Trump and Xi meet With Taiwan, Iran, AI, and trade at stake
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met for high stakes talks on Thursday at an urgent moment for the U.S.-China relationship, with the world’s preeminent powers divided on the war in Iran and still grappling to find common ground on trade and how to best navigate the jarring advances of artificial intelligence. […] The post Trump and Xi meet With Taiwan, Iran, AI, and trade…
In a high-stakes meeting at the White House on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed a range of critical issues, with the world's two superpowers divided on several matters. The talks centered on the ongoing conflict in Iran, trade tensions, and the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).
Both presidents emphasized their belief that personal rapport and mutual interest could prevent the competition from spiraling into open conflict. Trump stated that "from the time of my first election in 2016, President Xi and I have forged a friendship, a truly great friendship, actually, built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people." Xi echoed this sentiment, affirming that "Chinese and American interests are deeply intertwined" and that the competition should be "healthy and kept within bounds."
China has been reluctant to support the Trump administration's calls for using economic leverage to compel Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the nearly seven-month war. Instead, China seeks a permanent halt to arms sales to Taiwan and a relaxation of export restrictions on advanced chips.
During their private conversation, Xi urged Trump to "prudently handle the Taiwan issue" and urged the U.S. to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo on the island, which China views as a disputed territory. The White House has not yet released a formal readout of the discussions, and Trump has not publicly commented on the substance of his interactions with Xi.
The two leaders also discussed AI, with Trump expressing his desire to leave AI "exactly where it is" and echoing China's stance on the technology. China's President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for human control over AI development, stating that "the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people." The two nations' finance ministers met earlier in the week, with the U.S. proposing a new "notification mechanism" for AI incidents between the two nations.
Written by urgent.news from Khaosod English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
