Xi's Washington visit heavy on ceremony, light on progress

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington has so far featured ceremonial pageantry but yielded little substantive progress on pressing bilateral issues. The leaders exchanged warm remarks, with Xi announcing panda gifts and a student exchange program. Trump outlined discussion topics including security, technology, and AI, while analysts note the pageantry aims to project stability. Xi referenced the "Thucydides trap," and both sides face significant obstacles, including a two-month extension of the trade truce and unresolved disputes over agriculture, rare earths, and Taiwan arms sales.