United States President Donald Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday, aiming to maintain stability between the world’s two largest economies amid deep underlying tensions.

The visit featured high-level pageantry, beginning with an unusual tarmac greeting by Trump at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. Thursday’s itinerary included a formal arrival ceremony on the White House South Lawn, a military flyover, Oval Office discussions, and a grand state banquet attended by prominent tech executives.

Despite the lavish reception, substantive breakthroughs on core geopolitical issues remain unlikely. Discussions focused on managing longstanding friction surrounding trade, artificial intelligence development, and Beijing’s diplomatic and economic ties with Iran.

Ahead of the talks, Chinese state media reported comments from Xi emphasizing cooperation. He stated that Beijing and Washington ought to act as “partners rather than rivals” while pursuing in-depth exchanges on bilateral and global affairs.

Providing an early diplomatic boost, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a two-month extension of the existing trade truce, helping both nations avert a return to aggressive tariff escalations.

The summit also touched upon sensitive security matters, including U.S. policy regarding Taiwan. The high-profile state visit is scheduled to conclude on Friday following a private tea and a joint tour of the National Archives.