WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping acknowledged their intense competition over artificial intelligence on Thursday as they kicked off a state visit aimed at keeping ties between the world’s two largest economies on track.

How the leaders will handle AI is one of the key questions looming over their summit, with the U.S. president arguing for unfettered development of the technology in order to keep his nation’s edge over China. Beijing, meanwhile, has criticized American export controls on semiconductors and other inputs that it argues constrains its companies.

During an arrival ceremony in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Trump said the two leaders would also discuss issued related to security, technology and AI. “If we focus on our common interests, I’m confident there is much we can achieve throughout history,” he said.

Earlier, the U.S. president posted on social media that he wants to keep AI “exactly where it is,” suggesting he would stand by his longstanding opposition to guardrails.

Xi stressed the need to cooperate with the U.S. on managing the technology’s rapid development. “China and the U.S. are leading nations in AI and we have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure the development of AI is always under human control,” he said.

The summit began on the South Lawn, with Trump, Xi and their spouses shaking hands and posing for an official photo. The arrival ceremony is slated to include a full military review, gift exchange and flyover. Underneath that pageantry, however, long-standing feuds linger between the superpower rivals on trade and Taiwan, in addition to AI.

“Working together, President Xi and I have made tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries,” Trump said, citing what he said were advances to expand access to the Chinese market for U.S. farmers and ranchers under the newly created Board of Trade.

Xi called to strengthen communication with the U.S., saying the two sides “will both lose in confrontation.” He added there was room for more direct flights and announced that two pandas would in a few days arrive at Zoo Atlanta, in the U.S. state of Georgia.

The visit is coming at a precarious time for Trump, who is facing a cost of living crisis worsened by his decision to wage war on Iran. High prices have fueled voter discontent, putting his fellow Republicans in danger of losing control of Congress in the November midterm elections.

Xi arrives in the U.S. powering toward a precedent-defying fourth term in office next year and with China’s chokehold on rare earths giving Beijing enduring leverage. But the Chinese leader is also grappling with sluggish economic growth and rising youth unemployment.

His first state visit to America in 11 years follows Trump’s trip to Beijing in May, where the flattery-focused president was welcomed by Vice President Han Zheng and hundreds of flag-waving children. By contrast, Trump personally greeted Xi and his wife at Joint Base Andrews — a rare honor only extended to popes at that airport over the past six decades. The U.S. president posted on social media that his Chinese counterpart looked “strong, vibrant, and fit.”

On Thursday evening, the U.S. president will throw the second state dinner of his term for Xi, with yellow squash velouté and sesame-crusted sea bass on the menu and a guest list including American tech titans such as OpenAI’s Sam Altman.

The leaders’ visit got off to a positive start, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing within minutes of Xi’s arrival that the U.S. and China agreed to extend their trade truce by around two months to Jan. 10. Struck last year, that deal has kept down tariffs after Trump set off a trade war with China during the first months of his second term.

Some members of Trump’s own party have criticized the manner in which he’s hosting Xi, including Senator Roger Wicker, typically a reliable ally of the president who chairs the chamber’s Armed Services Committee.

“I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome,” Wicker said this week. “His guest is a brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America.”

While the two leaders projected warmth, tensions have also mounted behind the scenes. Shortly before Xi landed, Bloomberg News reported the Chinese government has taken possession of F-35 stealth aircraft parts that were diverted to Hong Kong while being sent to the U.S. from Australia.

Trump has acknowledged the two countries’ rivalry even as he seeks to court Xi. Trump has said he favors unabated AI development in order for the U.S. to outpace China, despite industry leaders’ concerns the technology could pose an existential threat to humanity. The U.S. president rejected such warnings as a “hoax.”

It’s unclear how deeply the two leaders plan to delve into the trickier parts of the U.S.-China relationship. Trump told reporters Wednesday they would discuss the war in Iran “and many other subjects, but it’s all coming along well.”

—With assistance from Erik Wasson and Catherine Lucey.

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