Trump and Xi Meet at White House for High-Stakes Talks on Trade, AI, and Iran

President Donald Trump and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping met at the White House on Thursday for high-stakes bilateral talks addressing trade, artificial intelligence, and the ongoing war in Iran, set against a backdrop of military fanfare and a formal state dinner.

The summit marks Xi’s second formal state visit to the United States, following a visit in September 2015 at the invitation of then-President Barack Obama. The two leaders previously met in 2017 during Trump’s first term at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, and most recently in May during a two-day state visit by Trump to Beijing.

### Trade Truce Extension and Economic Talks

Ahead of the formal discussions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday evening that Washington and Beijing have agreed to extend their temporary trade truce by two months to Jan. 10. The agreement, which was originally set to expire in mid-November, maintains lower U.S. tariffs and a suspension of Beijing’s export controls on rare earths and critical minerals.

During Thursday’s arrival ceremony on the south portico, President Trump pointed to the ongoing economic negotiations in his speech.

“The decisions we make in these areas today can promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come,” Trump said, adding that the two countries have been “working to encourage a more balanced trading relationship.”

Xi echoed the sentiment during his remarks, which were translated live.

“China and the United States, as two major countries, stand to gain from cooperation and will both lose in confrontation,” Xi said. “We do not need to avoid mentioning competition, but our competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds. It should be a race of catching up with one another, not a wrestle in which one either wins or loses.”

The leaders’ previous meeting in Beijing in May included discussions on tariffs, rare mineral trade, and the Strait of Hormuz, where the delegations announced the launch of a Board of Trade designed to lower tariffs on non-security-risk products.

### Military Honors and State Dinner Preparations

Xi’s arrival Wednesday evening at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews featured a red carpet rolled out by U.S. service members, where Trump met him at the airplane stairs. Before leaving the tarmac, Xi observed a military flyover of two B-1 bombers while cannons fired and a U.S. Air Force band played the national anthem.

The White House arrival ceremony Thursday morning included military members lining the south portico stairs holding alternating U.S. and Chinese flags while trumpets played a fanfare. Writing on Truth Social on Thursday morning, Trump noted, “I met President Xi at the plane (Airport!) yesterday and he looks strong, vibrant, and fit – Better than ever.”

Festivities continued Thursday evening with a State Dinner hosted by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in the East Room. According to details released by the White House, the menu blended American ingredients with subtle Chinese influences, beginning with a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir” to honor the historic 1972 toast between President Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing.

The dinner featured courses including a yellow squash velouté with wild mushroom fricassee and crispy pancetta, sesame-crusted sea bass with baby bok choy and roasted garden eggplant, and a dessert of vanilla crémeux with a sour cherry confit center over walnut frangipane, served alongside White House honey ice cream. Entertainment was headlined by classically trained tenor Christopher Macchio, alongside performances by the Marine Band, the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Army Chorus, and Army Strings.

### Divergent Positions on Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence emerged as a primary agenda item for the summit, though the leaders outlined differing regulatory approaches.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump confirmed that artificial intelligence—referred to as “Super Intelligence (SI)”—would top the agenda, but stated that neither nation intends to alter how the sector is managed.

“I want to leave it exactly where it is,” Trump wrote, emphasizing his belief that the U.S. must outpace China in AI development. “That is China’s position also,” he added, indicating opposition to new safety regulations and pointing to the Department of Justice as the existing U.S. guardrail.

Xi, however, emphasized the necessity of human oversight during his remarks at the White House.

“China and the United States have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good, and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people,” Xi said.

### Regional Security and Iran Policy

The agenda also included regional security issues, specifically the ongoing war in Iran. Trump told reporters Wednesday evening upon returning to the White House that he would discuss the conflict with Xi.

The discussions follow the launch of the U.S. initiative “Operation Economic Outcast” last month, a secondary sanctions campaign targeting Iran’s financial enablers. The enforcement strategy has drawn attention regarding potential U.S. actions involving China, which remains Tehran’s primary trading partner and top oil buyer.

Alongside the formal policy talks, Xi continued a longstanding tradition of “panda diplomacy,” announcing that two pandas will arrive at Georgia’s Zoo Atlanta in the coming days.