Xi Jinping heads to Trump as US and China may extend trade truce

Xi Jinping will arrive in the United States on Wednesday for a state visit, his first since 2015. Donald Trump is expected to greet the Chinese leader at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington.

A full White House ceremony is expected on Thursday, September 24. Experts in both countries say the talks could extend the trade truce but will not remove the core disputes driving the rivalry.

### Trade tensions set the backdrop

After returning to the White House, Trump launched a trade war against China and imposed import tariffs. Beijing responded by restricting rare-earth exports, after which Washington was forced to retreat, according to the source.

Tsinghua University researcher Da Wei said the view that the US has lost the ability to harm China’s interests has become widespread in China. Former US diplomat Daniel Kritenbrink, however, said the United States remains the world’s largest economy and a critical market for Chinese goods.

### Washington and Beijing seek different outcomes

The US wants concessions on trade, cybersecurity, Iran and Ukraine. For China, Kritenbrink said, the priorities are Taiwan and international respect for its leader.

Scott Kennedy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the two sides may extend the trade truce for another year. Limited statements on the Middle East, Ukraine and the risks of an artificial-intelligence arms race are also expected, without binding commitments.

### The summit will not end strategic rivalry

The competition continues: China dominates manufacturing and trade, while the US seeks an edge in emerging technologies. Julian Gewirtz, a former China adviser in the Joe Biden administration, described top-level diplomacy as the only barrier preventing an open conflict.

Trump and Xi have already met twice over the past year, in South Korea in October and Beijing in May. Further meetings are expected in November at the APEC forum in Shenzhen and in December at the G20 summit in Miami.

Kritenbrink remains skeptical about long-term stability, saying relations may stay relatively calm through the end of the year or the US midterm elections.