Trump and China’s Xi Meet at the White House: “We’ve Made Giant Strides”

President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House today (Thursday) as part of Xi’s official visit to the United States. The two met at a ceremonial welcome event featuring hundreds of military personnel and a flyover by a B-2 stealth bomber. They are expected to hold talks in the Oval Office, and later Trump will host a state dinner in honor of his Chinese counterpart.

In his opening remarks, Trump highlighted his relationship with Xi, saying the two share “a truly tremendous friendship.” He said the United States and China have made “giant strides on the issues facing both of our countries,” and that the discussions would focus, among other things, on security, technology and “super-intelligence”, the term he uses to describe artificial intelligence.

Xi, for his part, focused on the relationship between the two powers, saying that “the interests of China and the United States are intertwined.” He called for avoiding the “Thucydides Trap,” which describes the danger of conflict between a rising power and an established one, and urged “ongoing dialogue” between the countries. He also expressed hope that “Chinese companies will receive fair treatment here.”

The two also referred to U.S.-China cooperation during World War II in the fight against fascism. Xi announced that 100,000 young Americans will be invited to take part in student exchanges in China.

Xi also announced that two giant pandas will be moved to a “new home” at the Atlanta Zoo “within a few days.” According to him, the pandas have served over the years as “ambassadors of friendship” between the two countries.

Despite the ceremonial atmosphere, major disagreements remain on the summit’s agenda, including the ceasefire in the trade war, Taiwan, the race in artificial intelligence, and China’s support for Iran and Russia. Both sides agreed to extend the trade truce by two months, until January 10, which had been set to expire in November.