WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump called his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping a “great meeting” on Thursday, as the two leaders sought to steady a relationship strained by disputes over trade, technology and security.
Speaking briefly to reporters before showing Xi around a helicopter on the White House grounds, Trump said the United States and China had made “tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries.” He added that he and Xi would discuss “security, technology and super intelligence,” his term for advanced artificial intelligence systems, according to BBC News.
Xi, in the midst of a three day visit to the United States, left the White House after the session but is scheduled to return later for a state dinner. Before the meeting, the Chinese leader called for “continued dialogue” with Washington and said he hoped that “Chinese companies are treated fairly here,” a signal that business and investment rules remain a sensitive point.
The day’s ceremonies were orderly and efficient inside the White House, but chaotic for the press corps outside, as pool reporters jostled for position and struggled to catch sight of the two leaders. Still, the images were clear: Trump and Xi walking together, exchanging words and gestures that both sides will now try to turn into diplomatic momentum.
For Trump, the encounter offers a chance to present himself as a dealmaker who can manage one of the world’s most complicated relationships. For Xi, it is an opportunity to press for more predictable treatment of Chinese firms and to push back against US restrictions on technology and investment.
Both men face domestic pressures. In Washington, lawmakers from both parties remain deeply skeptical of Beijing. In China, Xi must balance openness to dialogue with a tough stance on sovereignty and development.
The leaders’ focus on “super intelligence” underscores how fast-moving advances in AI have become a new front in US–China competition, alongside traditional concerns over military posture, supply chains and market access.
As evening fell, preparations were underway for the state dinner, where formal toasts and carefully chosen words may offer the next clues to whether this reset can last.
