Trump Xi Friends

When Donald Trump ran for office a decade ago, he called China a menace to the U.S. economy. Today, the Republican president has changed his tune. He's playing down the impact that Beijing has on trade, artificial intelligence and other issues. His new strategy of currying favor with China’s Xi Jinping has helped undermine traditional U.S. economic and national security alliances. Xi will be in Washington for a state dinner Thursday. Meanwhile, other Western leaders have found themselves trying to shore up their economic ties with China, too. Trump’s focus on having a good relationship with Xi has left experts questioning whether the U.S. is adequately positioning itself to compete against China.