Trump-Xi talks yield limited accords amid rivalry

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping ended their Washington summit with agreements on trade mechanisms and artificial intelligence dialogue, while leaving major disputes over Taiwan, technology and critical minerals largely unresolved.

The White House said on Friday that the two sides had agreed on recommendations for more favourable tariff treatment covering $30 billion of non-sensitive goods in each direction and formally activated bilateral boards on trade and investment created at their May summit in Beijing. China also committed to import at least 10 million tonnes of US coal in both 2027 and 2028.

The agreements provided concrete deliverables after a state visit dominated by ceremony and expressions of personal goodwill. Trump called the talks “very, very productive”, while Xi stressed peaceful coexistence and argued that competition between the world’s two largest economies should remain within bounds.

Yet the summit produced no comprehensive settlement of the trade and strategic disputes separating Washington and Beijing. The two governments are still working on US concerns about Chinese supplies of rare earths and other critical minerals, an issue that has given Beijing substantial leverage because of its commanding position in processing and refining.

A two-month extension of the existing trade truce, agreed by senior economic officials before the leaders met, pushes its expiry to January 10. The pause gives negotiators more time to pursue a broader arrangement while limiting the risk of another round of tariff escalation.

Artificial intelligence emerged as another area where the leaders established a channel without resolving their competing approaches. The White House said they created a US-China “Super Intelligence” dialogue to exchange views on risks and benefits, with another exchange due by November, as well as a bilateral communication channel for major incidents.

Xi publicly said AI development should remain under human control. Trump, who has made US technological leadership a central priority, had signalled before the meeting that he did not favour new restraints that could slow development. The result left the two powers talking about safeguards while continuing an intense contest over advanced chips, computing capacity and frontier models.

Taiwan remained a central point of disagreement. China’s account of the talks said Xi urged Trump to handle the issue prudently and oppose Taiwan independence. Washington announced no change to its longstanding policy, while concern over US arms support for the self-governed island continues to shadow bilateral relations.

The summit also covered Iran, Russia and North Korea. The White House said Trump and Xi agreed that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and that no country or institution should impose tolls on international waterways. Trump also urged Xi to increase production of refined petroleum products as Washington seeks to ease pressure on global energy supplies.

Those discussions came as Trump sought Chinese cooperation on international crises while preserving US leverage in trade and technology. Washington retains powerful bargaining tools through access to advanced semiconductors, chipmaking equipment, the US market and financial system. Beijing, meanwhile, has demonstrated its ability to use rare-earth supply controls and the scale of its manufacturing base as negotiating leverage.

The balance was evident before Xi arrived. Chinese shipments of rare-earth magnets to the United States fell in August, reinforcing concerns about supply security even after earlier agreements were intended to keep critical materials moving. US efforts to develop alternative sources are advancing, but replacing China’s dominant refining capacity is expected to take time.

Trade remains similarly interdependent. Earlier commitments have progressed unevenly, including Chinese purchases of US agricultural products and efforts to lower market barriers. The new Board of Trade will establish a working group focused on agricultural access, while the Board of Investment is intended to provide a structured forum for addressing investment opportunities and obstacles.