Trump-Xi Summit to Address AI, Trade and Geopolitical Tensions

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Washington this week amid intensifying competition between the world’s two largest economies over artificial intelligence, trade and strategic issues including Iran and Taiwan.

The meeting will mark Xi Jinping’s first visit to Washington in a decade and the third meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House. While expectations of a major breakthrough remain limited, the summit is aimed at maintaining dialogue and stabilizing bilateral relations amid continuing areas of disagreement.

U.S.-China relations have moved away from last year’s broad tariff confrontation, but competition remains significant. Both countries continue to impose targeted restrictions on companies, advanced technologies and strategic products, while seeking to strengthen their respective positions in critical industries.

Artificial intelligence has emerged as one of the most important areas of competition. Washington has restricted exports of advanced AI chips to China and accused Chinese developers of extracting capabilities from U.S. AI systems. Beijing has rejected such accusations and criticized U.S. efforts to limit China’s technological development.

Despite the rivalry, there are indications of limited scope for cooperation on AI-related risks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington had proposed a notification mechanism for AI incidents that could have national security implications, emphasizing the importance of greater transparency between the two leading AI powers.

Trade also remains an important issue. Although the two sides have avoided returning to the sweeping tariff measures of last year, Washington and Beijing continue to target specific companies and products through export controls, blacklists and other restrictions.

Iran and Taiwan are expected to remain sensitive issues during the discussions. Washington has sought to increase economic pressure on Iran, while Beijing has maintained its right to continue economic relations with Tehran. Taiwan remains another major point of contention, with China claiming sovereignty over the self-governing island and the United States maintaining commitments related to Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

Against this backdrop, the Trump-Xi meeting is expected to focus on managing competition while keeping channels of communication open. Analysts cited by The Associated Press said sustained dialogue itself could be significant as Washington and Beijing seek greater stability despite their continuing strategic rivalry.