Trump highly praised "the best moment in the history of US-China relations," Xi Jinping responded: the two powers must avoid the Thucydides Trap

Trump and Xi Jinping held the "Trump-Xi Summit" on the morning of the 14th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. A 21-gun salute was fired on site, both national anthems were played, and the two shook hands for over 10 seconds while walking the red carpet together. Foreign media described the spectacle as an elaborate ceremonial production carefully orchestrated by Xi Jinping for this former reality TV star. In his address, Xi Jinping directly pointed to the "Thucydides Trap," while Trump called US-China relations "the best ever." (Background: Trump-Xi Summit begins today: Xi extends hand first, Trump's 14-second "pat-handshake" displays dominant posture, with Taiwan arms sales, Iran, and tariffs on the agenda) (Background context: Trump requested the Trump-Xi Summit be postponed by one month, Iran conflict disrupts Polymarket probability, crashing from 75% to 5%) The gun salute thundered outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. After Trump arrived in the presidential motorcade, Xi Jinping personally welcomed him. The two shook hands and exchanged greetings for over 10 seconds, walking side by side along the red carpet. Children on site waved both Chinese and American flags, while the band played both national anthems in sequence. Foreign media analyzed that this display was a high-specification reception tailored by Xi Jinping to Trump's "former reality TV star" preference for ceremonial flair, aimed at setting the tone for today's talks. It has been 9 years since Trump last set foot on Chinese soil — this is also his first visit to China during his second presidential term. Both delegations covered the three core areas of diplomacy, trade and economics, and national defense, showing the depth of the meeting agenda. - Chinese side: Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Vice Premier He Lifeng, Defense Minister Dong Jun, NDRC Director Zheng Shanjie - US side: Secretary of State Rubio, Defense Secretary Hegseth, Trade Representative Greer, Treasury Secretary Bessent Trump's address carried his trademark personal-show style. He first recalled the group of Chinese children who jumped to greet him at the welcome scene, bluntly saying these kids were "more amazing than military performances." Then he turned the focus back to the relationship between the two, emphasizing his personal rapport with Xi Jinping — when difficulties arise, the two would directly call each other on the phone and resolve issues quickly. "Even when we encounter difficulties, we can work together to solve them," Trump said. He once again, on camera, bestowed the title of "great leader" on Xi Jinping, half-jokingly adding: "Sometimes people don't like me saying this, but I'll say it anyway, because it's the truth." Speaking of the accompanying delegation, Trump emphasized that this trip brought "the world's top 30 business elites," all of whom were "number ones" — "I don't want the number two or number three of any company," he stated, making the caliber of the lineup clear. Xi Jinping nodded and smiled upon hearing this. At the end of his address, Trump closed with an emotionally charged remark: it was an honor to be your friend, and US-China relations "will be the best in history." Compared with Trump's conversational style, Xi Jinping's address leaned toward academic discourse. He opened by directly tossing out a concept familiar to international relations circles — the "Thucydides Trap," the historical proposition that rising powers and established powers inevitably head toward conflict. Xi Jinping posed three consecutive questions: Can the two countries transcend this trap? Can they pioneer a new normalization in great-power relations? Can they work together to inject more stability into the world? He described these as "questions of history, questions of the world, questions of the people." He then turned to the logic of cooperation, arguing that each country's success is an opportunity for the other, and that a stable relationship is a positive for the world. He summarized with a refined parallel phrasing: "Cooperation benefits both, confrontation harms both, we should be partners rather than rivals." Xi Jinping finally provided a clear time anchor: he hopes to make 2026 a historic, landmark year for US-China relations to "carry forward the past and usher in the future." After the public morning addresses concluded, the two sides entered closed-door talks. Trump's afternoon schedule includes a visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, and in the evening he will attend a state banquet hosted by Xi Jinping. Three known agenda items are on the table: arms sales to Taiwan (which Trump proactively mentioned before the trip), the Iran issue, and trade tariff arrangements. Whether concrete concessions or a joint statement will be released remains to be seen.