Trump Revives 'G2' Term, Sparking Debate Over US-China Policy

President Donald Trump has reignited a significant and controversial discussion in international relations by using the term "G2" (Group of Two) to describe the relationship between the United States and China.

Trump posted the phrase on Truth Social ahead of his October 30 summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, stating: “The G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!”

Originally coined in 2005 by economist C. Fred Bergsten, "G2" referred to necessary cooperation between the world's two largest economies.

However, the term has evolved to suggest a balance of power where the U.S. and China are seen as equals on the world stage—a concept that carries significant geopolitical weight: Beijing generally welcomes the term as it implies recognition of its global stature and signals a shift away from a U.S. unipolar world. Chinese commentators suggested it means the U.S. has accepted a new bipolar world order.

American allies, particularly nations like Japan, Australia, and India, are deeply unnerved. Former officials like Mira Rapp-Hooper warned the term "provoked significant anxiety," as allies fear the U.S. might make bilateral deals with China that compromise their interests.

The term gained brief traction during the Obama administration but was quickly dropped due to allied backlash, who saw it as Washington deferring to Beijing and making neighboring nations "feel insecure."

Following the summit, Trump praised the "G2 meeting," calling it "a great one for both countries" that would lead to "everlasting peace and success." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also echoed the phrase online, highlighting the term's penetration into the current U.S. administration’s language.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded cautiously, stating the two countries "can jointly shoulder our responsibilities as major countries" while still committing to "true multilateralism."

Bergsten, the originator of the G2 concept, welcomed its revival, clarifying that the term was intended only to foster cooperation on global economic issues and was never meant to exclude bodies like the G7 or G20.