US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit at the White House on Thursday. The White House had confirmed an official September 24 arrival ceremony for Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan, marking a major high-level engagement between the two governments.
The visit comes as Washington and Beijing manage disputes involving tariffs, technology controls and supplies of critical rare earth materials. Reuters has reported that the United States is likely to remain dependent on China for some rare earth supply chains well into the next decade despite expanding domestic mining and processing.
Artificial intelligence is also part of the broader technology relationship. US and Chinese officials have discussed AI, export controls, sensitive technologies and possible safety guardrails in preparatory contacts surrounding the summit.
The two governments agreed before the leaders' meeting to extend their existing trade truce by two months while continuing work on a broader arrangement. Global markets are watching for any concrete commitments on trade, technology and strategic materials.