Trump-Xi Summit Tackles Trade, Taiwan, Iran, and AI Amid Strained Relations
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet at the White House on September 24, amidst strained relations between their countries. The meeting will focus on several key issues, including trade, Taiwan, Iran, and artificial intelligence.
The US-China relationship has been tense over tariffs, technology restrictions, and security concerns. The war in Iran has added another layer of complexity to the situation. China is a significant buyer of Iranian oil, purchasing approximately 90% of Iran's exports, with independent Chinese refineries accounting for most of those imports.
The meeting will also touch on the topic of Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. The US maintains an unofficial relationship with Taiwan and provides defense articles and services to help the island maintain its self-defense capability. Xi is expected to press Trump over US arms sales to Taiwan and the language Washington uses to describe its Taiwan policy.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will also be a major area of discussion. The two countries see AI as crucial for economic and national-security capabilities but disagree on issues like advanced semiconductor access, technology transfers, and regulation. The US has proposed an AI safety notification mechanism that would allow the two countries to communicate about serious AI-related incidents.