The US-China Deal Has a Clear Message for the Global South

The Trump administration puts profitable deals over principles

- KARISHMA VASWANI

The US-China temporary trade agreement is a blunt reminder: Washington's foreign policy under President Donald Trump is transactional. Deals matter, values don't. This lesson is crucial for the Global South. Economic leverage secures a seat at the table, not democratic credentials.

Consider the sidelining of Jimmy Lai, the jailed Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing. Ahead of the talks, Trump said he would raise Lai's case, a move that would have antagonized the world's second-largest economy. China views him as a national security threat and Lai is facing charges that could imprison him for life. The pro-democracy figure denies the allegations. "I think talking about [Lai] is a very good idea," Trump said in a 7 May radio interview. "We'll put it down as part of the negotiation."

But there was no mention of Lai in the official joint statement. Long-standing US concerns over forced labor and violations of religious freedoms in the Xinjiang region, which the previous administration had called 'genocide' and 'crimes against humanity,' were also notably absent from the discussions. Instead, both sides referenced their "long-term, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship."

Trump also said that he would speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping soon. Negotiations have resulted in lower tariffs, and a three-month timeline to work toward a broader agreement.