Xi and Trump to Meet in Washington on Trade and AI

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Washington this week for a state visit and talks with US President Donald Trump, skipping the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, with Trump greeting Xi at Andrews military base on Wednesday. Trade and artificial intelligence are expected to dominate discussions, as the two countries maintain a commercial truce set to expire November 10 without a permanent deal. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new AI communication channel, including an incident line, following weekend talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The leaders will also address sensitive issues including Iran, where China seeks to avoid US sanctions, and Taiwan, with a potential $14 billion US arms sale under discussion. Analysts note limited expectations for the meeting, while China holds leverage through rare earth controls.