The Xi-Obama summit in early June was a unique experience for the two leaders to discuss a wide range of important topics. However, due to a variety of domestic and structural issues, the topic of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was hardly touched upon.

In the past, the global ICT ecosystem was dominated by U.S. companies. Today, that dominance is crumbling. In this view, the commercial success of Huawei and ZTE would be the result of their competitive strategies. The global shift to a multipolar system marks a new era for ICTs and the way that markets emerge.

The Xi-Obama summit at Sunnylands will be a focal point for many this weekend. Although competition between the two nations interests is inevitable, cooperation, transparency and mutual reassurance may be hindrances to escalation. Points of discussion and potential understanding include, cybersecurity, North Korea, energy, strategic weapons, trade. However, each leader must maintain his state’s agenda and strategic interests as well.