Photos from Donald Trump’s Beijing summit with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People sparked global backlash after observers noted an all-male lineup at the formal negotiating table. Critics say the absence of women from both US and Chinese delegations sends a troubling signal about who gets a voice in high-stakes power politics. Harvard economist Gita Gopinath called it an “end of meritocracy,” while Stanford’s Halima Kazem argued leaders chose a “masculine, militarized” diplomatic image despite available qualified women.
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