Two people didn't come! Vice President Vance of the United States didn't come, nor did Commerce Secretary Lutnick. When Trump visits China, Rubio—whom we have sanctioned—came, and so did Hegseth, the U.S. Defense Secretary, who hasn't accompanied a president on a visit to China in over fifty years. It seems that among key figures in Trump's team, only Vance and Lutnick were absent. This is indeed somewhat surprising.

Certainly, why was Rubio able to come? From the perspective of American diplomatic tradition, it's customary for the Secretary of State to accompany the president on official visits. Moreover, Rubio isn't just the Secretary of State—he also serves as National Security Advisor. As the top official responsible for U.S. foreign affairs, Rubio undoubtedly holds significant weight in American politics. As for why Vance didn’t come, quite frankly, his most crucial role right now is staying behind in the U.S., serving as a backup for Trump.

The U.S. Vice President is the first in line to succeed the President in case of an unexpected emergency. With the Trump team visiting China, the Vice President naturally needs to remain at home to guard against sudden security or political risks. Given the ongoing economic and trade tensions between China and the U.S., one would expect Commerce Secretary Lutnick to play a prominent role. So why didn’t he come? The most straightforward reason is likely this: Trump has already delegated authority over economic and trade matters to Bessent, who is currently holding talks with South Korea.

Lutnick’s role has clearly been marginalized. Frankly speaking, based on decades of interaction between China and the U.S., Bessent may well be the most powerful U.S. Treasury Secretary in history. In terms of influence over this round of Sino-U.S. diplomacy, it’s not an exaggeration to say that he has surpassed Rubio, the lead figure in foreign affairs. On the other hand, Lutnick has recently been embroiled in controversy related to the Epstein case, damaging his public image. The Trump team may have deliberately avoided drawing attention to him.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865063053106442/

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