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News analysis
What middle powers fear about the Trump-Xi summit
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Global polls show the world has little trust in the US and China. Mr Trump and Mr Xi have both used their enormous leverage over trade and security to coerce or punish.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Damien Cave
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – Poland will soon host production lines for South Korean tanks. Australia is buying warships from Japan. Canada will send uranium to India, while India offers cruise missiles to Vietnam, and Brazil builds military transport planes for the United Arab Emirates.
All of these deals were sealed in the past few weeks. Each one represents an attempt by middle powers to protect themselves as the conflict in Iran throttles global energy supplies, and as a high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping looms.
