US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold wide-ranging talks this week covering trade, Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear weapons, Reuters reported on Sunday, May 10.
Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for his first trip to China since 2017, with meetings planned for Thursday and Friday. Trump had previously asked China to delay the planned summit by about a month as he deals with the war in Iran.
Trade and rare earths expected on agenda
US officials said both sides are expected to discuss extending a trade truce that currently allows rare earth minerals to continue flowing from China to the US.
Washington and Beijing may also announce new mechanisms aimed at boosting trade and investment cooperation, alongside possible Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft, US agricultural products and energy supplies.
Iran, Taiwan and AI remain key tensions
The talks are also expected to focus on longstanding geopolitical disputes, including Taiwan and China’s ties with Iran and Russia.
According to US officials, Washington has repeatedly pressed Beijing over its economic support for Moscow and Tehran, including dual-use technologies and oil revenues.
US officials also said the two countries could begin discussions on establishing communication channels on AI amid growing concerns about advanced AI systems developed in China.
Nuclear talks remain unlikely
Washington has long sought arms control discussions with Beijing, but US officials said China remains unwilling to engage in negotiations over its nuclear arsenal.
The meeting will mark the first face-to-face talks between Trump and Xi in more than six months as both sides attempt to stabilize relations strained by trade disputes and security tensions.
The last publicly confirmed face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi took place in October 2025 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and ended with firm handshakes and smiles.
The meeting was the first official in-person encounter between the two leaders since Trump’s re-election, taking place amid volatile trade relations. Before the meeting, Trump had threatened to impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports and suggested he might cancel talks with Xi in response to Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth exports.
Trump also confirmed that Russia’s war in Ukraine was addressed and described the conversation as lengthy. He added that the US is willing to collaborate with China to explore ways to “get the war finished.”