Trump hosts Xi for state visit as both seek stable ties

US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for a lavish state visit at the White House on Thursday, with both sides seeking to project stable relations despite disputes over AI, trade, Taiwan, and Iran. Observers expect the summit to be more symbolic than substantive. Trump praised his "really great friendship" with Xi and cited trade progress since his May trip to China. Xi called for "healthy" competition, saying the "Thucydides trap can be overcome," and urged regular military dialogue. He announced two pandas for Atlanta Zoo and 100,000 US student exchanges over five years. Taiwan was discussed bilaterally, with Xi pressing the US to oppose "Taiwan independence," according to Xinhua. Analysts see major breakthroughs as unlikely, with possible outcomes limited to extending a trade truce expiring in November and an AI threat agreement. Trump is also expected to raise detained US citizens.