Trump-Xi summit: Style over substance in Washington

Xi Jinping's first US state visit in over a decade featured elaborate pageantry but yielded no major breakthroughs on AI, trade, Taiwan, or Iran, with critics calling it "diplotainment" over substance. The two leaders extended a trade-war pause until January 10, while Xi urged cooperation to overcome the "Thucydides Trap." Senate Democrats criticized the summit for prioritizing ceremony over progress, noting the closed-door meeting lasted only about 90 minutes. Xi pressed Trump to oppose "Taiwan independence," while Democrats urged the president to deliver a stalled $14bn arms package to Taiwan. Trump gave Xi a tour of a new White House helipad, and both sides agreed to keep AI discussions symbolic. The visit included an unusual airport greeting at Joint Base Andrews, a state dinner with tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Tim Cook, and visible protests outside. US networks refused to air remarks live over a White House ban on CNN and other outlets, while Trump held back Taiwan arms sales as a "negotiating chip."