President Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping with an elaborate state ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, featuring military honour guards, aircraft flybys, and full diplomatic pageantry. The three-day visit underscores Washington's intention to maintain high-level engagement with Beijing despite mounting geopolitical tensions, signalling a potential diplomatic reset between the world's two largest economies.

Artificial intelligence dominates the agenda as both nations compete for technological and strategic dominance in a sector increasingly viewed as foundational to future economic and military power. The two leaders diverge sharply in approach: Trump's administration prioritises securing American technological leadership and competitive advantage, whilst China publicly advocates for international cooperation—a difference that reflects their competing visions for global AI development. With the US currently holding the lead in advanced AI systems, both nations recognise the stakes as existential to their respective national futures.