The view that the Chinese leadership was desperate to negotiate a trade deal, to avoid economic pain that could destabilize Chinese society and threaten the Chinese Communist Party’s monopoly on power, is common among China hawks in the United States. This analysis is partly accurate, but it has led many to draw false conclusions.

With Trump saying that countries are 'kissing my ass' to negotiate trade deals on his terms or risk stiff import taxes, China is reaching out to countries.

Chinese firms have been pursuing internal reforms, supply chain restructurings, and accelerated innovation, with the result of “selective decoupling” from the U.S.