What happened
President Donald Trump showed Chinese President Xi Jinping a collection of historical documents during their visit to the National Archives. The documents included the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and several treaties between the US and China.
A law professor, Henry Gao, noted that some of the treaties would have a different meaning to a Chinese audience. Specifically, the 1844 Treaty of Wanghia and the 1858 Treaty of Tientsin are regarded as unequal treaties by China. The display also included an 1895 letter from China's Guangxu Emperor and the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco, which China disputes due to its treatment of Taiwan.
Senator Dave McCormick weighed in on the historical documents, suggesting that Trump wanted Xi to understand America's commitment to remaining a world leader. McCormick speculated that the president's goal was to convey a strong message about America's leadership in the world.
