On a state visit to China last month, US President Donald Trump shocked his political base with a series of rhetorical concessions. In an interview, he warmly endorsed Chinese students studying in America, supported China-linked acquisition of US farmland, and dismissed concerns over state espionage as a routine, two-way reality. It was not the first time Trump’s softer stance on China clashed with his own administration’s hardline approach. Even before the summit, he repeatedly suggested...