Trump rolls out military honours for Xi as US and China seek deals on trade, AI and rare earths

President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington with full military honours, signalling a desire to ease tensions between the world's two largest economies and explore fresh agreements across trade, artificial intelligence and rare earth minerals.

Xi used the visit to call for greater cooperation between the two nations, striking a conciliatory tone despite the backdrop of an unresolved trade dispute that has weighed on global markets and supply chains.

Among the issues under discussion, AI emerged as a particularly sensitive topic, with some American leaders urging caution over the pace of development given intensifying competition with China. Rare earths, critical to advanced manufacturing and defence industries, also featured prominently in talks.