Pascal Coppens

n the first half of 2026, a new generation of high-tech products has emerged as China's new export engines: artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, and innovative biotechnology. These are China's new "new three".

Physical AI is the new white good. It will redistribute physical labor the way those machines redistributed domestic work. And this time, the factories capturing that value are mostly in China.

The May 2026 summit was a big hit for China because it gave China time. It was a big hit for the US because it gave the US money. Xi needs time for the Chinese people to make money, allowing China to win the long game. Trump needs the US to make money now, to buy himself the time to stay in the race at home.