Xi's Washington visit: A fragile truce, no breakthrough

Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrives in Washington Wednesday for his first state visit to the US since 2015, with experts expecting the summit to extend a fragile truce without resolving any issues between the world's two leading economic and military powers. US President Donald Trump launched a trade war against China after returning to office, but experts say the strategy backfired, leaving Beijing confident that America's leverage has weakened. Xi's primary goal is avoiding direct confrontation while waiting for what he sees as China's inevitable rise, according to diplomats and analysts. Both leaders need stability — Xi faces a party congress next year, while Trump eyes midterm elections. The summit is expected to produce a one-year trade truce extension and non-binding statements on regional conflicts and AI risks, though deeper competition over Taiwan, technology, and influence will continue.