‘Deep respect’: analysts weigh in on Trump’s red carpet welcome for Xi

With China and the US agreeing to extend a tariff truce that was set to expire in November – and US President Donald Trump giving his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, a personal welcome on the tarmac – analysts say the Chinese leader’s state visit has begun on a positive note.

The extension will run for two months through January 10, a sign the world’s two largest economies are willing to negotiate broader agreements and build positive momentum despite an increasingly heightened rivalry spanning a range of issues.

“While the two-month trade truce extension is shorter than observers originally expected, any extension is a positive sign that both sides can effectively manage their differences,” said John Gong, a professor of economics at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.