Trump and Xi stress friendship at White House summit

President Trump and China's Xi Jinping met at the White House on Thursday, emphasizing their "friendship" while addressing difficult topics like AI dangers, trade disputes, and the Iran war. Both leaders struck conciliatory tones, calling for more communication and cooperation between the world's two largest economies. Xi invited 100,000 young Americans to study in China and announced two pandas for a US zoo. The US and China agreed to extend their tariff pause for two months, continuing the Busan agreement until January 10. Xi stated the US and China should be partners, not rivals, calling this a "crucial year" for relations. The summit included a state banquet with tech leaders like Elon Musk and Tim Cook, highlighting AI's role in talks. Xi's first US visit since 2023 drew Democratic criticism over Trump's "fascination with dictators," referencing also the invitation to Putin for the G-20 summit in Miami.