Donald Trump and Xi Jinping Meet at White House, Agreeing on AI Stance and Extending Trade Truce

Diplomatic reception at the White House

US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on September 24 for a bilateral summit at the White House. The three-day visit followed Trump's visit to Beijing in May and represented Xi's first journey to the United States in over a decade. Trump met Xi upon his flight arrival on September 23, followed by a formal welcome on Thursday featuring a military parade, trumpets, and a combat aircraft flyover. First Lady Melania Trump arranged a state dinner on Thursday night for more than 130 guests, which included approximately 20 members of the Chinese delegation. During the meetings, Trump invited Xi to visit the ongoing construction site of the planned White House ballroom.

“The pomp was the point. The message was that the two leaders can manage US-China relations effectively within tolerable bounds of competition. Neither leader expected much from the other.”

Artificial intelligence and technology talks

The summit addressed artificial intelligence governance, a field where both countries are investing heavily. Ahead of the formal talks, Trump stated on Truth Social that he preferred to leave current artificial intelligence regulations unchanged, adding that the US Department of Justice serves as sufficient oversight. Trump adopted the term superintelligence during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, stating that both Washington and Beijing share an interest in avoiding multilateral regulatory frameworks. Xi stated during the meetings that both nations possess the capacity and duty to keep technological developments under human control so that they benefit their populations. The Thursday state dinner brought US technology leaders into discussions with the delegations, with OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang, and Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk attending.

Trade truce extension and commercial ties

Economic negotiations centered on extending the commercial truce established between Washington and Beijing in October 2025. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on September 23 that the bilateral trade truce has been extended by two months until January 10. The original October 2025 agreement had halted escalating import tariffs and trade restrictions that affected global markets. Bessent noted during the announcement that Chinese purchases of American agricultural products remain behind schedule, calling for closer adherence to previous commitments. To foster cultural relations, Xi pledged that China will invite 100,000 American students for educational exchanges over the next five years and loan two giant pandas to the Atlanta Zoo.

Geopolitical friction over Taiwan and Iran

Beyond commercial discussions, the summit addressed security matters in East Asia and the Middle East. Xi cautioned against the Thucydides Trap, the theoretical risk of armed conflict between an established power and a rising power, urging both nations to co-exist on equal terms. Xi called for the United States to handle Taiwan with caution and asked Washington to formally oppose Taiwanese independence rather than maintaining its traditional stance of non-support. Bates Gill of the National Bureau of Asian Research assessed that Trump's statements are unlikely to alter foundational US policy on Taiwan. Xi also urged swift negotiated settlements between the United States and Iran, while both delegations reviewed disputes concerning strategic mineral supply chains.

“Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals.”