Xi heads to Washington after a decade of transforming China into a global force

Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrives in Washington Wednesday for his first U.S. state visit in over a decade, seeking stability with the world's two largest economies amid intense competition over technology, space, and global influence. Since Xi's 2015 visit, China has transformed from a rising power into a near-peer rival, gaining capabilities and the will to counter the U.S., demonstrated last year when Beijing matched Trump's 125% tariffs and leveraged critical mineral processing to force Washington to stand down. China has reduced its economic reliance on the U.S., with exports diversifying beyond the American market, while its manufacturing advances have bolstered military strength, including the world's largest fleet by vessel count and a growing nuclear arsenal that the Pentagon says now threatens U.S. homeland security.