From NPR · · 3m
Trump and Xi meet as tensions simmer beneath
The US and Chinese leaders convene for a two-day summit with cordial words but low expectations for breakthroughs on AI, Iran and trade.
In brief
The US and Chinese leaders convene for a two-day summit with cordial words but low expectations for breakthroughs on AI, Iran and trade. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met at the White House for three hours Thursday, the first day of a two-day summit between the world's two largest economies, with…
Three hours at the White House
President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met Thursday afternoon for around three hours at the White House during the first day of a two-day summit between the leaders of the world's two largest economies.
Tech titans at the state dinner
The two leaders will attend a state dinner in the evening. The guest list includes SpaceX and Tesla's Elon Musk, Apple's Tim Cook, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, OpenAI's Sam Altman and Nvidia's Jensen Huang.
Low expectations for breakthroughs
Despite the pageantry of the morning's ceremonies at the White House, which included hundreds of US military personnel and a B-two stealth bomber flyover, expectations for any big breakthroughs on issues ranging from AI to Iran to a trade war truce are low.
Trump wants AI left where it is
In a post on Truth Social Thursday morning, President Trump wrote that artificial intelligence will be a big topic of discussion, but I want to leave it exactly where it is. That is China's position also. Our guardrail is the DOJ.
“I want to leave it exactly where it is. That is China's position also. Our guardrail is the DOJ.”
China rejects AI safety calls
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington and Beijing are discussing ways to warn each other about AI incidents posing national security risks. China's government dismissed calls for AI safety rules as unfair, accusing them of holding back Chinese competition.
China's AI ambitions backed by billions
China's AI industry is backed by hundreds of billions in state-led funds and a government that has said AI-powered technology should permeate ninety percent of China's key industrial sectors by twenty thirty.
Iran oil blockade cuts Chinese imports
Xi's state visit comes as the US continues a months-long naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off an estimated twelve percent of China's oil imports. China is Iran's largest trading partner.
Trade truce extended to January
On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Bessent said the two countries had agreed to extend a trade truce until January, though Beijing has not officially confirmed this. The US average tariff rate on China in July was more than thirty six percent, with China's rate on US goods hovering around thirty percent.
Here's the gist
President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met at the White House for three hours Thursday, the first day of a two-day summit between the world's two largest economies, with little prospect of major agreements on contested issues.
