Xi arrives in Washington this week seeking a tactical truce with Trump

Xi Jinping begins a state visit to the United States on Wednesday, his first to Washington since 2015, for his second face-to-face meeting with Trump this year. The summit is scheduled for Thursday.

The New York Times reports that Xi aims to lock in a tactical truce while he manages a fragile economy at home, facing an American president constrained by war and politics.

Chinese state media has set the tone in advance. People's Daily published a front-page article Tuesday saying the two leaders will provide "strategic guidance" on developing a stable relationship, and cast bilateral ties positively since their last meeting in Beijing four months ago, saying "positive factors in bilateral interactions continue to increase." Beijing has also spelled out its "red lines" ahead of the summit.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Xi will pay a state visit from Wednesday to Friday. The two economies are seeking to stabilize a relationship strained by trade, technology, and national security disputes.