THE NEW YORK TIMES: Flyovers, pandas and pomp masked divides in US-China Summit

Donald Trump said he had “never gotten along better” with President Xi Jinping of China on Thursday during a day of military flyovers, gifts of pandas and lavish ceremonies that masked significant divides over artificial intelligence and trade.

“President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems but the ties between our people endure,” Mr Trump said at the start of the state dinner with Mr Xi at the White House. “Together we can continue to build a relationship that promotes prosperity and security for future generations.”

The flattery capped a day in which Mr Trump appeared focused on growing a personal relationship with Mr Xi to strengthen ties between the two nations, while the Chinese President was at times was more pointed on the challenges before them.

After arriving to the White House earlier in the day, Mr Xi warned that the two countries should avoid the “Thucydides Trap,” the theory that a rising power and an established power are likely to go to war.

“We do not need to avoid mentioning competition, but our competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds,” Mr Xi said.

“It should be a race of catching up with one another, not a wrestle in which one either wins or loses. China and the United States must hold the line of no conflict and no confrontation between us.”

The two leaders did appear to broach pressing issues behind the scenes. Mr Trump said they planned on discussing security and “super intelligence” — his attempt at rebranding artificial intelligence, technology that has spurred global concern in recent weeks. In their private meeting, the two leaders also deliberated trade, Taiwan, the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to the official Chinese summary of talks.

On Wednesday, the two nations agreed to extend a shaky trade truce — that eased an intensifying trade war — by two months past a November deadline. But there was little sign of other policies that came about from the pomp and circumstance.

Mr Xi, in public at least, went further than Mr Trump on the issue of artificial intelligence. During his opening remarks at the White House, the Chinese President said he wanted to ensure AI was “always under human control”. Mr Trump has called fears about AI leading to mass extinction a “hoax”.

Mr Trump, who prides himself on his personal brand of diplomacy, has extended his hand to Mr Xi, despite the rivalry between the United States and China. Mr Trump accused China this summer of “sinister election meddling” in the 2020 election. And Beijing has shown no signs of retreating from its business dealings with Tehran since the US and Israeli war against Iran began this year.

Since the start of the war, Chinese companies have even provided Iran with satellite imagery, and access to a spy satellite, that Iran’s military forces have used to mount attacks in the region, according to multiple US officials.

There is little sign that China had made good on a promise made during Mr Trump’s visit with Beijing earlier this year to sharply increase its purchases of American agriculture products.

But Mr Trump, who once criticised the Obama administration for hosting Mr Xi, appeared particularly focused on playing the part of host rather than rival.

“In return for China breaking nearly every trade promise it has made, Mr Trump is rolling out the red carpet for President Xi,” said Senator Ron Wyden.

“There is no evidence that Mr Trump is using this opportunity to push back on the Chinese government policies that hurt our workers and businesses, from forced labour to state subsidies. Donald Trump is giving away the store to China and leaving American families with the bill.”

On Wednesday, Mr Trump went to Joint Base Andrews to greet President Xi, breaking from the usual tradition of greeting world leaders at the White House. He presented him with an honour guard ceremony in the Rose Garden featuring a military flyover of a B-2 bomber and F-22 jets. He then gave President Xi a tour of his new helipad on the White House grounds.

Mr Trump later hosted President Xi for a state dinner in the East Room with Chinese officials, Republican donors and a number of high-profile executives, including Jeff Bezos, Jensen Huang and Elon Musk. Rather than speak about artificial intelligence, Mr Trump appeared to break from his scripted remarks to direct Mr Xi to one of the points of pride of his second term.

“It’s one year away from complete, the new ballroom that you’ve heard about,” Mr Trump said. “And you will see something that I think you will really love.”

Mr Xi also came with gifts: He announced China would be sending two pandas to the Atlanta Zoo.

In a Truth Social post, Mr Trump said the day was a made-for-TV moment. But it was missing a crucial component. Major television networks declined to provide shared footage of the events after Mr Trump blocked CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.

Reporters from those outlets had their access restored around midday, but the TV pool remained suspended. The networks had indicated that they would not resume coverage following the US President until the White House had formally agreed to allow CNN to participate once again in the pool.

A crowd of Chinese state media workers were, however, allowed into the White House grounds.

After Mr Trump’s toast at the state dinner, Mr Xi selectively recited the history of the two countries, choosing to ignore the worst moments of the Cold War but rather invoke President Richard Nixon’s move to restore relations with Beijing in 1972. The message to Mr Trump appeared to be that he, too, had an opportunity to re-establish ties with China, though on Beijing’s terms.

“Such a friendship, forged in blood and fire,” he said, “will surely live on through the generations”.