US President Donald Trump personally welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews, marking the first time the American president has greeted a foreign leader on the tarmac in recent memory. This lavish state visit, the first for President Xi in Washington in more than a decade, began on Wednesday and included meetings at the White House and a State Dinner on Thursday.
During the visit, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping hailed their great friendship, with Trump describing it as a truly great friendship. The two leaders sought to preserve a fragile diplomatic and economic truce and keep ties between the world's two largest economies on track, despite acknowledging their heated competition and growing strategic rivalry.
The agenda for the talks focused heavily on bilateral trade, artificial intelligence, and geopolitics. While the US secured a short extension of its trade truce, discussions also covered rare earths and security. President Trump indicated that AI would be a major part of the talks but suggested he would avoid any agreement limiting its development. Additionally, Trump sought China's influence with Iran, while Xi sought a halt to US arms sales to Taiwan.
Despite the pomp and ceremony, the summit was described as light on outcomes. Major disagreements remain unresolved regarding technology, export controls, trade, and Beijing’s support for Iran. Experts suggest that while the reciprocal visits signal efforts to maintain stability, rebuilding trust may take priority over achieving major deals in the face of brewing tensions.