China First: As Trump Meets Xi, How Beijing Sees the World Now

President Donald Trump will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day summit, with analysts questioning what China truly seeks from its foreign policy. The Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University hosted discussions in March, where participants framed China’s goals around avoiding U.S.-style superpower dominance while securing domestic prosperity and national security. The 'China First' strategy under Xi Jinping reflects a pragmatic, conditional approach to global leadership. Instead of ideological expansion, Beijing prioritizes economic and technological self-reliance, political stability, and managing—not resolving—its rivalry with the U.S. This approach also involves consolidating influence along China’s regional periphery while insulating itself from external vulnerabilities. China’s trajectory has shifted from integration into global markets since joining the WTO in 2001 to a focus on economic resilience. The country now seeks to counter technological chokepoints, geopolitical encirclement, and instability in the international order, recalibrating its engagement rather than retreating entirely. Xi’s 'national rejuvenation' concept frames China’s rise as a historically bounded project aimed at restoring its perceived rightful status. Foreign policy serves as a tool to shape an external environment favorable to domestic priorities, rather than pursuing universal global leadership. In March, China unveiled its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), marking a departure from past economic-focused plans. The new blueprint emphasizes political stability and self-sufficiency, reinforcing Beijing’s inward-looking strategy. The summit with Trump underscores China’s cautious yet assertive stance, balancing cooperation with strategic competition in a world where its ambitions remain tied to domestic imperatives.