Washington (United States) (AFP) – Xi Jinping told Donald Trump on Thursday that Beijing and Washington must peacefully manage their superpower rivalry, as the US president gave his Chinese counterpart a lavish welcome to the White House. While Trump hailed their “truly great friendship” on a day of sweeping pomp and circumstance, Xi used his state visit to lay down China’s red lines on AI, Taiwan, and the Iran war. Behind the pageantry — and symbolic gestures like Trump taking Xi inside his Marine One helicopter — the talks were focused on tensions that continue to divide the world’s two largest economies.
In his opening remarks with Trump, Xi said the two countries must ensure there is “no conflict and no confrontation between us.” Xi also warned that the development of artificial intelligence should be “always under human control” — in contrast to Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed warnings that AI could threaten humanity itself. Trump’s remarks struck a warmer tone, underscoring the US president’s long-term efforts to woo the Chinese leader. “President Xi and I have made tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries,” Trump said after greeting Xi for his first visit to the White House in over a decade. The 80-year-old Trump said that the pair would “discuss pressing issues concerning security, technology, and super intelligence — SI,” his name for artificial intelligence.
But later, as they met in the Oval Office, Xi urged Trump to show “prudence” and oppose independence for the flashpoint of Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims. The Chinese leader — whose country has reportedly shared intelligence with Tehran — also urged Trump to end the Iran war “through negotiation as soon as possible.” Few breakthroughs are expected during Xi’s state visit. Instead, the trip is more about the spectacle as the world’s two biggest economies seek to manage points of friction. A formal welcome on the White House South Lawn launched Thursday’s events, before Trump and Xi inspected a military parade on the newly paved-over Rose Garden. American military jets — including a B-2 bomber of the type that bombed Iranian nuclear facilities last year — then staged a flyover as US and Chinese flags flew over the West Wing.
In the Oval Office, Trump joked that the Chinese had the friendliest press corps. His comment came days after he barred outlets CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House — although they returned on Thursday after a court order. Trump later walked Xi out to see the new helipad he has built at the White House and took the Chinese leader aboard his helicopter — one of the most exclusive and sensitive pieces of US military equipment. “We had a great meeting,” Trump said, as the pair ignored questions on subjects including Iran, Taiwan, fentanyl trafficking, and jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai. Trump added that Xi was an “expert on stone aside from many other things and he loves good granite,” referring to the material used for the helipad, which he has boasted will last a million years.
Trump will later throw a state dinner for Xi attended by top US tech CEOs. The menu features yellow squash veloute, sesame crusted sea bass, and vanilla cremeux with White House honey ice cream, the White House said. The charm offensive began Wednesday as Trump personally greeted Xi at the airport — the first time in more than six decades that a US president welcomed a foreign head of state in person at Joint Base Andrews near Washington. Trump said that the 73-year-old Xi looked “strong, vibrant, and fit,” following recent rumors about the Chinese leader’s health. But the flattery masked tensions over thorny topics including the trade war between the world’s top two economies sparked by Trump’s tariffs. In a small sign of progress, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday announced a two-month extension of a trade truce that was due to expire in November.
© 2024 AFP
