Why the Trump and Xi summit will struggle to live up to its grand pageantry

The grand display of President Donald Trump welcoming China's Xi Jinping to his residence suggests a significant international moment. This meeting, which included spouses of both leaders, took place amid a fulfilling display of pageantry. However, one incident during the ceremony, a jet's flyover during the national anthem, disrupted the otherwise orchestrated scene, causing Trump to react visibly.

Despite this minor hiccup, the overall impression was that of two world powers setting the course for the planet's future. This summit occurs at a crucial time, as both superpowers are delving into the realm of artificial intelligence, with concerns mounting about the potential uncontrollable growth of this technology. However, the grandeur of the summit should not overshadow its limitations.

Xi's state visit cannot be compared to the successful summits of the past, such as those between President Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev, which led to the peaceful resolution of the Cold War. The meeting is unlikely to result in an agreement safeguarding humanity, unlike the 1980s nuclear arms reductions. It is crucial to understand that Xi's state visit does not hold the same significance as the aforementioned historic summits.

Unlike Reagan and Gorbachev, Xi does not face the same pressures from domestic dissent, nor does he harbor the same concerns about economic setbacks. Consequently, there is a significant disparity between the two world leaders' expectations and outcomes.