Trump and Xi Extend Trade Truce, Discuss Taiwan and Military Ties

The Trump-Xi summit in Washington concluded with a two-month extension of the trade truce, alongside discussions on the Thucydides Trap and Taiwan demands, all set against a notable military display in the White House Rose Garden. The extension postpones core disputes over tariffs, tech restrictions, and rare earth shipments. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed Beijing committed to buying 25 million tons of soybeans but lagged on $17 billion in agricultural pledges, with new talks set before January 10 and possible meetings in Shenzhen and Miami. Xi pressed Washington to explicitly oppose Taiwan independence, while the White House avoided adopting this shift to protect its legal commitment to defend the island. Xi invoked the Thucydides Trap theory, urging regular military dialogue to prevent conflict, and Trump referenced the WWII alliance against Japan. The ceremony featured colonial-era uniforms and B-2 bomber flyovers, with Trump joking about Xi's admiration for the helipad's granite.