The two leaders reportedly swapped nostalgic stories about the Golden State among their discussions of climate change, trade, and communist camaraderie. (That last point is an inference of the author.) According to the official summary of their meeting, Xi “happily recalled his visit to California,” possibly referring to a summit with President Barack Obama at the Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage in 2013.

In a statement after the meeting, Newsom said that he had “made it clear to Chinese leaders that California will remain a stable, strong and reliable partner, particularly on low-carbon green growth.”

“Divorce is not an option,” the governor said. “The only way we can solve our climate crisis is to continue our long-standing cooperation with China. As two of the world’s largest economies, the work we do together is felt in countless communities on both sides of the Pacific.”

James Gallagher, the leader of the Republican caucus in the California state assembly, described Newsom’s visit as “the make-believe president tour.” Newsom’s visit does smell like the parade of a national dignitary rather than that of a governor of a U.S. state.

[Duane and I discussed this in our Week in Review today, complete with a travelogue from Newsom at the Great Wall. If you watch it, notice which flags appear at the end, and in which order. It’s clear why Newsom doesn’t want a “divorce.” — Ed]