Beijingers eye Xi-Trump summit for trade relief, stable ties

Residents of China's capital, Beijing, are optimistic about President Xi Jinping's upcoming high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. They hope the summit will bring stability to the strained ties between the two countries, according to AFP. A trade war "hurts everyone", residents say. The visit is part of a state visit where leaders will discuss various topics, including AI, trade, and Iran.

In Beijing, a 59-year-old resident named Huang emphasized the importance of the visit, stating that he hopes it will shape the relationship between the two global superpowers and lead to long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial development. Beijingers are hopeful that Xi's meeting with Trump will ease trade pressures, which recently reached a breaking point with a trade war.

A two-month extension of the trade truce was announced on Wednesday, providing some relief. Finance worker Lu Hao expressed his hope that the visit would send positive signals and benefit global stock markets. Both residents and experts agree that AI will likely be a significant topic in the talks, with China aiming to compete with the US in technology and robotics.

However, Huang warned that competition in AI should be healthy and rational, not malicious. He expects Xi to stand firm on issues like Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory and has threatened to seize by force.