BEIJING — When U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing this week, their cordial exchange of pleasantries, a firm handshake and emphasis on cooperation fueled cautious optimism about relations between the two superpowers. However, the lack of clear breakthroughs on complex issues, including the status of Taiwan, underscored the persistent challenges facing the Sino-U.S. relationship amid increasingly intensifying competition over trade, security and technological leadership. Above all, the latest Trump-Xi summit drove home one clear message: The leaders of the world’s most powerful nations remain on speaking terms and plan to meet several more times this year alone, including during Xi’s anticipated reciprocal visit to Washington in September. “When there were difficulties, we worked it out. I would call you, and you would call me,” Trump said at the start of the talks with Xi on Thursday. “Whenever we had a problem, we worked it out very quickly, and we are going to have a fantastic future together.” Xi struck a cooperative tone, stressing that the U
