(WASHINGTON POST)  Ana Swanson — The United States is rolling out the red carpet this week for the leader of the world’s most populous country. Chinese President Xi Jinping will first visit with tech executives and other industry leaders in Seattle, then head to Washington to meet with President Obama.

The meeting is a touchstone moment in an increasingly tumultuous relationship. The Obama administration has been preparing sanctions against China following a wave of cyber-espionage from Chinese hackers. And China has sparked the ire of U.S. businesses and politicians by devaluing its currencyand favoring Chinese businesses over foreign ones.

Despite the tension, China remains one of the most important countries in the world for Americans. China is so big and fast-changing that its actions ripple around the world and influence life for average Americans — determining the price of things we buy, influencing what we make at our jobs, even changing the quality of the air we breathe.

Source: 7 simple questions and answers to understand China and the U.S. – The Washington Post