Trump and Xi hold AI-focused talks during Washington state visit

President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a second summit this year, beginning with a 15-minute military review in the Rose Garden that featured a Marine Corps band, a silent-drill platoon and a flyover of the residence. The ceremony was attended by senior U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, and members of the Trump family, as well as Chinese delegations.

After the review, the two leaders entered the Oval Office for bilateral talks. Both emphasized the strategic importance of artificial intelligence. Xi said the United States and China are "leading nations in artificial intelligence" and have a "historic responsibility" to develop the technology for the benefit of humanity, urging openness and collaboration. Trump, referencing his earlier comments on social media, said AI would be a major topic and stressed the need to keep the United States ahead of China in the field.

The visit also highlighted cultural diplomacy, with Xi describing the giant panda as a historic "envoy of friendship" and announcing the arrival of two pandas at a zoo in Atlanta. The leaders are scheduled to visit the National Archives to view foundational U.S. documents, marking the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

Trade discussions continued, with Trump noting progress on a new "Board of Trade" aimed at expanding market access for American farmers and ranchers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later announced an extension of the U.S.-China trade truce, allowing more time for negotiations on key economic issues.

Analysts note that while the summit includes cooperation on AI and trade, deep geopolitical competition and differing approaches to technology governance remain, limiting expectations for substantive breakthroughs.