Trump and Xi Jinping projected a more cooperative tone during a White House state dinner, while trade, Taiwan and artificial intelligence remained sensitive issues between Washington and Beijing.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping projected a warmer tone in US-China relations during a White House state dinner, even as major disagreements over trade, Taiwan, technology and artificial intelligence remain unresolved.
Trump welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the White House on Thursday before hosting the formal dinner. During his remarks, Trump praised his relationship with Xi, saying the two leaders had “never gotten along better.”
Xi called for a new approach to relations between the world’s two major powers, saying the United States and China should act responsibly and work toward a stable and constructive relationship despite their differences. He described his discussions with Trump as sincere and in-depth.
The White House said the state dinner featured American ingredients with Chinese influences, while performances were provided by US military musical groups and tenor Christopher Macchio. The event was attended by senior US officials, government representatives and prominent business and technology leaders.
Among the high-profile guests were Tesla chief Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Reuters had previously reported that the dinner would bring together prominent technology and business figures as Trump and Xi discussed trade, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence was among the issues surrounding the leaders’ discussions. Xi said the United States and China, as major technology powers, have a responsibility to promote AI development for the benefit of society while ensuring human oversight. The two countries, however, continue to have different approaches to AI development, technology controls and regulation.
Trade also remains a central issue. Washington and Beijing have been working to stabilize economic relations after years of tariff disputes and restrictions involving technology and strategic goods. Earlier agreements established mechanisms for managing bilateral trade and investment, while unresolved issues continue to require negotiations.
Taiwan remains another major point of disagreement. The United States maintains security ties with Taiwan, while China claims the island as part of its territory. Broader geopolitical issues, including the war involving Iran, have also featured in discussions surrounding the leaders’ engagement.
Trump presented Xi with a sculpture of a bald eagle, the US national bird, describing it as representing America’s free and soaring spirit and expressing hope that it would have a prominent place in Beijing.
The White House state dinner formed part of Xi’s Sept. 23-25 state visit to the United States. The White House had said the visit was intended to strengthen engagement between the two countries, while both sides have emphasized dialogue, managing differences and exploring areas of cooperation.
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