Xi Jinping heads into Trump summit with leverage, says China expert

Chinese President Xi Jinping is entering a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump with a perceived strategic advantage, according to Scott Kennedy, a senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Kennedy noted that China's strong export performance, technological advancements, and the U.S.'s continued reliance on the country for critical minerals have positioned Xi favorably.

Kennedy anticipates that commercial issues, including trade, tariffs, and artificial intelligence, will be the primary focus of the discussions. He expects the leaders to pursue an extension of their current trade ceasefire, potentially for about a year. This could involve China continuing its rare earth exports while the U.S. refrains from increasing tariffs. The Trump administration has previously stated that China has fallen short of its commitments regarding the flow of critical minerals.

Discussions on artificial intelligence are also anticipated, particularly amid recent concerns about the development of AI at frontier labs. Additionally, the ongoing wars in Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East are likely to be raised, with the U.S. seeking increased cooperation from China regarding Russia and Iran. However, Kennedy suggested that the Trump administration is unlikely to make Chinese assistance on these geopolitical matters a critical point that could severely damage the overall relationship.