This week in Beijing, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping quietly admitted something the world has been slow to grasp: neither can afford a collision between their two countries.

Washington and Beijing do not trust each other. But expect Trump and Xi to remain on message this week, saying friendly things about each other.

The world’s two most powerful men – US president Donald Trump and China’s leader Xi Jinping – struck a cordial tone, but will the goodwill deliver the win they are both chasing?

Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump began their summit in Beijing, China, on Thursday.