OMM Redaksiyası
US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House in Washington on Sept. 24. The main topics on the agenda included trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and issues related to the war involving Iran.
Trump described his relationship with Xi Jinping as a “truly great friendship.” He said progress had been made on trade between the two countries following his visit to China in May.
Xi Jinping stressed the importance of ensuring that competition between the United States and China continues in a healthy manner. The Chinese leader said it was necessary to maintain dialogue between the two countries’ military structures to prevent crises.
Taiwan among key points of disagreement
Taiwan was one of the most sensitive issues discussed at the bilateral meeting. According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, Xi urged the United States to oppose “Taiwan independence.” The White House did not immediately issue a statement on this part of the meeting.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory. The democratically governed island relies on US support to strengthen its defense capabilities. Washington maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan’s political status and provides military support to the island.
Before the summit, Trump said he had temporarily delayed a weapons package worth approximately $14 billion prepared for Taiwan. The US president presented the move as a tool in the negotiations.
Iran and Strait of Hormuz also discussed
According to Xinhua, Xi Jinping said he supported the United States and Iran returning to a June agreement aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement came as Washington was seeking to reach an agreement with Tehran and the conflict was disrupting shipping through the strategically important waterway. The meeting also addressed China’s relations with Iran and Beijing’s possible role in efforts to resolve the conflict.
China maintains close economic ties with Iran, including in the purchase of Iranian oil.
Artificial intelligence and trade on the agenda
Artificial intelligence was also among the main topics of the meeting. Trump called the technology “super intelligence” and said decisions taken by the two countries in the areas of security and technology could affect peace and prosperity for decades.
Xi Jinping said the United States and China had the capability and responsibility to develop and manage artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. He stressed the importance of keeping technological development under human control.
The two countries are also working to extend a trade truce that halted an escalation in which tariffs had risen above 100 percent. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that negotiators had reached an agreement and that the mechanism would be extended until Jan. 10.
Nevertheless, serious disagreements remain over technology exports, trade and US access to advanced artificial intelligence chips.
Leaders project stability in ties
Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington was the first visit by a Chinese leader to the United States in more than a decade. The meeting followed Trump’s visit to China in May and was accompanied by a series of protocol events at the White House, including a military ceremony.
After the meeting, Trump said he had held a “great meeting” with Xi Jinping. Despite the leaders’ cordial public appearance, the talks took place against the backdrop of unresolved disagreements over Taiwan, technology controls, trade and Iran.
Both governments have an interest in preventing these differences from developing into broader tensions in bilateral relations. Xi said competition between the United States and China could be managed, referring to the “Thucydides Trap” theory, which describes the risk of confrontation between a rising power and an established power. “The Thucydides Trap can be overcome,” the Chinese leader said.
