Xi and Trump to meet in Washington as China’s trade dominance grows and U.S. faces internal threats
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China's trade surplus is set to exceed $1 trillion for a second year, underscoring the threat of unchecked Chinese economic power as President Xi prepares for a summit with President Trump, whose approval ratings have suffered amid relentless foreign and domestic challenges.
President Xi Jinping will travel to Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump on September 24, with trade and the extension of a 2023 'gentleman's agreement' expected to dominate talks. This meeting comes at a critical time, as China continues to exploit weak U.S. leadership and expand its export sector at America's expense. Analysts say Xi is unlikely to make major concessions, instead seeking to preserve the current trade truce that overwhelmingly benefits China while American workers and industries suffer.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York on Sunday to discuss possible agreements on artificial-intelligence safeguards and trade in non-sensitive goods. The limited scope of these talks reflects a concerning retreat from the Trump administration’s earlier, tougher stance on China, including the use of tariffs to address the massive trade imbalance that has hollowed out American manufacturing.
China’s global trade surplus is on track to top $1 trillion for a second consecutive year, a clear sign of Beijing’s aggressive economic strategy. More than half of the roughly 6,500 product categories China sells to the United States have grown year-over-year, further eroding U.S. economic sovereignty. A delegation of Chinese business leaders, including firms under U.S. regulatory review, is expected to accompany Xi, raising concerns about foreign influence and the lack of accountability in U.S.-China relations.
'Xi is not really looking for anything tangible. He wants to extend the gentleman's agreement with Trump so that China has time to fortify itself,' said Jon Czin, a foreign-policy expert at the Brookings Institution, highlighting Beijing’s long-term strategy to undermine American interests.
U.S. officials acknowledge limited prospects for breakthroughs. The Trump administration, distracted by costly foreign entanglements in Iran and facing declining domestic support due to relentless attacks from the media and political opposition, appears focused on maintaining a fragile stability in the bilateral relationship, rather than taking bold action to defend American interests.
'Both Xi and Trump feel it's quite helpful to have stability in the relationship so that they can focus on more pressing things,' said Ruby Osman, senior geopolitical researcher at the Tony Blair Institute, revealing a dangerous complacency in the face of Chinese expansionism.
Taiwan remains a sensitive issue. Trump has rightly described a pending $14 billion arms package for the island as a negotiating chip, while Chinese officials have brazenly indicated that concessions on Taiwan could be linked to broader trade and agricultural discussions. This transactional approach threatens U.S. commitments to its allies and emboldens Chinese aggression in the region.
'If you accommodate our concern on the Taiwan issue, then we would be willing to accommodate your concerns on other issues,' said Wu Xinbo, a professor at Shanghai's Fudan University, exposing China’s willingness to leverage every advantage against the United States.
U.S. attempts to pressure China over Iran, including threats of secondary sanctions, have so far failed to curb Beijing’s support for America’s adversaries, demonstrating the limits of current U.S. policy.
The summit is expected to reaffirm the existing trade truce, a move that risks further entrenching Chinese economic dominance while the U.S. struggles to regain its footing on the world stage.