Members of the American delegation and journalists accompanying the president Donald Trump visiting Beijing had to throw away his disposable phones and all the items he received from the Chinese side before entering Air Force One for security reasons. This was reported by the AFP agency, writes TASR.
While Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping were celebrating their friendship in front of cameras and cameras, there was a less friendly atmosphere between the American and Chinese security services. During the visit, tensions continued to rise and the situation was marked by several incidents.
The mutual mistrust became apparent when US officials forced members of the delegation and journalists boarding the presidential special to they handed over all the badges and pendants given to them by their Chinese hosts. Along with disposable phones they were confiscated items thrown into the bin at the boarding steps of the planesaid the French agency, whose reporter was directly affected by the security measures.
This summit has always been a meeting between the leaders of two superpowers that have a long history of mutual suspicion. And since compete for supremacy without slipping into conflict, both sides raise their espionage and counterespionage to a new levelwrites AFP. According to her, it sometimes happens in Beijing it resembled mass paranoia.
US officials and journalists traveling to China to cover the presidents’ meeting were advised to for security, they used phones and laptops whose contents can be erased or easily disposed of upon return to the US.
In addition, the tension was also manifested directly in Beijing, where, according to AFP, it seemed that representatives of the US and China are waging their own superpower battle. Two incidents primarily attracted the attention of the media. One of them was the situation when during Trump and Xi’s visit to the Temple of Heaven, the Chinese temporarily prevented the Americans from moving.
“We’re in a motorcade with the President. Don’t you understand?” said one of the reporters present. The Chinese official told him that “our side’s security measures do not allow you to do that.” According to AFP, the situation escalated into an uproar, and the American group eventually pushed back members of the Chinese team to reach their vehicles in Trump’s motorcade before it left.
“American journalists, here we go,” announced the US official, while urging them to be careful. “Don’t push anybody, don’t do what they did to us,” he said, apparently alluding to an earlier incident in the Great Hall of the People, where an American worker fell and someone stepped on her ankle when both sides they tried to direct reporters who rushed to film the start of the talks between Trump and Sim.
The dispute between the American and Chinese officials had also previously occurred in the Temple of Heaven. On a hot day, for nearly half an hour in the sun, officials argued over whether an agent of the US Secret Service, which provides security for the president, should be allowed to bring his weapon into the compound. The Chinese side insisted that the agent cannot enter.
In relations between the US and China, the principle of reciprocity is often emphasized, especially in matters of trust-building and the organization of official visits. However, this approach also takes the form of “retribution” in practice. And with Trump and Xi planning three more meetings before the end of 2026, including the Chinese president’s announced visit to the US, it could mean a challenging time for their teams, the AFP officer.
