Xi Jinping's US visit: trade and AI top the agenda

Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Washington, DC, on Wednesday for his first state visit to the US under President Donald Trump's second term, with Trump expected to personally greet him at a military base. The meeting comes amid ongoing tariff disputes and global conflicts. Trade and tariffs top the agenda, following a year of tit-for-tat measures that saw China leverage rare earth mineral export controls. A US pause on tariff escalation until November 2026 is contingent on China easing these restrictions, though US officials say progress has been insufficient. Artificial intelligence is the second key issue, with both nations viewing AI as a zero-sum competition. China has proposed open-source AI cooperation among BRICS nations, while US tech leaders call for slowing development, though Trump equates such limits with hindering progress.