Trump and Xi Discuss AI, Trade and Regional Issues at White House
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the White House on Thursday for talks covering artificial intelligence and other bilateral issues ahead of a state dinner expected to draw prominent technology executives. The visit comes amid international debate over how to regulate AI.
Both leaders referred to AI in their opening remarks. Xi said its development should remain under human control. After speaking in the White House foyer, the presidents attended a military review in the Rose Garden and held several hours of meetings. Trump later gave Xi a tour of parts of the White House and its grounds.
The White House said Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla CEO Elon Musk were expected at the evening dinner. Their planned attendance placed technology policy alongside other matters on the visit’s agenda.
According to Chinese state media, Xi raised Iran during the talks, expressing hope that Washington and Tehran would resume negotiations and return to a previously reached 14-point memorandum. On Taiwan, Xi said he hoped the United States would continue opposing independence. Washington does not formally endorse Taiwanese independence but has sold arms to the self-governing island.
Xi also proposed more direct flights between the countries and invited 100,000 American students to participate in cultural exchanges over five years. He announced that two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, would go to Zoo Atlanta.
The visit followed Trump’s trip to Beijing in May, when the two governments discussed tariffs, rare minerals and the Strait of Hormuz. They announced a proposed Board of Trade to reduce tariffs on products not considered national security risks. In June, the U.S. trade representative sought public input on eligible products, but the administration has since provided few updates on the initiative so far.