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U.S. President Donald Trump gave Chinese President Xi Jinping an unusually elaborate welcome in Washington on September 23, but the high-profile summit produced limited progress on the main disputes between the world’s two largest economies, according to The Economist and Reuters.
Trump personally greeted Xi on arrival at Joint Base Andrews, an unusual gesture for a visiting foreign leader. Xi was also given a formal reception that included military honors and an air demonstration. The symbolism contrasted with the limited number of concrete outcomes from the talks.
Trump is scheduled to host Xi for tea at the White House on September 25 and take him on a tour of the U.S. National Archives.
Trade truce extended
The most tangible outcome of the summit was an extension of the existing U.S.-China trade truce. The agreement avoided an immediate escalation in tariffs and export restrictions, but the extension was shorter than Beijing had reportedly sought.
Rare-earth exports remained a central point of tension. China has used restrictions on rare-earth materials and related products as leverage in its economic dispute with Washington. Reuters reported ahead of the summit that both sides were primarily seeking to maintain stability rather than achieve a major breakthrough.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would use the extension of the truce to press Beijing over implementation of its commitments.
Artificial intelligence remains disputed
Artificial intelligence was another major issue on the agenda.
Some U.S. officials and technology-security experts had hoped Trump and Xi would discuss tighter controls on advanced AI systems or limits on the development of increasingly powerful models. Others wanted Washington to address U.S. concerns over China’s acquisition of American AI technology.
Trump instead said AI would be an important topic while indicating that the two sides currently intended to maintain the existing situation. Reuters identified AI, trade, Taiwan and other geopolitical issues as major areas of disagreement before the summit.
Taiwan and security issues
Security and defense issues, which have often dominated U.S.-China relations, received comparatively limited public attention during the meeting.
Trump also played down accusations concerning China’s alleged intelligence cooperation with Iran, saying Beijing engages in activities similar to those carried out by the United States.
During his first term, Trump helped shape a tougher U.S. approach to China. The Biden administration largely continued that policy. In his second term, however, Trump has taken a more transactional approach in several areas, including semiconductor exports and U.S. commitments involving Taiwan.
Deputy Defense Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby said Washington’s objective in Asia was a “decent peace” in which the United States would protect access to trade without seeking to dominate the region. He called for continued competition between Washington and Beijing while avoiding a major war.
Both sides benefit from a period of stability
The current period of relative calm serves interests on both sides.
Trump is dealing with the war involving Iran and the approaching U.S. midterm elections, while Xi faces economic challenges and next year’s Communist Party gathering.
Analysts cited by The Economist said Beijing could use the next several years to strengthen its economic position and prepare for continued competition with Washington.
Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution said the amount of time devoted to substantive talks in the Oval Office was unusually short, suggesting that the visit placed considerable emphasis on ceremony and maintaining the leaders’ relationship.
The importance of the Trump-Xi relationship may therefore lie as much in the frequency of their meetings as in the specific agreements they reach. Further meetings are expected at the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November and the G20 summit in Miami.
The prospect of repeated meetings could give Washington and Beijing an incentive to prevent bilateral tensions from escalating. Reuters similarly reported that the latest summit was rich in symbolism but produced no major breakthrough on contentious issues including trade, AI, Taiwan and Iran.
Trump emphasized his personal relationship with Xi, describing their ties in highly positive terms. Xi, while also calling for cooperation, placed greater emphasis on the broader relationship between the United States and China and said competition between the two countries should remain healthy.
