The US has reportedly proposed extending the US–China trade truce by six months. Beijing wants a longer extension, reportedly covering the remainder of Trump’s presidency, according to the Financial Times. No extension has been agreed. My reading: the duration itself is a strategic bargaining instrument for the second summit as a continuation from the first one. Washington wants regular opportunities to assess compliance and retain leverage. Beijing seeks greater predictability and fewer recurring deadlines for renewed pressure. A longer truce could reduce immediate trade uncertainty while leaving the underlying systemic competition intact. Both powers have reasons to buy time and play with tradeoffs, and apply their own plans for how to use it. But the shared interest remains the same from May: a managed confrontation and avoiding global system collapse.