The world watches with anticipation and some anxiety US President Donald Trump's state visit to China. How will the leaders of the world's largest and second-largest economies manage their bilateral relations amid an environment of global fragility and uncertainty?

Trump's first visit to Asia as US president comes against the backdrop of volatility on the Korean Peninsula, deteriorating global security, and political uncertainty back home.

During his election campaign, Trump labeled China a "currency manipulator" and called for slapping 45 percent tariffs on Chinese imports. Many foreign analysts speculate as to whether and how he will raise these issues and the effect they might have on this very important global and strategic relationship. And quite a few business leaders in the United States have called on Trump to be "tough on China". But what does that really mean and how practical is this kind of rhetoric?