Key facts
- Xi Jinping and Donald Trump visited the National Archives, viewing documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
- The U.S. and China agreed to extend their trade truce, originally set to expire Nov. 10.
- Xi Jinping called for U.S. and China to keep artificial intelligence under human control.
- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs pushed back against Xi's comments on Taiwan.
- Trump gifted Xi a statue of a bald eagle.
- Tech leaders including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang attended the state dinner.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump concluded their summit in Washington, with a visit to the National Archives as their final joint engagement. The leaders discussed trade, artificial intelligence, and Taiwan, agreeing to extend their trade truce.
During the visit, Xi Jinping called for both nations to keep artificial intelligence under human control, emphasizing a human-centered approach. He also urged the U.S. to uphold its "correct position" on opposing "Taiwan independence," a stance that drew a sharp rebuke from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The summit, held in Washington after Trump's visit to Beijing in May, featured an elaborate welcome for Xi, including a state dinner. At the dinner, Trump gifted Xi a statue of a bald eagle and praised the historic ties between the two countries. Tech leaders such as Elon Musk of Tesla and Jensen Huang of Nvidia were in attendance.
Earlier meetings saw Trump and Xi confirm support for hosting upcoming economic meetings and discuss new trade talks. Xi highlighted the "constructive strategic relationship" between the two nations, referencing historical moments like "ping pong diplomacy" and emphasizing mutual reinforcement of their respective national goals.
Analysts suggested Xi's interest in viewing documents related to the U.S. switch in recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic in 1979. Meanwhile, concerns over China's domestic economic pressures, particularly in its automotive industry, loomed in the background.