Irish Examiner view: Trump trading one distraction for another

The main consequence of Trump’s belligerence towards China appears to be a return to the relationship between the two countries before he took office for the second time

President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese president Xi Jinping, right, shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday. Picture: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

The US president’s great game of distraction continues, with China’s leader Xi Jinping playing a supporting role in the latest episode.

This week, Trump framed a meeting with the Chinese leader as a triumph after China agreed to suspend new measures that threatened the supply line of critical rare earth metals — resources vital for global trade.