U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, 24 September, for talks focused on trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and the war with Iran.
Trump described his relationship with Xi as a “truly great friendship” and said the two countries had made progress on trade since his visit to China in May.
Xi called for U.S.-China competition to remain healthy and said the two countries should maintain military-to-military dialogue to prevent crises.
Taiwan was among the most sensitive issues discussed during the leaders’ bilateral meeting. Xi urged the United States to oppose “Taiwan independence”, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency. The White House had not immediately issued its own readout of the discussion.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, while the democratically governed island relies on U.S. support to strengthen its defence. Washington maintains a longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity over Taiwan’s political status while providing military support to Taipei.
Before the summit, Trump had said he was holding in abeyance a roughly $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan, describing it as a negotiating tool.
Xi also said China supports the United States and Iran returning to a June agreement intended to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to Xinhua.
The comments came as Washington continues to seek an agreement with Tehran and as the conflict has disrupted shipping through the strategically important waterway.
Trump and Xi were also expected to discuss China’s relationship with Iran and whether Beijing could play a role in efforts to resolve the conflict. China has maintained close economic ties with Tehran, including through purchases of Iranian oil.
Artificial intelligence was another major issue on the agenda, with Trump referring to the technology as “super intelligence”.
Trump said decisions made by the two countries on security and technology could affect peace and prosperity for decades. Xi said the U.S. and China had the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that its development remained under human control.
The two sides have also been working to extend a trade truce that paused a tariff escalation in which U.S. and Chinese tariffs had risen above 100 per cent. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that negotiators had agreed to extend the arrangement until 10 January.
However, major differences remain over technology exports, trade and access to advanced U.S. artificial intelligence chips.
Xi’s visit is his first to Washington in more than a decade and follows Trump’s trip to China in May. The summit included extensive ceremonial events, including a military ceremony at the White House.
Trump said after the meeting that he and Xi had a “great meeting” before the two leaders departed the White House grounds.
Despite the public display of cordiality, the talks come amid unresolved disputes over Taiwan, technology controls, trade and Iran. Both governments have an interest in preventing those disagreements from escalating into a broader deterioration in relations.
Xi said the rivalry between the United States and China could be managed, citing the “Thucydides trap” theory about the risk of conflict between an established power and a rising one.
“The Thucydides trap can be overcome,” he said.
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It com...
U.S. President Donald Trump has called it “a disgrace” that Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Attacks are continui...
France is preparing for a fresh wave of nationwide demonstrations this weekend as rising living costs, educatio...
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola, intensifying efforts to prevent the spread of the virus after the country recorded its first-ever infection earlier this month.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called it “a disgrace” that Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Attacks are continuing from Russia and Ukraine as media reports say Ukraine has almost run out of Patriot interceptor missiles.
A 16-year-old shooter opened fire on Thursday at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon in the United States, killing four people, including three children, before being killed by an armed member of the community who had pursued the assailant into the school, police said.
France is preparing for a fresh wave of nationwide demonstrations this weekend as rising living costs, education concerns and growing political tensions converge into one of the most significant protest movements seen in the country in recent years.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has called for closer cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States, arguing that the transatlantic partnership remains essential to addressing modern security challenges and maintaining stability across Europe.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment