Xi Jinping's US visit highlights diplomatic optics amid US-China power shift

The focus may be about diplomatic optics, but reinforcing stability may be an achievement in itself, observers say

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Carol Yangin Beijing

Published: 11:37am, 24 Sep 2026

With the balance of power shifting between the US and China, the success of this week’s summit hinges not on headline-grabbing deals, but on practical, cautious consensus under a new strategic stability framework, according to Chinese researchers.

Media outlets in China have given heavy coverage to President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States, highlighting its “historic, milestone significance”. It follows US President Donald Trump’s Beijing visit in May.

Xi’s arrival in Washington on Wednesday dominated state media headlines, with images and footage of Trump greeting the Chinese leader on the tarmac in a red-carpet welcome that included honour guards, a military band that played both national anthems, a 21-gun salute and a jet flyover.

Trump greets Xi on airfield

In contrast, American media coverage of Xi’s arrival was more muted, as the major television networks continue a stand-off with the White House. Those in the White House pool – including ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC – have boycotted coverage of Trump’s public events in protest against his administration’s ban on several media outlets including CNN.

Camera crews had set up at Joint Base Andrews in anticipation of a court ruling to lift the ban but dismantled their equipment after a federal judge deferred his decision. As a result, the arrival of China’s top leader was captured by a handful of smaller digital outlets, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.