Yeah, same. I saw it as evidence of a hand extended in friendship. Trump said "let's do business" and make both our countries wealthy again. Given the inherent hostility that traditionally approaches China, Trump's sales pitch was unique.

One thing that people get wrong is the idea that America should be running around the world telling the rest of the world they have to live like us. It's a message that makes people violently angry (see Iran and chants of "Death to America and it's proxy Israel"). We go over to some country, regime change the dictator the people there actually wanted, and install some pride flag waving, butt-plug wearing feminist that rules by pretending to have rules and then breaking them whenever they want. Iraq HATED that. So did the Taliban. That's why we have terrorism. The Chinese understand that game too. They're collectivist and they want their own brand of communism. So, Trump respected that, and offered them something if they'd stand down the spying and technology theft and buying our politicians. I think that's why he got into the Forbidden Palace and why he was allowed to walk into North Korea (aka mini China, aka China's Korean buffer state)

I believe it was unprecedented even for Xi

I believe you are right and here is a well researched book to back up claims as opposed to drivel posted by chaos_actual https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/soros-thornton-hawke-new-book-details-how-beijing-manipulated-western-elites