The Significance of Vice President Xi Jinping’s Visit to the U.S.

Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to be China’s next leader, travels to the United States at a time of growing strategic distrust between the U.S. and China over the other’s long-term intentions. Kenneth Lieberthal, who directs the John L. Thornton China Center, says the key objective of the visit is relationship building and that the personal chemistry between President Obama and Vice President Xi could potentially play a significant role in building greater confidence in the relationship between the two countries in the future.