Bangladesh, May 14 -- As Air Force One touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport on Wednesday evening, the world witnessed a moment nearly nine years in the making, amid ongoing economic rivalry between the United States and China.

President Donald Trump's second state visit to China - originally delayed by the exigencies of the 2026 Iran war - represents more than a diplomatic courtesy; it is a high-stakes attempt to stabilise a bilateral relationship that has reshaped the international order.

Welcomed by a military honour guard and 300 flag-waving students, the American delegation arrived in a capital increasingly viewing the United States as a "giant with a limp," fatigued by conflict in the Middle East. This "state visi...