Xi Jinping’s first U.S. visit since 2023 began with a conspicuous gesture from Donald Trump: the president met the Chinese leader at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening, after Xi arrived for two days of summitry. The unusual personal welcome — followed by red carpet, military display and a flyover — offered Beijing powerful imagery of recognition at a moment when it is seeking a larger role in global affairs.¹

By Thursday morning, that pageantry had moved to the White House. Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and Peng Liyuan for an arrival ceremony before the leaders headed into talks expected to cover trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the Iran war. The visit comes after a tariff conflict between the world’s two largest economies that drove up consumer costs and unsettled international businesses.²

Trump cast the diplomatic relationship in personal terms before the meeting. “We’re going to have a very good meeting,” he said, adding that he and Xi had “a good relationship.”³ On AI, Trump said “Super Intelligence” would be a major subject, but indicated that Washington and Beijing shared little appetite for new restrictions — an approach that leaves the broader race for technological dominance unresolved.¹

The ceremonial warmth is not being mistaken for a breakthrough. Analysts expect a cautious summit with few major deliverables, while the trade truce, Taiwan’s future, China’s ties to Iran and Russia, and the AI competition remain live sources of friction.⁴ Xi’s state dinner Thursday evening, attended by U.S. officials and prominent executives, is intended to cap a day aimed at stabilizing the relationship with America’s chief geopolitical rival.⁵

Friday’s private tea and National Archives visit will close the formal programme. The harder question is whether the summit’s elaborate hospitality can outlast the disputes it has temporarily placed behind a curtain.