US and China Leaders Meet in Washington for High-Stakes Summit on Trade and Tech

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Washington for a three-day state visit to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, marking Mr. Xi's first trip to the city in over a decade. The September 23, 2026 meeting is their second interaction this year, aimed at easing strained relations caused by trade disputes, Taiwan, and the Iran war.

Trade and Critical Minerals

Global markets are watching to see if the U.S. and China will extend their tariff truce before it expires on November 10, following talks between Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Upcoming announcements may focus on agriculture, with China potentially cutting duties on American farm imports. Critical minerals are a central focus of the summit, as Washington urges Beijing to ease rare-earth shipments while Beijing asks the U.S. to delay rules barring Chinese firms from advanced technology. Mr. Trump adopted a less combative approach because China controls up to 70% of global rare-earth mining and 85% of refining capacity.

Regional Issues and AI

Another point of friction is China's economic ties to Iran, though the U.S. still refrains from penalising Chinese banks despite frustration. Meanwhile, Asian allies worry that softening support for Taiwan could be used by Washington to secure economic gains. Artificial intelligence is a potential area for cooperation due to shared security concerns, but intense competition will likely limit results to symbolic agreements. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned that Chinese AI dominance poses security risks, but Chinese state media dismissed the warning, and Mr. Trump brushed aside calls to slow development.

Itinerary

President Trump will personally welcome Mr. Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. The formal welcome includes a South Lawn ceremony with 479 military personnel, remarks, a military salute, and a flyover featuring a B-2 Spirit and four F-22 Raptors. First Lady Melania Trump and Madame Peng will visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, followed by a state dinner at the White House. On Friday morning, both couples will have private tea and visit the National Archives before Mr. Trump and the First Lady officially bid farewell to Mr. Xi and Madame Peng.