A state visit with hard files on the table
President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for a state visit built around trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and the seven-month war with Iran.
The visit came with plenty of ceremony: an arrival at Joint Base Andrews, military honours on the South Lawn and a state dinner with guests from the technology industry. Behind the pageantry, officials on both sides worked through a short list of disputes that have shaped the relationship for two years.
Trade truce gets two more months
The clearest result came before the meetings. On Wednesday the two governments agreed to extend their one-year trade truce, which had been due to run out on November 10, by two months. The extension avoids a fresh round of tariffs while negotiators keep talking.
China's wish list is well known. Beijing wants Washington to permanently halt arms sales to Taiwan and to loosen export restrictions on advanced semiconductors. It has also resisted US requests to use its influence with Iran to push Tehran toward a deal.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two leaders may be open to a proposed notification mechanism for AI-related incidents that could affect national security. He cautioned that no agreement had been reached. Xi said China believes the development of AI should always remain under human control.
Pushback at home and a midterm clock
The warm welcome drew sharp criticism on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties said human rights, Taiwan's defence and China's industrial subsidies deserved harder treatment in public.
Analysts said the summit was mostly about keeping the relationship steady rather than solving problems. Both economies depend on the truce: US importers are still clearing cargo rerouted by the Gulf crisis, and Chinese exporters are heading into their busiest quarter.
Trump also used the week to repeat a plan to create an American AI corps and to invite leading AI executives to the state dinner. With midterm elections about six weeks away, voters say prices and jobs are their top concerns, which gives both sides a reason to avoid a new trade fight before November.