Donald Trump, President of the United States, hosted Hszi Csin-ping, President of the People’s Republic of China, at the White House on Thursday. Reuters reported on the meeting, noting that while the leaders held talks, they did not achieve breakthroughs on the most important bilateral disputes.
Two-month extension of the trade agreement
Washington and Beijing agreed to extend last year’s agreement that ended the trade war by two months, effectively creating a short, two-month trade truce. Despite the extension, larger structural issues — including tariffs, the level of Chinese purchases, rare earths shipments, and technology export controls — remain topics for further negotiation. According to Trump, China is not fully meeting several of its commitments at present, such as purchases of American agricultural goods and shipments of rare earths.
Taiwan: Beijing asks for cautious handling
On Taiwan, Hszi urged Washington to handle the issue "prudently" and expressed Beijing’s desire that the United States oppose Taiwanese independence. The American side, according to the meeting, used more cautious language, and there is no sign that Donald Trump would alter that stance.
Thucydides trap and military tensions
Hszi invoked the concept known as the Thucydides trap — the theory that rivalry between a rising power and an established dominant power can lead to war. He said the risk is still avoidable but that the possibility of military confrontation casts a shadow over relations. To address this, Hszi called for regular military dialogue and stronger crisis-management mechanisms.
Artificial intelligence: shared responsibility urged
The leaders also discussed artificial intelligence (AI). Donald Trump argued for maintaining the current U.S. approach rather than rapidly adopting new regulatory frameworks, and said China thinks similarly. Hszi, by contrast, emphasized that the two leading AI powers must jointly manage the development of the technology and ensure that AI remains under human control.
Conclusion
Thursday’s White House meeting produced a limited outcome: a two-month extension of the trade agreement. Key contentious issues — tariffs, technology restrictions, rare earths, Taiwan, and the AI competition — remain unresolved, and while the leaders discussed enhanced military dialogue and crisis management, no major breakthrough was reached.
