Trump and Xi meet in Washington with symbolism but no breakthroughs

President Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at a lavish White House summit on Thursday, marked by symbolism but yielding no major breakthroughs on contentious issues like AI, trade, Taiwan, and the Iran war. The two leaders attended a state dinner, while protesters outside chanted slogans audible to the officials. During the dinner, Trump emphasized personal friendship, while Xi called for "responsible major powers" and a "new approach" to great-power relations, without providing specifics. Xi urged the U.S. to oppose Taiwan independence, a key sticking point, and both discussed maintaining regular military dialogue to improve crisis prevention. The summit, Xi's first Washington visit in over a decade, occurred as Trump faces domestic pressure over AI growth and the Iran conflict. No U.S. TV networks aired the remarks live, protesting the White House's ban on certain outlets. Tech CEOs attended, but analysts expect strict U.S. export controls to remain.