President Donald Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state dinner at the White House this Thursday, the first such ceremony since 2015.
The gesture follows a decade of tariffs that pushed U.S. exports down 10% and a trade deficit that climbed to $2.3 trillion.
Trump, who once labeled China a "manufacturing menace," said on Instagram, "We have a very good relationship with President Xi."
European officials, wary of a new U.S. pivot, welcomed the move as a sign of easing tension, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it a "positive step."
A follow‑up meeting on the sidelines of next month’s G20 summit in Brazil is expected to cement the new tone.