Xi Jinping’s visit heavy on symbolism but no sign closed-door meeting yielded breakthroughs on thorny issues such as AI, trade, Taiwan and Iran

Donald Trump welcomed Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, with talks on AI, trade and a growing US-China strategic rivalry expected to feature on an elaborate state visit that critics say went big on style but lacked substance.

Here are the key takeaways from Xi’s first visit to Washington in more than a decade.

Senate Democrats criticised Trump’s summit with Xi, saying it prioritised pageantry over substance on the major issues. There was no sign a brief closed-door meeting yielded breakthroughs on the thorny issues of AI, trade, Taiwan and the war with Iran.

Both countries agreed to extend until 10 January an agreement pausing their trade war, but experts said there were few other obvious tangible outcomes.

Xi once again invoked the “Thucydides Trap”, an academic theory that competition between a rising power and an established one often results in war. Xi said the risk “can be overcome” and urged cooperation.

After their meeting, Trump gave Xi a tour of the new helipad he had recently constructed on the White House’s South Lawn. “He loves good granite,” Trump told reporters, adding the two men had a “great meeting” ​without elaborating.

Danny Russel, a former US diplomat serving in the Obama administration, expressed concern that the two leaders spent more time on social and ceremonial events than the actual meeting, which was about 90 minutes.

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