“A new model of coexistence” between the U.S. and China is taking shape after the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader said this in his speech at the state dinner hosted at the White House by the tycoon. The event included, at the head table, leaders of major artificial intelligence and technology companies, including Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Journalists from CNN and MsNow, however, were excluded.

As the U.S. press notes, this was the second summit between Xi and Trump this year and Xi’s first visit to Washington in more than a decade, aimed at managing the world’s most important bilateral relationship. The two leaders met yesterday and highlighted the importance of discussions on artificial intelligence. Other key issues, including trade, Taiwan and the war in Iran, were central to the meeting.

Trump’s gift to Xi: the bald eagle, a U.S. symbol

During the gala dinner, Trump presented the Chinese leader with a statue of a bald eagle. The bald eagle, about one meter tall and mounted on a pedestal, was created by an American artist in collaboration with the president and First Lady Melania Trump, Trump said in his speech at the dinner.

“The bald eagle is a national symbol of the United States and the embodiment of America’s free and intoxicating spirit,” Trump explained, adding: “We hope it finds a beautiful place, a wonderful place in Beijing.”

From George Washington to Nixon, Xi’s speech covers 250 years of U.S.-China relations

In his White House speech, the Chinese leader recalled moments of exchange and cooperation between the United States and China across 250 years of American history.

After noting George Washington’s interest in a collection of Chinese porcelain, he focused on cooperation between Chinese and American forces against Japan during World War II, calling it “a friendship forged in blood and fire.”

Xi then recalled former U.S. President Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 visit to China. The handshake between Nixon and China’s leader Mao Zedong marked the beginning of the normalization of relations between the United States and China.

“Like a river that never stops flowing, history never stands still,” Xi said, before expressing hope for future cooperation.

At the end of his speech, Xi said that President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” program could run alongside his own aim of a “great national rejuvenation” for China.

“China and the United States must act as responsible great powers, meet the expectations of our peoples, keep pace with the times, and explore a new approach for peaceful coexistence between great powers,” said the leader from Beijing.

From Musk to Huang, technology and AI leaders at the dinner

At the state dinner were leaders of major AI and technology companies. Sitting at the head table, opposite the podium and alongside the U.S. president and the Chinese leader, were Jensen Huang, CEO of the AI chip giant Nvidia, with his wife Lori Huang; Lisa Su, CEO of the AI chip company AMD, with her husband Daniel Lin; Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla; and Tim Cook, former CEO of Apple, who resigned from his position last month.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of responsible AI governance during their meeting, while technology was highlighted as a central theme of the visit, as Xi had previously stated.

According to the list cited by CNN, Jeff Yass — a billionaire and major Republican donor who holds a stake in ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company — and a number of financial sector leaders were also invited.

Access denied to CNN and MsNow journalists

After the ban and a judge’s ruling, MsNow journalists were denied access to cover the Chinese leader’s arrival at the state dinner. Before the event, the White House prevented two CNN journalists from covering Xi’s arrival.

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