US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for high-stakes talks, touting a 'truly great friendship' while Xi urged that artificial intelligence remain under human control.
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Key facts
- Xi Jinping arrived at the White House on Thursday morning for major talks with Trump.
- Trump said the two leaders had 'forged a truly great friendship' since his first election in 2016.
- Xi is the first Chinese leader to make a second formal visit to the White House, according to Trump.
- The summit agenda covered trade, AI, Taiwan and Iran.
- Xi said China and the US must ensure AI 'is always under human control.'
US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for high-level talks, opening the meeting by praising what he described as a ‘truly great friendship’ between the two leaders. Trump noted that Xi is the first Chinese leader to make a second formal visit to the White House, and said the pair had built their relationship since he was first elected in 2016.
According to the Guardian, Xi arrived at the White House on Thursday morning ahead of the talks, which were expected to cover trade, AI, Taiwan and more. Al Jazeera reported that the agenda for the summit in Washington also included Iran.
In his opening remarks, Xi struck a cautionary note on emerging technology, saying that China and the US must ensure artificial intelligence ‘is always under human control,’ according to the Guardian. The Guardian also reported that Xi laid out terms aimed at avoiding US-China military conflict during the meeting.
A number of senior US figures were present for the talks. According to the Guardian, seated in the first row in front of the leaders were US Vice-President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her daughter Arabella, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The visit marked a significant diplomatic moment between the world’s two largest economies, with the two leaders meeting face to face to discuss a wide range of contentious issues. Al Jazeera described the discussions as ‘critical talks.’
The sources available did not detail the specific outcomes of the talks or any agreements reached during the summit.
Why it matters
Direct talks between the leaders of the US and China carry major implications for global trade, security and the future of artificial intelligence. With Taiwan, Iran and AI governance on the table, the outcome could shape relations between the two largest economies and influence markets and geopolitics worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
What topics were on the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit?
According to the Guardian and Al Jazeera, the talks were expected to cover trade, AI, Taiwan and Iran.
What did Xi Jinping say about artificial intelligence?
Xi said that China and the US must ensure AI 'is always under human control,' according to the Guardian.
Why was Xi's visit described as notable?
Trump said Xi is the first Chinese leader to make a second formal visit to the White House.
Timeline
- Trump and Xi hold critical talks at White House summit
Al Jazeera: US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington for talks on trade, AI, Taiwan and Iran.
- Trump praises ‘truly great friendship’ with China’s Xi Jinping as key summit begins at White House – live
The Guardian Tech: Xi Jinping says China and US must ensure AI ‘is always under human control’ in remarks at the beginning of a major meeting between the two countries At Trump meeting, Xi lays out terms to avoid US-China military conflict Five key things on the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit In th
- Trump welcomes China’s Xi Jinping to White House
Al Jazeera: Trump welcomes China’s Xi Jinping to White House
- Xi says China and US must ensure AI ‘is always under human control’ as Trump touts ‘great friendship’ before White House talks – live
The Guardian Tech: Xi arrived at the White House on Thursday morning ahead of major talks, which are expected to cover trade, AI, Taiwan and more In the first row in front of the leaders sit US vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her daughter Arabella,
- Trump says he and Xi have forged a ‘truly great friendship’ as he welcomes Chinese leader to White House for talks – live
The Guardian Tech: Xi arrived at the White House on Thursday morning ahead of major talks, which are expected to cover trade, AI, Taiwan and more In the first row in front of the leaders sit US vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her daughter Arabella,