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

Washington — President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to discuss a host of contentious matters during a meeting at the White House on Thursday. Tensions persist as China has yet to comply with the Trump administration's attempts to leverage its power to convince Iran to capitulate to U.S. demands for an end to the ongoing conflict.

The Chinese leader is keen to dissuade Trump from continuing arms exports to Taiwan and to ease restrictions on the sale of advanced microchips. On Wednesday, the two countries agreed to prolong a trade truce, which was set to end on November 10, by two months, pushing the decision to reach a more permanent resolution further down the line.

Throughout the negotiations, both leaders maintain a confident outlook, believing that their respective countries will continue to advance economically and in terms of national security in the years ahead. President Trump is convinced that the U.S. economy will continue to grow, and that the nation will remain at the forefront of artificial intelligence and technological developments.

He also expects the U.S. to establish alternative sources of critical minerals as part of its strategic efforts.