James Kynge

The two areas that I think the two sides need each other the most at the moment is on the U.S.

side, it needs China to try to get to some kind of solution in the war in Iran and obviously to unblock

the Strait of Hormuz.

That is a critical interest that I think Washington feels right now.

And it needs China to use its agency to get Pakistan back again, to energize, to lead the negotiations that might lead to some kind of resolution.

And on the Chinese side, you've mentioned it already, Alice, they're always looking for something on Taiwan.

Taiwan is so...

front and center for Chinese policy.

Exactly what they might get is really not clear at the moment.

They might be looking for some kind of positive statement by the White House, but I think they might probably, they'll be pushing for something a bit more concrete, maybe a severe cut in U.S.

arms sales to Taiwan, something like that.

This is speculation on my behalf.

That would be huge.

I don't have sources on that at the moment, but I think China realizes that it has the upper hand and it's pushing hard for something more concrete.

Whether they get it or not, that's another question.

You think that would be too big to ask, right?

No, I think it would be a big call.

But I think China's playing for big stakes this time.

It realizes that it is much more powerful than it was in the past.

And Taiwan is always its first ask in U.S.-China summits.