Trump and Xi Extend Trade Truce as Taiwan, AI Disputes Linger
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the White House on Thursday, agreeing to extend their trade truce by two months while leaving major disputes over tariffs, Taiwan, and artificial intelligence unresolved. The extension postpones a November deadline for negotiations, though US officials noted Beijing is behind on agricultural purchases and rare-earth deliveries. Xi urged Washington to handle Taiwan cautiously and oppose its independence, while Trump has delayed a $14 billion arms package. On AI, Trump opposes new guardrails, while Xi stressed human control over its development. Xi warned against US-China confrontation, invoking the "Thucydides Trap" and calling for regular military dialogue, saying competition should be "a race, not a wrestle." A warm state dinner featured tech leaders, but no breakthroughs emerged on core issues, and the two sides also discussed the Iran war, with Beijing supporting an interim agreement.