Trump and Xi to Hold High-Stakes Talks in Washington

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Washington for talks described as high-stakes, with trade, rare earth minerals, artificial intelligence and geopolitical tensions expected to dominate the agenda.

The meeting, to take place at the White House, comes amid months of friction between the world's two largest economies over tariffs, technology restrictions and access to critical minerals used in electronics, defense equipment and clean energy technology.

Trade and rare earths in focus

Rare earth minerals, which China dominates in global supply, have become a central point of leverage in the broader US-China economic relationship. Washington has sought to reduce its reliance on Chinese supply chains for these materials, while Beijing has used export controls on them as a point of negotiation in trade disputes.

Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature prominently, reflecting growing competition between the two countries over advanced computing technology and the rules that should govern its development and use.

Wider geopolitical backdrop

The talks are taking place against a backdrop of broader geopolitical tensions involving both countries, though specific details of what will be discussed beyond trade, minerals and AI have not been made public ahead of the meeting.

Analysts have said the outcome of the meeting could shape the trajectory of US-China relations in the months ahead, given the scale of economic interdependence between the two nations and the range of unresolved disputes on the table.