Trump and Xi Jinping head into Washington summit with both leaders thinking time is on their side

Washington is abuzz as Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare to meet at the White House on Thursday. The summit promises to be filled with difficult topics to address. In addition to ongoing trade tensions, China is urging the U.S. to halt arms sales to Taiwan and ease export restrictions on advanced chips. Both leaders have expressed confidence that time is working in their favor as they vie for dominance in the global economic and national security landscape.

Trump is going all out to impress Xi during the high-profile state visit. He greeted Xi and his wife upon their arrival and ensured the construction of a new helicopter landing pad on the White House's South Lawn was completed in time. However, the planned White House state dinner remains a work in progress. The guest list for the evening includes tech industry heavyweights such as Jeff Bezos, Jensen Huang, and Mark Zuckerberg.

Trade relations between the two nations remain a key focal point. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension of the one-year trade truce set to expire on November 10 for an additional two months. While both leaders may be open to a new "notification mechanism" for AI-related incidents, progress on AI and other contentious issues remains unclear.

Both Trump and Xi have a vested interest in maintaining the truce, given the political stakes at home. The U.S. Republican Party is concerned about maintaining control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, while China deals with an uneven domestic economy and strong high-tech exports.

Despite potential breakthroughs, both leaders are determined to avoid a breakdown in relations. Senior China policy adviser Ryan Hass expects the summit to focus on small gains and conflict avoidance.