Factbox-Key issues for this week’s Trump-Xi summit in Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump will host Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington for their second meeting this year, aiming to maintain stability amid tensions over several issues, including trade, Taiwan, and Iran. Xi is visiting the United States for the first time in more than a decade. Since their last summit in May, Xi has overseen a significant increase in China's trade with the world, while Trump, facing challenges domestically with high inflation and low approval ratings, seeks economic victories to reassure American voters.

The White House summit on Thursday will focus on several key issues such as the potential extension of the tariff truce which expires on November 10, progress on agricultural trade, and tariff reductions on $30 billion worth of goods. China has reportedly made progress on purchasing 200 Boeing aircraft, although the extent of additional orders remains unclear.

Trump has promised to announce trade wins ahead of the November midterm elections, including possible large-scale aircraft and agricultural deals with China, though Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has expressed uncertainty about the scale of these orders. Trump has also expressed interest in increasing China's annual purchases of US agricultural products to $17 billion by 2028.

However, Beijing has been urging Washington to delay a policy restricting advanced technology sales to Chinese firms. Meanwhile, China's dominance in rare earth minerals and critical minerals for technology production has prompted discussions on easing shipping restrictions on these resources. The summit comes amid growing concerns in US allies about potential compromises on Taiwan, a self-governed island disputed by China, and the possibility of US arms sales to Taiwan.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed US commitments to defend Taiwan during a recent meeting with Japanese and South Korean counterparts. China's increased influence in Iran and Tehran's response to US sanctions are also expected to be discussed, with Treasury Secretary Stephanie Bessent discussing financial ties with China.