Washington: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are ending a three day state visit in Washington with renewed calls for cooperation, but major disagreements over trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and other international issues remain unresolved.
Trump is taking Xi to the National Archives on Friday, the final day of the Chinese president’s visit to the United States. The leaders are expected to view records and documents significant to the history of relations between the United States and China.
The visit follows extensive talks at the White House on Thursday, when Trump and Xi discussed trade, technology, artificial intelligence, security and international issues. The meeting was accompanied by a formal state arrival ceremony, a military review, an aircraft flyover and a state dinner.
The most concrete economic outcome surrounding the summit is the extension of the existing US China trade truce until January 10, 2027. The truce had been due to expire on November 10, giving negotiators more time to work towards a broader economic agreement.
However, the extension does not settle the main disputes between the two countries. Tariffs, Chinese purchases of US products, rare earth supplies and restrictions on advanced technology remain important issues in negotiations.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the extension would give both sides more time to work on economic issues. The arrangement therefore represents a pause in trade tensions rather than a final settlement.
Agricultural trade is also part of the discussions. China has been meeting its commitment to purchase US soybeans, while questions remain over the fulfilment of wider commitments to buy other American agricultural products.
Rare earth supplies remain another concern for Washington because they are important to manufacturing and advanced technology industries.
Taiwan was another sensitive issue during the White House talks. Xi urged the United States to oppose what China calls Taiwan independence and to handle the Taiwan question with caution.
The United States has not announced a change in its position on Taiwan following the meeting.
China opposes US arms sales to Taiwan and considers the issue one of its most important concerns in relations with Washington.
The status of a proposed US arms package for Taiwan also remains unclear. Trump had previously delayed a decision on a package worth about $14 billion. No new public decision on that package was announced during the summit.
Artificial intelligence was another major subject. Trump and Xi agreed on the importance of continued dialogue between the two countries on AI, but their approaches remain different.
Xi said China and the United States should cooperate on AI, discuss its risks and benefits and prevent misuse. He also called for AI technologies to remain under human control.
Trump has placed strong emphasis on maintaining US leadership in advanced AI and technology. The two sides therefore identified AI as an area for continued dialogue, but no broad agreement on AI regulation or technology policy was announced.
The two leaders also discussed international issues, including the conflict in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula. No new agreement on these issues was publicly announced.
The summit has nevertheless been accompanied by public calls from both sides for greater dialogue and stability in relations. Trump described Xi as a friend, while Xi called for the two countries to manage their differences, keep competition within limits and avoid conflict.
Xi also referred to the so called Thucydides Trap, which describes the risk of conflict between a rising power and an established power. He said the two countries could overcome that risk.
The meeting is significant because it comes during a period of intense competition between the world's two largest economies. The countries continue to compete over trade, advanced technology, artificial intelligence and security while remaining heavily dependent on each other economically.
Xi arrived in Washington on September 23 at Trump's invitation. His visit is his first state visit to Washington in more than a decade. Trump and Xi had previously met in China earlier this year, making the latest meeting part of a period of increased direct communication between the two leaders.
The White House gave the visit a highly ceremonial character. The September 24 arrival ceremony included 479 military personnel representing all branches of the US armed forces, a military review and a flyover involving a B 2 Spirit and four F 22 Raptors.
On Friday, Trump and Xi are scheduled to visit the National Archives before Xi's departure. The leaders are expected to view documents and records significant to the history of US China relations.
The summit has therefore combined diplomatic ceremony with limited but important practical progress. The extension of the trade truce provides additional time for negotiations, while continued dialogue on AI and other issues may help prevent further deterioration in relations.
The more difficult questions, however, remain. The future of tariffs, technology restrictions, rare earth supplies, agricultural purchases and US policy towards Taiwan will require further negotiations.
For now, Washington and Beijing have maintained dialogue, while the extension of the trade truce has kept the existing arrangement in place. The next stage will be further negotiations on trade, technology, Taiwan and other areas where the two countries continue to differ.