Trump welcomes Xi to White House, invokes WWII alliance in talks on trade and AI

U.S. President Donald Trump invoked the U.S.-China alliance of World War II as he welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, stressing cooperation between the rival powers ahead of talks on security, technology and AI.

The two leaders addressed pressing issues involving “superintelligence,” or SI — the term Trump uses to refer to AI — while calling on the United States and China to focus on their common interests.

“The decisions we make in these areas today can promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come,” Trump said during a state arrival ceremony for Xi and his wife, Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan, at the White House in Washington.

The visit marks Xi’s second official state visit to the United States and comes after Trump traveled to China in May, as the two countries seek to manage tensions while expanding areas of economic cooperation. The White House previously described it as Xi's first state visit to the United States in more than a decade.

Trump pointed to progress made since his May visit to China, including the establishment of a new trade commission, and said officials from both sides have been working toward a more balanced trade relationship, including greater market access for U.S. farmers and ranchers.

Trump went further in emphasizing the history of U.S.-China cooperation, invoking the Flying Tigers — the American volunteer pilots organized with the approval of the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration to support China against Imperial Japan during World War II.

Focusing on common interests between the United States and China had historically produced close cooperation between the two countries and “even made us allies” during World War II, Trump said.

He described the Flying Tigers as a “legendary” unit whose pilots volunteered to travel to China and fight for the country’s survival. Trump also pointed to the term “gung-ho,” still used by the U.S. Marines, as another legacy of wartime exchanges between Americans and Chinese. The expression derives from the Chinese term “gonghe,” meaning to work together.

The reference was notable as Trump used the history of U.S.-China cooperation against Japan to welcome the leader of a country now regarded as Washington’s principal strategic competitor.

It also comes as relations between Beijing and Tokyo remain strained following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a possible Taiwan Strait contingency. China has repeatedly invoked the historical narrative of resistance against Japan as it seeks international support in its disputes with Tokyo.

Trump’s welcome of Xi has already drawn attention for its unusually elaborate protocol. Trump personally greeted Xi and Peng at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, a rare gesture by a U.S. president toward a visiting foreign leader.

Former President Barack Obama also invoked U.S.-China cooperation during World War II when Xi made his first state visit in 2015, though Obama focused on Chinese villagers who hid, fed and treated wounded American pilots rather than describing the two countries as allies.

Xi likewise stressed cooperation in his remarks, but also made clear that competition between the world’s two largest economies is unavoidable and called for guardrails to prevent that rivalry from turning into confrontation.

There is no need for China and the United States to avoid discussing competition, Xi said, but "competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds."

Xi also called on the two countries to maintain the bottom line of “non-conflict and non-confrontation,” saying their militaries should maintain regular dialogue and improve mechanisms for crisis communication and prevention. The so-called Thucydides Trap, in which conflict emerges between a rising power and an established one, can be overcome, he said.

AI emerged as another area where Xi called for both cooperation and managed competition.

China and the United States have both the ability and responsibility to develop and govern AI properly and ensure that the technology remains under human control and benefits the public, Xi said. At the same time, he described both countries as “AI powers,” underscoring Beijing’s intention to remain competitive with Washington in the technology.

Xi also proposed several concrete areas for cooperation, including stronger coordination on narcotics control and law enforcement — an apparent reference to the fentanyl issue that has long strained bilateral relations.

Other proposals included increasing direct flights between the two countries and inviting 100,000 American youths to China over the next five years. Xi also announced that two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, would arrive at their new home at Zoo Atlanta within days.

Responding directly to Trump’s reference to the Flying Tigers, Xi said China and the United States had fought together against “fascist aggressors” during World War II and that the people of both countries would never forget that history.

The two leaders proceeded to one-on-one and expanded talks following the welcoming ceremony. They were also scheduled to deliver another round of remarks in the White House East Room before the state dinner, when details of agreements reached during the talks were expected to emerge. The White House schedule included another appearance by the two leaders as part of the state dinner program.

Xi’s multiple public appearances with Trump also drew attention after his absence from a recent Brics summit dinner fueled speculation about his health. His planned appearance at two rounds of public remarks could serve both as a response to Trump’s unusually elaborate welcome and as an opportunity to dispel such speculation.

BY YOO JEE-HYE [[email protected]]