foth, Research Interns at HSF Korea, together with Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi, Senior Researcher at HSF Korea, analyzed the U.S.–China summit held in Beijing in May 2026 in the HANAS Northeast Asian Report titled “The Trump–Xi Jinping Beijing Summit and Changes in the Strategic Environment in Northeast Asia,” published by the Hananuri Academy of Northeast Asian Studies.

The report argues that the summit should be viewed less as a turning point in easing strategic competition between the United States and China and more as a limited stabilizing measure designed to manage tensions between the two powers. While the meeting helped maintain communication channels and prevented further deterioration in bilateral relations, it failed to deliver substantive solutions or strategic breakthroughs on key issues, including the Taiwan Strait, North Korea’s nuclear program, semiconductor and supply chain restructuring, and trade disputes.

The authors further contend that the summit reflects the enduring structural nature of U.S.–China strategic competition. In light of this reality, the report recommends that South Korea strengthen supply chain resilience, enhance economic security capabilities, manage the U.S.–ROK alliance effectively, and expand its multilateral diplomatic engagement to navigate the prolonged strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

 

Citation

Jenne, J., Foth, L., Choi, H.A. 2026. The Trump–Xi Jinping Beijing Summit and Changes in the Strategic Environment in Northeast Asia. Hananuri Academy of Northeast Asian Studies. HANAS Northeast Asian Report. Vol 45. pp. 1-8 (in Korean).

 

Website publication available here: https://blog.naver.com/hanas2019/224319826530