US President Donald Trump will host Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week in Washington, with artificial intelligence, trade and Taiwan expected to feature prominently in talks between the two leaders. Xi will be met personally by Trump at Andrews Air Force Base on the eve of a White House state dinner and a military flyover. The three-day trip is Xi’s first state visit to the United States since 2015 and his third meeting with Trump in the past year. State Visit set for Pomp and ProtocolThe visit includes a full programme of receptions and events, with multiple lavish dinners, private tours and performances. First Lady Peng Liyuan is scheduled to attend the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art on Thursday alongside US First Lady Melania Trump. While the schedule has been designed to underline the significance of the engagement, analysts said the scale of the welcome is unusual in the context of US relations with China. David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the combination of a personal reception at Andrews and a flyover for Xi was “unprecedented”, adding that it was not typical even for US allies, let alone a strategic rival. Trade Deal expiry Looms, Officials Seek ExtensionTrump and Xi are also expected to address the future of a US-China trade agreement reached last year, which is due to expire in November. The trade truce was agreed in October 2025 during Trump and Xi’s meeting in South Korea. Under the arrangement, Washington suspended steep tariff increases on Chinese goods while Beijing stepped back from restricting exports of rare earths used in manufacturing. Experts said attention will be on whether the deal is extended or replaced during the state visit. The US president has long criticised the size of the US trade deficit with China, which stands at more than $91bn (£68.2bn), according to the latest US Census Bureau figures. Even with the agreement in place, Chinese rare earth exports to the US have reportedly fallen. US and Chinese officials held further trade discussions on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday but did not reach meaningful progress, sources told the BBC. Those talks focused on possible areas of agreement relating to non-tariff trade barriers and agricultural exports. Further negotiations were expected to continue in Washington on Wednesday after Xi arrived. AI on Top of Agenda, Taiwan Still a FlashpointArtificial intelligence is also likely to dominate early exchanges. David Firestein from the Bush China Foundation said the topic has risen quickly to the top of the agenda ahead of the visit. China and the US are competing in AI, and following widely reported security incidents involving the technology, there has been growing pressure on the Trump administration to regulate AI and slow development. Senator Bernie Sanders called on Trump and Xi to negotiate a treaty to pause AI and ban superintelligence, posting on X. Trump has previously faced warnings from figures including his former adviser Steve Bannon and other Republicans over the risks posed by AI. The president has said he views AI as vital to the US economy and as part of a wider contest for influence, and he has described winning the race as a priority. Firestein told the BBC he expected Trump and Xi to discuss potential areas for AI collaboration. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met China’s finance minister, He Lifeng, on Sunday and said the two sides had “very successful” talks covering both trade and AI. US officials also said several AI and technology figures will attend the state dinner on Thursday, including OpenAI chief Sam Altman, Nvidia founder Jensen Huang and X owner Elon Musk. Experts speaking to the BBC said major breakthroughs on AI or other issues are unlikely to emerge directly from the meetings this week. Taiwan remains another key issue. The US Congress has approved a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan that awaits Trump’s signature, which he has so far delayed, describing it as a potential bargaining chip with China. Beijing has long said it aims to “reunify” with self-governing Taiwan and has not ruled out the use of force. Firestein said Xi is expected to seek a commitment from Trump to extend the delay or otherwise avoid the sale. Economic pressures at home are also expected to shape Xi’s agenda, including discussions on deepening US-China trade. For Trump, however, agreeing further steps with China could raise political difficulties, with some cabinet members and supporters holding deep concerns about Beijing. In September, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote to Ford urging it to cut ties with China on national security and jobs grounds. Even so, Trump appears to view direct contact with Xi as central to progress. Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on US-China Relations, said Trump wants to prevent relations from becoming more confrontational and believes repeated meetings with Xi support that approach. Join the discussion? 24 September 2026
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