Xi Jinping lands in Washington for Trump talks

Xi Jinping’s arrival in Washington is the first of two set-piece moments, with Trump personally greeting him and a state dinner following tomorrow. The pageantry comes despite both sides showing little appetite for ending their uneasy truce. Beijing has widened controls on the export of precursors used to make illegal drugs, a persistent frustration of Washington’s, while Trump has largely curbed hawkish rhetoric from his administration towards China. The visit itself is expected to be more pomp than progress. Huge differences remain between the superpowers on AI regulation, trade policy, and Taiwan’s security. Expectations of business deals have waned as Chinese CEOs are unlikely to be joining Xi on his trip. Whether the truce holds may hinge on whether either side moves on those areas, and business leaders exposed to cross-border trade are likely to watch for any sign of movement.