US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are meeting in Washington on Thursday as the world’s two largest economies try to manage a relationship shaped by trade disputes, technology competition and wider geopolitical tensions.
Xi’s visit marks his first trip to Washington in more than a decade and comes at a particularly important moment for US-China relations. Trump personally welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, after their arrival in the United States, setting a notably ceremonial tone ahead of the main discussions.
Despite the friendly appearance surrounding the visit, major differences remain between Washington and Beijing.
Trade remains at the centre
Trade is expected to be one of the major issues during the talks.
The United States and China have spent much of the past year dealing with tariffs and retaliatory measures affecting goods and important industrial materials. Both governments have also been working under a temporary trade truce, giving negotiators additional time to work toward a broader arrangement.
The current pause has reduced some immediate pressure, but it has not removed the underlying disagreements.
Washington continues to raise concerns involving trade practices, supply chains and access to strategic materials, while Beijing has its own concerns about US tariffs, technology restrictions and economic policy.
The two countries are also competing over advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related industries.
AI and critical minerals could feature
Technology is becoming increasingly important to the relationship.
Both governments want to strengthen their domestic AI capabilities, while also trying to protect technologies considered important to national security.
Rare-earth minerals are another sensitive issue because they are used in areas ranging from electronics and clean-energy equipment to defence manufacturing.
The leaders are therefore expected to discuss ways of preventing economic competition from developing into a broader confrontation.
Taiwan and Iran add to the geopolitical agenda
The meeting is taking place against a wider backdrop of international tensions.
Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues between Washington and Beijing, while the conflict involving Iran could also come up during the discussions.
China maintains diplomatic and economic ties with Iran, while Washington is currently trying to negotiate an end to its conflict with Tehran.
The Trump-Xi meeting is therefore about more than tariffs. The discussions could influence how the two governments manage their relationship across trade, technology, security and international diplomacy.
For businesses and consumers around the world, the outcome will be closely watched because prolonged US-China economic tensions can affect supply chains, commodity markets and the prices of goods.
For now, the summit provides another opportunity for Washington and Beijing to keep communication open while negotiating their many unresolved differences.
