Denmark

Copenhagen, September 25, 2026. For the Danish press, the pomp displayed on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the White House around Xi Jinping and Donald Trump should not mask the essential: the real battle is being fought over technology, not protocol. Berlingske, in an analysis published on Friday, September 25, 2026, summarizes the scene in one sentence: "bag grin og galla udkæmper Kina og USA en nådesløs magtkamp om fremtidens teknologi" — behind the smiles and the gala, China and the United States are engaged in a merciless struggle for the future of technology. The media describes a Trump betting everything on speed, without rules, against a Xi who "plays the game" of his host's spectacle while aiming for decisive victory.

The decorum, however, was meticulous. According to DR Nyheder, this is the first visit by a Chinese president to the White House since 2015; it comes at a time when the relationship between the two largest economies in the world remains marked by trade conflict, customs duties, and technological and security rivalry — without this being visible at the reception of the two presidential couples, where "a small smile" could be guessed from the two leaders. Taiwan, Ukraine, and Iran were among the expected topics, without any announcement at this stage.

Politiken notes that Trump "rolled out the red carpet" for Xi, traveling in person to Joint Base Andrews, a rare honor — while judging that this "will not be enough" for the Chinese president. The daily also notes that Trump wore black gloves, possibly to hide a bruise on his right hand that he usually conceals with makeup.

According to Berlingske, Trump hailed their "virkelig gode venskab" (very great friendship), stating that he had made "enormous progress" with Xi on common issues, while Xi offered two pandas intended for the Atlanta zoo — a traditional gesture of Chinese diplomacy, recalls the newspaper, which emphasizes that the pair of pandas at the Copenhagen zoo is also a gift from Beijing. On artificial intelligence, Xi was more measured than Trump, calling for development "always under human control" and "for the benefit of all". The two leaders have met three times since Trump's return to power in January of last year, but no concrete progress has been reported at this stage on trade, Taiwan, or artificial intelligence.