For subscribers
Trump, Xi, Putin and the strongman race
The Chinese leader is ending the year in a better position than his American and Russian counterparts.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
(From left) US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
PHOTOS: BLOOMBERG, AFP
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
Gideon Rachman
“I’ve never seen men so scared.” That was Mr Donald Trump’s amused verdict after observing Mr Xi Jinping’s intimidating effect on the Chinese leader’s entourage, at a recent meeting. “I want my cabinet to behave like that,” joked the US president.
Mr Trump’s return to the Oval Office has signalled a revival of the strongman style in global politics. Bilateral meetings between powerful, headstrong leaders increasingly shape the international agenda. Multilateral summits such as the UN General Assembly, the G-20 or the COP climate summit are dwindling in significance.
