In 2017, weeks after Donald TrumpтАЩs first presidential election victory, Xi Jinping became the first Chinese head of state to address the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland тАФ winning applause as he inveighed against protectionism and declared that a trade war would hurt both sides.
This time around, ChinaтАЩs presence at the annual Alpine confab of political, business and financial leaders is well toned down in the wake of TrumpтАЩs return to the White House. The nationтАЩs top official at the forum is a vice premier, Ding Xuexiang. And in contrast with XiтАЩs sweeping language five years ago, Ding struck a conciliatory tone, vowing to rebalance trade тАФ an acknowledgment of a key concern for Trump тАФ by promising to import more competitive, quality products and services.
The representation is also a downgrade from last year, when XiтАЩs top lieutenant, Premier Li Qiang, made the trek to Davos to assure the global elite that ChinaтАЩs economic stewardship of the worldтАЩs second-biggest economy would ensure that its 5% growth target would be reached.
