Both the US and China are emphasizing the historic nature of the talks between Presidents Trump and Xi in Beijing. The choice of venue, within the secluded Zhongnanhai compound, reflects a deliberate messaging strategy to underscore the meeting's significance.

Both the United States and China appear keen to present this week’s talks between their respective presidents in Beijing as a “historic” and groundbreaking occasion. The way they have tried to frame the interactions between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping revealed both sides’ eagerness to emphasise the importance of the occasion. The messaging began with one of the choices of venue for their talks: the secluded leadership compound in Zhongnanhai in the heart of Beijing, rather than the Diaoyutai...