Trump and Xi hold second summit as trade truce extended to Jan. 10

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump are holding their second summit of the year in Washington, where they agreed to extend a trade truce until Jan. 10, though expectations for broader results remain modest amid tensions over tariffs, rare earths, and artificial intelligence. Trump said "Super Intelligence" will be a major discussion topic, while closed-door talks are scheduled alongside a state dinner. Taiwan arms sales, human rights cases, and economic disputes are key issues, with activists planning protests and global markets on edge over bond yields and oil prices. The summit follows a May meeting in Beijing that critics saw as symbolic, and comes as China's global approval ratings have surpassed America's. Academic exchanges have declined sharply, and U.S. soybean exports to China have fallen from $18 billion in 2022 to $3 billion in 2025.