Xi returns to Washington with China stronger than in 2015

Chinese leader Xi Jinping returned to Washington on Wednesday for his first U.S. state visit in over a decade, arriving with China in a stronger economic, industrial and military position than during his 2015 trip, according to The Korea Times.

The visit comes as Washington and Beijing compete over tariffs, critical minerals, technology, Taiwan and military power. The Korea Times reported no direct Orange County connection, framing the trip as a national and global test of U.S.-China relations.

The Korea Times reported that Xi’s 2015 visit was aimed at easing U.S. concern over China’s rise. Then-President Barack Obama said the United States “welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs.”

Mira Rapp-Hooper, a visiting fellow at Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies, told The Korea Times that “In 2015, China was a rising power still, profoundly and quickly rising, but rising undeniably,” adding, “China is risen.”

Trade has shifted sharply since that visit, according to The Korea Times. China matched President Donald Trump’s 125% tariffs last year, while the U.S. share of China’s exports fell from nearly one-fifth in 2015 to 11% in 2025, even as China’s global exports rose from $2.3 trillion to more than $3.7 trillion.

The Korea Times also reported that China has used its near-monopoly in critical minerals processing as leverage and that its 2015 advanced manufacturing strategy helped reduce reliance on imports in sectors including memory chips and medical devices.

Military power is another point of comparison. China has built the world’s largest fleet by number of vessels, while the U.S. Navy retains advantages in tonnage and weapons systems, according to Matthew P. Funaiole of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, as cited by The Korea Times.

Xi is expected to press Trump to further delay an arms sales package to Taiwan, The Korea Times reported, as both governments seek stability while competing across major strategic fronts.