Xi Jinping in the US: summit with Trump to revitalise trade, technology and security

AI is likely to be one of the most sensitive issues in the talks between Xi and Trump. Washington has proposed a communication mechanism between the two countries to report incidents involving AI systems that may have implications for national security. At the same time, discussions remain ongoing regarding Chinese companies’ access to the most advanced semiconductors and American models. The United States accuses certain Chinese companies of having obtained US technological capabilities without authorisation, allegations rejected by Beijing, which regards the US restrictions as an attempt to hinder its technological development.

Ahead of the US-China summit, Bessent is set to present President Donald Trump with an agreement between the two countries on artificial intelligence, according to two sources speaking to Edward Lawrence, the White House correspondent for Fox Business Network. The agreement provides for the establishment of a ‘hotline’ for communication on AI, similar to that used by the armed forces, allowing both sides to communicate directly in the event of AI-related issues, such as cyber-attacks, national security concerns, unauthorised AI or other problems. President Trump is set to comment on the agreement this week, ahead of his meeting with President Xi, the sources added.

Also on the agenda will be Taiwan and the other security issues that continue to divide the two powers, as well as China’s economic relations with Iran and the fight against trafficking in the chemical precursors used to produce fentanyl. On the issue of Taiwan, Beijing continues to call on the United States to scale back its military support for the island, whilst Washington maintains its relations with Taipei in accordance with current US legislation.

Xi arrives in Washington following a series of international meetings through which Beijing has sought to strengthen its diplomatic role, the most recent of which was the BRICS summit in New Delhi. The White House meeting may not be the last between the two presidents this year: further opportunities for dialogue could arise at the APEC summit scheduled for Shenzhen in November and at the G20 summit in Miami in December.

Among the topics for discussion during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s forthcoming visit to Washington will be the ongoing armed conflict between the United States and Iran. This has been confirmed by the US Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer. “It is not the main focus, but there is a direct link. It is primarily Secretary [of the Treasury Scott] Bessent who deals with the economic aspects relating to Iran, and we have had numerous discussions with the Chinese on this matter,” Greer told Bloomberg.

China continues to show itself to be receptive to the issues raised by the United States in the context of the conflict with the Islamic Republic, Greer added. When asked whether Washington might make concessions to Beijing to bring it into line with the US position, the official replied that this was unlikely, as the two countries were already largely “aligned”.

US President Donald Trump is to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in New York today, on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly. The White House has announced this.

The meeting is scheduled for 11.35 pm Italian time, according to the US President’s agenda published on Sunday evening. Shortly before that, Trump will receive the Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, a figure on the left of the Democratic Party and an opponent of his policies.

Macron will travel to New York from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French territory in the North Atlantic, where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The two leaders defended the “sovereignty” of their respective countries and called for a “significant rapprochement”.

During his stay in New York, Macron will hold a series of talks focusing on the major international crises. As well as Trump, he is expected to meet the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Élysée Palace is also working on arranging meetings with Middle Eastern leaders, including the Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.

The French President will also meet with some of the world’s leading figures in the field of artificial intelligence. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for tomorrow, Macron intends to advocate for “effective multilateralism”, based on coalitions of states and other actors capable of delivering concrete results.

“Very important things are going to happen. I’m making some decisions. My question is whether and when I’ll blow it all up. They’d better behave themselves.” US President Donald Trump said this to Fox News, adding that he was open to the possibility of a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.