President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Washington as both sides look to stabilize trade relations and secure new economic deals. Their talks come with the existing trade truce still fragile, while tariffs remain high and the two countries continue to disagree over export controls and other trade measures.
A one-year extension of the current truce is seen by some analysts as a likely outcome, potentially keeping tariffs and new export restrictions from escalating. The two sides are also discussing a possible $30 billion reduction in tariffs on non-critical goods, with the U.S. seeking more Chinese purchases of American agricultural, energy and other products. However, analysts expect limited progress on sensitive issues such as advanced semiconductors.
AI is expected to be another major topic, with Washington and Beijing competing for leadership in the technology. The talks could include discussions on AI safety and a proposed channel for notifying each other about serious AI incidents. Meanwhile, U.S. sanctions targeting Iran could add another complication, given China’s role as a major trading partner of Tehran. Alongside the economic talks, several major U.S. business leaders are expected to attend a state dinner for Xi.
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