From ‘cheats’ to ‘great friendship’: How Trump’s rhetoric on China changed

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, Donald Trump welcomed him with an elaborate ceremony, including greeting him on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, a first since 1962. Despite this display of warmth, Trump previously described China as a ‘cheater’ on Twitter in 2012 and had made critical remarks during his campaigns. The meeting extended a fragile trade truce by two months but did not bring significant changes to US-China relations. Trump's rhetoric towards China has shifted from accusations of cheating to a more friendly tone.