Trump set to greet Xi for high-stakes state visit

BEIJING/WASHINGTON — Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to arrive in the United States on Wednesday evening for his first state visit in 11 years, opening high-stakes talks with President Trump at a pivotal moment for both men.

It is the second time the leaders are meeting this year after the Beijing summit in May, when they agreed to build a more stable bilateral relationship.

Both leaders are trying to shore up power at home. For Trump, the visit comes just over a month before the midterm elections, and for Xi, preparations for an all-important Party Congress start when he returns to Beijing.

But despite both countries projecting a willingness to build what China has dubbed a relationship of "constructive strategic stability," fierce negotiations over weighty subjects such as AI and trade are underway.