Trade, tech, Iran top agenda at Trump-Xi Summit
Trade frictions, competition in technology, the war in Iran and the question of Taiwan are expected to dominate talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their two-day summit in Beijing, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Trade is likely to take up the largest share of the discussions. Two-way trade between the United States and China fell to $414.7 billion last year, down sharply from $690.4 billion in 2022, following years of tariff increases and other restrictions. The U.S. trade deficit with China stood at more than $200 billion in 2024. Trump is expected to push for larger Chinese purchases of American agricultural products, while Beijing is likely to seek a rollback of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.
Technology is set to feature prominently as well. China has positioned itself as a serious contender in the global artificial intelligence race and has increased its demand for American-made chips. Washington, in response, has tightened export controls amid concerns over intellectual property. Beijing retains significant leverage through its dominance in rare earth minerals, which are essential for advanced manufacturing and which it has previously used in response to U.S. tariff measures.
The conflict in Iran is also expected to come up. China imports significant volumes of Iranian oil, but shipments have been largely disrupted as vessels cannot safely transit the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing and Tehran also share long-standing political ties. Washington has been urging China to use its influence to help bring the war to a close. Speaking to reporters before departing, Trump said he would have a "long talk" with Xi about Iran, while adding that the United States did not require outside assistance to resolve the conflict. Beijing has also signaled an interest in seeing the conflict end, as higher oil prices are putting a strain on its economy.
Taiwan is expected to form part of the backdrop to the talks. The Trump administration has taken a layered approach toward Taipei, approving a major arms package while remaining noncommittal on direct military support. Last week, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators wrote to Trump, urging him to publicly reaffirm American support for Taiwan during his meetings in Beijing and to draw Xi's attention to the $14 billion arms sale to Taipei approved by Congress last year.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Donald Trump on Tuesday called his anticipated trip to China “very exciting.”