Xi Visits Washington as US-China Rare Minerals Race Intensifies

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington D.C. on Wednesday for his first White House visit in a decade, meeting President Donald Trump for the second time this year. Experts say the rare minerals competition could prove decisive for the superpower balance. Xi arrives with confidence, as China is set to record a $1 trillion trade surplus for the second straight year. Talks are expected to cover trade, Taiwan, Iran, and AI. Tech leaders including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Sundar Pichai are expected at a state banquet. China remains the world's largest exporter of critical minerals, but its position has weakened, according to professor Kåre Dahl Martinsen. The US launched Project Vault with $12 billion to stockpile minerals, while the EU's RESourceEU initiative aims to reduce dependence on Chinese supplies.