With his spineless performance in China, President Trump is allowing it to grow its influence as America’s shrinks, believes Susan E. Rice of The New York Times. Talking up business and trade deals, the president came away with nothing new, except for investment agreements of which many were nonbinding. Trump strangely praised Xi Jinping, China’s leader, calling him “a very special man,” while blaming the US for its huge trade deficit with China. Failing to call out China’s poor human rights record or addressing regional tension, Trump projected anything but strength. This trip was a further step in China edging out the US as the world’s leader.