Trump-Xi summit: Pomp and pageantry, but few concrete breakthroughs

President Donald Trump, right, greets China's President Xi Jinping upon arrival at the South Portico of the White House, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Washington. - Copyright © africanews AP Photo Last updated: 9 minutes ago news US President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, in a summit aimed at managing tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Trump greeted Xi on the runway, offered him a tour of the presidential helicopter and presented him with a bald eagle statue. But behind the ceremony, analysts say the meeting produced few substantive breakthroughs. Bates Gill, Senior Fellow for Asian Security, National Bureau of Asian Research**:** "I think President Trump's greatest interest in having this meeting is simply to sort of demonstrate that he can have high-level summitry with countries that he obviously respects or believes to be near co-equals." The two sides did extend their fragile trade truce by two months, offering some temporary stability after years of tariff tensions. But major disputes remain, including over Taiwan, artificial intelligence and China's role in the conflict involving Iran. On AI, Trump and Xi signalled differing approaches, with Xi stressing that the technology should remain under human control. And on Taiwan, Xi again urged Washington to oppose Taiwanese independence, while the US continues to weigh a major arms package for the island. For now, the summit appears to have delivered a carefully staged display of diplomacy — without resolving the deeper strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing. You may also like