Xi–Trump meeting and the global order

The Xi–Trump encounter symbolises the world’s shift from unipolarity to a contested multipolar order.

The recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump has reignited debate over the future of global power transitions. Beyond the symbolic handshake, the encounter represents an attempt to redefine the grammar of great-power engagement at a time of fragmentation, economic uncertainty and deep mistrust. Whether read as reconciliation or recalibration, the dialogue reflects how Washington and Beijing are wrestling to shape the next global order—one that will inevitably affect the Indo-Pacific region and smaller states like Nepal.