Xi’s red carpet welcome in Washington signals a changed world order

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington Wednesday for a state visit, with President Trump greeting him at Andrews Air Force Base. The visit features a White House ceremony with nearly 500 service personnel and a state banquet, highlighting a shift from last year's trade war. The agenda centers on the Busan trade truce expiring in November, with talks failing to agree on an extension length. Beijing wants it through Trump's term, while Washington proposes six months, citing unmet commitments. China's rare earth export leverage proved potent, nearly shutting down global auto supply chains. Trump has approved some advanced Nvidia chip exports to China, treating restrictions as bargaining chips rather than principles. Both sides agreed to establish an AI dialogue with an incident line. Beijing remains skeptical of a "grand bargain," particularly on Taiwan, viewing it as a matter of principle.