Trump and Xi Jinping prepare for high-stakes talks in the United States

Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive in the United States on Wednesday evening for talks with President Donald Trump. It will be his first state visit to the country in 11 years and the leaders’ second meeting this year after their May summit in Beijing.

The visit comes as both leaders seek to reinforce their domestic positions. For Trump, it falls just over a month before the midterm elections; after Xi returns to Beijing, preparations will begin for a major Communist Party congress.

Trade, technology and Taiwan

Despite public calls for what Beijing describes as “constructive strategic stability,” Washington and Beijing remain engaged in difficult negotiations. Taiwan, technology and trade are expected to be prominent topics, alongside the wars in Iran and Ukraine and tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The United States has imposed additional tariffs on Chinese exports over forced-labor allegations. The Pentagon added Chinese technology companies to a military blacklist, while the Federal Communications Commission barred new imports of Chinese humanoid robots and robotic dogs over national-security concerns.

Rare-earth truce remains uncertain

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the two countries were still negotiating a possible extension of a rare-earth truce intended to maintain the flow of Chinese rare-earth products to the United States.

China dominates the refining of rare earths and other critical minerals used in products ranging from mobile phones to weapons. U.S. officials have complained that Beijing failed to uphold its commitments; NPR reported that mutual distrust derailed a Chinese proposal to extend the truce through the end of Trump’s term in January 2029.

From pageantry to fragile ties

Trump has spoken warmly about his recent reception in China, which included ceremonies and a state banquet at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. Wu Xinbo, a professor at Shanghai’s Fudan University, described the atmosphere as the warmest he had seen in U.S.-China relations in years, but later said the relationship had become more fragile.

Nanjing University professor Zhang Yun said fluctuations were inevitable in such a complicated relationship and that high-level communication channels were needed to manage problems and limit their effects. The United States is expected to maintain a high level of ceremony for Xi’s visit despite the difficult negotiations.