WASHINGTON and Beijing are preparing for a high-stakes summit this week as U.S. President Donald Trump travels to China for his first visit since 2017, with both sides seeking to steady relations strained by trade disputes, the Iran conflict and mounting strategic rivalry.
Reuters reported that Trump is due to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking the leaders’ first face-to-face meeting in more than six months.
U.S. officials said discussions would range from trade and critical minerals to Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons, as the world’s two largest economies attempt to prevent tensions from escalating further.
The two sides are expected to announce new forums aimed at boosting trade and investment cooperation, while Beijing is also expected to unveil purchases linked to Boeing aircraft, American agricultural goods and U.S. energy exports.
Officials said proposals for a Board of Trade and a Board of Investment could be formally introduced during the visit, although further negotiations would likely be required before either mechanism becomes operational.
Washington and Beijing are also expected to discuss extending a temporary truce in their trade war that currently allows the continued flow of rare earth minerals from China to the United States. While no immediate extension has yet been confirmed, one U.S. official expressed confidence the agreement would ultimately continue.
“It doesn’t expire yet,” the official told reporters. “I’m confident we’ll announce any potential extension at the appropriate time.”
China’s embassy in Washington declined to comment.
Beyond trade, the summit is expected to focus heavily on wider geopolitical flashpoints.
China remains one of Iran’s most important economic partners and a major buyer of Iranian oil. Trump has been pressing Beijing to use its influence over Tehran to encourage a settlement with Washington and help end the conflict triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year.
“The president has spoken multiple times with General Secretary Xi Jinping about the topic of Iran and about the topic of Russia, to include the revenue that China provides to both those regimes, as well as dual-use goods, components and parts, not to mention the potential of weapons exports,” one official said.
“I expect that conversation to continue.”
The Trump administration has also continued to raise concerns over China’s relationship with Russia, particularly regarding trade involving strategic technologies and military-linked materials.
Taiwan is expected to emerge as another major point of friction. Beijing has intensified military activity around the democratically governed island in recent years, while Washington has maintained its longstanding policy of support and arms sales to Taipei.
Xi is understood to be increasingly frustrated by continued U.S. backing for Taiwan, although American officials indicated there would be no shift in Washington’s position.
Artificial intelligence is also set to feature prominently in the discussions, amid growing U.S. concerns over the rapid development of advanced Chinese AI systems and the potential risks posed by the technology.
Officials said Washington wants to establish direct communication channels with Beijing to avoid misunderstandings or future conflicts linked to artificial intelligence capabilities.
“What that looks like is yet to be determined, but we want to take this opportunity with the leaders meeting to open up a conversation and to see if we should establish a channel of communication on AI matters,” one official said.
Nuclear weapons are also expected to be discussed, although U.S. officials acknowledged Beijing remains resistant to entering formal arms control talks.
The Chinese government has privately informed Washington that “they have no interest in sitting down and discussing any kind of nuclear arms control or anything along those lines at this point,” one official said.
Trump and Xi last met in October during talks in South Korea, where both leaders agreed to pause an escalating trade war after the United States imposed triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods and Beijing threatened restrictions on global rare earth exports.
In February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump lacked the authority to impose many of his worldwide import tariffs. The president has since pledged to pursue alternative legal mechanisms to reinstate some of those levies. - May 12, 2026
