Xi Jinping receives unusual honor during US visit

It is early autumn in the capital of the United States: bright sun, but cool in the air and occasional reddish-brown leaves on the ground.

Outside the Waldorf Astoria hotel, once owned by Donald Trump, Chinese people stand waving large red flags. The majority of the spectators that DN sees on the streets are supporters of Xi Jinping, but there are also counter-demonstrators protesting against the persecution of the Uyghur ethnic group and the Falun Gong movement.

It is the first time since 2015 that Xi Jinping has visited the US capital - and the first time since 1962 that a foreign head of government was received by the president at an airport in Washington DC, an honor usually reserved for the Pope.

"He looks strong, fit and fit," Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social after he met his Chinese counterpart.

When the delegations met at the White House on Thursday, the courtesies continued.

- We have built a very nice friendship actually, built on mutual respect, said Donald Trump.

He had to be brief, as a Chinese interpreter translated everything he said and took a long time.

When the Chinese president spoke, he congratulated the United States for having existed for 250 years. He said it "on behalf of 1.4 billion Chinese", a subtle way of highlighting how many more live in the Asian country.

During his speech, he repeatedly referred to the nations as "two leading countries," reflecting how China wants to be seen by the outside world.

Chinese civilization has existed for thousands of years and long-term thinking characterizes politics. Xi Jinping wants a stable and predictable relationship with the United States, which could be a challenge with an impulsive president like Donald Trump.

One of the many issues on the agenda was that of artificial intelligence. The American president does not want to listen to the warnings about the technology, but Xi Jinping chose to address the issue.

- We have the opportunity and a responsibility to develop AI so that it achieves good things and continues to be under human control, he said.

The presidents have two busy days ahead of them, with several meetings and visits to museums planned - including to see the original of the US Constitution.

That Xi Jinping is received with such pomp and circumstance has met with criticism from both the left and the right.

During the Republican midterm convention at the beginning of the month, the common theme was the threat of communism - as the party calls the democratic socialists who have had success in several primaries during the year.

That Donald Trump now welcomes the leader of the Communist Party and flatters him in social media has become too much even for some of his supporters.

"We are rolling out the red carpet for a communist dictator who gives Iran satellite images that they use to kill American soldiers," writes right-wing debater Laura Loomer on X.

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