Norma Percy, the highly regarded documentarian, ventures into new territory with her two-part series, “Clash of the Superpowers: America vs China,” by exploring the intricate relationship between the US president and China’s Xi Jinping. While documentaries centered on international trade negotiations are not typically viewed as light entertainment, Percy’s distinctive style manages to imbue the subject with moments that are surprisingly captivating.
Known for her acclaimed works such as “The Iraq War,” “Putin vs the West,” and “Inside Europe: Ten Years of Turmoil,” Percy employs her signature approach of leveraging first-hand testimonies to revisit pivotal diplomatic events from approximately a decade prior. This strategic timing is crucial: it’s recent enough for the key participants to still be alive, yet sufficiently in the past for them to have transitioned from their official capacities, making them more willing to share candid and often revealing insights.
The series commences with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s notable appearance at the 2017 Davos forum. In his inaugural address at the event, Xi engaged delegates by positioning China as a fervent advocate for free trade, proposing collaboration with other nations for mutual economic benefit. This strategic move, while potentially historically unconventional for a Chinese leader, was well understood by the bankers, financiers, and politicians in attendance. They recognized Xi’s speech as a deliberate pre-emptive statement, delivered just days before Donald Trump’s inauguration as the US president, setting the stage for a period of anticipated geopolitical tension.