Trump and Xi Prepare for Washington Summit as Trade and AI Dominate Agenda

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are preparing to meet at the White House this week as the world's two largest economies seek to stabilize a relationship shaped by trade disputes, technology competition and broader strategic tensions.

Xi is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Wednesday for a state visit running through Friday. The White House said Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will host Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the White House on Thursday, September 24. The visit will be Xi's first to Washington in more than a decade.

The summit comes after months of efforts by officials from both governments to prevent renewed escalation in the economic relationship. Trump and Xi are expected to focus heavily on maintaining a fragile trade truce that is due to expire in November, while also addressing artificial intelligence, critical minerals and other economic issues.

Trade Truce at the Center

Trade is expected to be one of the most immediate issues facing the two leaders. The United States and China have made progress on some commitments reached during earlier negotiations, but several areas remain unresolved.

U.S. and Chinese officials held economic and trade discussions in New York on September 20 ahead of the presidential meeting. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng discussed ways to implement earlier agreements, including a proposed process for identifying potential tariff reductions on selected non-strategic goods.

The two sides have also faced difficulties over commitments involving Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products and aircraft, as well as the supply of critical minerals. These unresolved issues could make the summit an important test of whether the current trade truce can be extended beyond its November expiration.

Artificial Intelligence Adds a New Dimension

Artificial intelligence is emerging as another major issue in the relationship.

During the New York talks, the United States proposed establishing an AI safety notification mechanism that would allow Washington and Beijing to communicate about AI incidents serious enough to raise national-security concerns. Bessent said greater transparency between the two leading AI powers could help manage risks associated with the rapidly developing technology.

The proposal reflects a broader effort to establish communication between the two countries even as they compete over advanced technology. However, significant disagreements remain over semiconductor restrictions, technological competition and national-security concerns.

Taiwan Remains a Sensitive Issue

Taiwan is also expected to feature in the discussions.

According to people familiar with preparations cited by Reuters, Xi is expected to raise China's opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and invoke the 1982 U.S.-China joint communiqué. Beijing considers Taiwan part of China, while Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. The United States maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan and is legally required to provide it with the means to defend itself.

The issue has long been among the most sensitive aspects of the U.S.-China relationship, making it potentially more difficult to reach agreement than economic questions.

A Summit Focused on Managing Differences

The meeting is taking place against a wider backdrop of strategic competition. Beyond trade and technology, the two governments face disagreements involving regional security, supply chains and China's relationship with countries affected by the Middle East conflict.

Chinese officials have said Beijing wants to strengthen what it describes as a relationship of constructive strategic stability with Washington while managing differences through dialogue and cooperation.

For Trump and Xi, the immediate challenge is therefore not simply reaching a single comprehensive agreement, but determining whether continued negotiations can prevent economic disputes from expanding into broader confrontation.

The summit could produce agreements or further commitments on trade, AI and economic cooperation, but many of the underlying disagreements between Washington and Beijing are likely to remain. The outcome of the talks will provide another indication of how the two governments intend to manage competition while maintaining channels for cooperation.