It is sometimes said, not least by President Donald Trump,
that America and China are now the G2,
a duo of superpowers leading the world.
That is a grim thought.
One has a leader who treats allies like patsies
and is ripping apart the institutions that underpinned global stability for decades.
Worse, the two countries treat their mutual entanglements on technology and trade as security risks.
in Beijing on May 14th and 15th,
the first of four expected meetings before the end of 2026.
The coming six months could shape ties for years,
with consequences from artificial intelligence (AI) to supply chains and Taiwan to Iran.
Tensions between the two governments run so deep that it would be naive to expect a breakthrough.
Had they more skill and humility,
Mr Trump and Mr X could head off the most harmful conflicts
and find areas where they could work together for everyone's benefit.
It is unsettling that so much will come down to Mr Trump,
who has veered between calling Mr X a dear friend and a foe.
Mr Xi's views are more settled, which is its own problem:
he is convinced America is declining
and that the world should bend to a rising China.