BBC streams Norma Percy’s Trump‑China documentary
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- Clash of the Superpowers is a two‑part documentary produced by Norma Percy that examines the early US‑China diplomatic flashpoint of the Trump era.
- Xi Jinping is shown at the 2017 Davos Forum presenting himself as a free‑trade champion, a pre‑emptive move before Trump’s inauguration.
- Donald Trump is depicted hosting Xi at Mar‑a‑Lago and later touring the Forbidden City, illustrating his break from diplomatic protocol.
- HR McMaster described Trump as “reflexively contrarian,” noting that briefings cannot follow normal channels because advisers must anticipate his contrary statements.
- Trump’s advisers are split between “old‑school” advocates of normal business with China and hard‑liners who view tariffs as necessary, a division highlighted through interview excerpts.
- BBC Two broadcast the documentary, which is now available on iPlayer.
Why it matters: The film gives scholars and policymakers a rare, candid view of how Trump’s impulsive, contrarian style clashed with Xi’s calculated diplomacy, illuminating the strategic missteps that sparked the trade war and reshaping the historical narrative of US‑China relations and influencing future diplomatic approaches.
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