On May 14, 2026, President Xi Jinping hosted US President Donald J. Trump for a state visit in Beijing, visiting the historic Temple of Heaven before holding talks at the Great Hall of the People.
The visit aimed to highlight Chinese history and civilisation, with the leaders touring the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and emphasising harmony and dialogue.
The Thucydides Trap in recent timesThe New York Times reported that "As the leaders of the United States and China met in Beijing on Thursday, Xi Jinping had a much older rivalry on his mind.
The Chinese president invoked a warning from the Classical world, when the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta went to war, saying that the United States and China should beware the “Thucydides Trap” in their own relations.
