US and China De-escalate Tensions During Xi’s Visit to US
Milestone Visit
Following the state visit of China’s President XI Jinping to the United States of America (USA) from 23 to 25 September 2026, the two sides each issued separate statements on the milestone visit. The visit occurs after more than a decade, as the US-China relationship experienced several setbacks with the first trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the more recent reciprocal #tariffs.
There were neither great expectations nor full preparations for this bilateral summit. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had a marathon 8-hour session with China’s Vice Premier HE Lifeng at JPMorgan’s HQ in New York on Sunday, the 20th of September 2026. Then, both men met again in Washington, DC, hours before Xi’s landing at the Joint Base Andrews to finalize last-minute details.
Extraordinary Pomp
This visit was also remarkable for the break in protocol and spectacular pomp displayed by the American side. Firstly, Trump going to the airport to personally welcome Xi was quite outstanding, since the last time an American did so was more than sixty years ago. It is worth recalling that when Trump paid a state visit to China in May 2026, Xi did not welcome him on the tarmac at Beijing airport, but dispatched Vice President HAN Zheng in his place.
Then, Trump carefully arranged flyovers of a range of military aircraft, providing Xi the rare opportunity to watch at close range the B1 Strategic Bomber, the B2 Stealth Bomber, and the F22 Fighter Jet. Certain observers read it as China having arrived and deserving the highest order of respect. Other media outlets reported that Trump proposed selling military equipment to Xi and the aerial display was actually an advertisement.
Trade War Truce
The US and China agreed to extend the trade war truce until the 10th of January 2027. The newly operationalized Board of Trade agreed to reduce tariffs on ‘non-sensitive goods’ worth USD 30 billion in each direction. The US appreciates China’s commitment to import at least 10 million tonnes of American coal every year in 2027, and again in 2028, in a gesture to equilibrate the trade balance, but Trump appears to believe that arms sales might be able to close the gap in a more meaningful way.
The US noted the stronger measures put in place by China to control the export of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals. As for #CriticalMinerals, and #RareEarths in particular, both sides agreed to continue to talk to ensure shipments return to ‘appropriate levels’.
From Artificial Intelligence to Super Intelligence
Previously, both the US and China already agreed on the principle that AI should not be given control of nuclear weapons systems and the ultimate decision for the use of the ultimate deterrence should rest with humans. As #HiTech advances by leaps and bounds from generative to agentic #AI, Trump proposed adopting the term ‘Super Intelligence (SI)’ instead of ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI)’, and China agreed to the term when discussing AI issues with the US.
Following alleged incidents involving AI agents, which initiated hacks on networks, both sides agreed to establish a ‘communication channel’ for AI incidents to address security risks.
Taiwan and Iran
Xi urged Trump to reinforce his position on Taiwan in favor of the One-China Policy, by amending the language from ‘not supporting Taiwan independence’ to ‘opposing Taiwan independence.’ China took note of the pause in the delivery of the US F-16v Viper fighter Jets to Taiwan.
On Iran, both sides agreed that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. In addition, the US and China agreed that international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz should remain free and open.
Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation and Make America Great Again
China’s official statement underlined that China and the USA are now on an equal footing — an upgrade from the ‘near-peer competitor’ terminology employed by the Pentagon — and highlighted the 8-point consensus as the key outcomes of the visit. On the other hand, the US emphasized the principles of reciprocity and fairness and looks forward to ‘more great things’. As Xi’s succinctly framed it in his remarks, the ‘Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation’ and ‘Make America Great Again’ might not necessarily fall into Thucydides’ Trap.
President Trump presented a custom-made sculpture of the American Bald Eagle to President Xi. On the other hand, President Xi announced that two new pandas will soon be making their way to the Atlanta Zoo, in addition to the ones already at the San Diego Zoo. Xi also announced that China will invite 100,000 young Americans to visit China over the next five years, despite the fact that Trump recently tightened visa rules for visitors from China.
Until the end of 2026, both leaders will have the opportunity to meet again twice: firstly, at the APEC Summit in November in Shenzhen, then, secondly, at the G20 Summit in December in Miami to continue the dialogue.