OMM Newsroom
US President Donald Trump received 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, meanwhile, stressed the importance of ensuring that US-China competition 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 remains a key point of dispute
Taiwan was one of the most sensitive issues discussed during the leaders’ bilateral meeting. According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, Xi called on 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 continues to pursue 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 postponed a weapons package for Taiwan worth approximately $14 billion. The US president presented the move as a tool in the negotiations.
Iran and the Strait of Hormuz also discussed
According to Xinhua, Xi 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 an agreement with Tehran and the conflict was disrupting shipping through the strategically important waterway. The meeting also covered China’s relations with Iran and Beijing’s possible role in efforts to resolve the conflict.
China maintains close economic ties with Iran, including through purchases of Iranian oil.
Artificial intelligence and trade on the agenda
Artificial intelligence was also one of the main topics of the meeting. Trump called the technology “super intelligence” and said decisions made by the two countries in the fields of security and technology could affect peace and prosperity for decades.
Xi said the United States and China had both the opportunity and the 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%. 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.
However, major disagreements remain over technology exports, trade and US access to advanced artificial intelligence chips.
Leaders project stability in relations
Xi’s visit to Washington is 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. Despite the leaders’ cordial public appearance, the talks took place against a backdrop of unresolved differences over Taiwan, technology controls, trade and Iran.
Both governments have an interest in preventing these disagreements from developing into broader tensions in their relations. Xi said competition between the United States and China could be managed, referring to the “Thucydides Trap,” a theory describing the risk of confrontation between a rising power and an established one. “The Thucydides Trap can be avoided,” the Chinese leader said.
