5 takeaways from Trump's summit with Xi in Washington

Here are some major takeaways from the talks:

Strategic risk

Xi, not for the first time while meeting Trump, invoked the "Thucydides Trap," an academic theory that competition between a rising power and an established one tends toward war.

While the Chinese leader said the risk "can be overcome," his reference underscored how concerns about a potential U.S.-China military conflict continue to shadow relations between the world's two largest powers.

Xi argued that both nations stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, and he called for regular military dialogue and stronger crisis-prevention mechanisms.

Trump drew on the two nations' shared history to emphasize the potential for cooperation. They could accomplish much by pursuing common interests, he said, invoking their alliance against Japan during World War II.

Trade deal extended, for now

The U.S. secured an extension of its trade truce this past week.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two sides agreed to extend by two months a trade agreement that ended last year's trade war and was due to expire in November. The extension will give Washington and Beijing "more time to see what we can do on the economic front," he said.

The extension appears to push the central questions — Chinese purchases, rare-earth supplies and technology restrictions — into the next round of negotiations.

Bessent said Wednesday that Beijing was meeting its requirement in the earlier agreement to buy 25 million tons of soybeans but lagged on its pledge to buy $17 billion in other agricultural goods. U.S. officials said rare-earth deliveries also fell short, another sign that significant gaps remain.

The U.S. and China agreed to reduce tariffs on $30 billion of goods and launch a dialogue on artificial intelligence, both countries said.

Xi wants US 'prudence' over Taiwan

As expected, Xi pressed Trump on the Taiwan issue, saying, according to China's official news agency, that China hoped the U.S. would "handle the Taiwan question with prudence."

The agency's English-language service also wrote that Xi hoped the U.S. would oppose Taiwan independence.

That would be a tougher version of Washington's long-standing formulation that it does not "support" independence. There are no signs the Trump administration plans to change its wording.

There was no immediate White House readout of the exchange, but U.S. officials long avoided explicitly stating opposition to Taiwanese independence.

A shift in language would raise questions about Washington's resolve to defend the island and provoke opposition in Congress.

U.S. Senate Democrats criticized the summit, saying it prioritized pageantry over substance. In a statement signed by at least 19 of the 47 members of the Democratic caucus and seen by Reuters, the Democrats called on Trump to immediately deliver more than $15 billion in security assistance — $1.3 billion in funds and a $14 billion arms sale package — that Congress approved for Taiwan and to push for human rights and the release of wrongfully detained Americans.

Some of Trump's fellow Republicans also called on Trump to release the funds for Taiwan.

Differences on AI

Trump, who declared AI should be called super intelligence, or SI, said in a social media post that he wants to “to leave it exactly where it is" and rely on the Department of Justice rather than impose new guardrails. He insisted China held the same position.

But Xi said Thursday that, as leading nations on AI, China and the U.S. must manage its growth.

“We have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good, and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people,” Xi said.

Democrats criticized Trump's loosening of restrictions on high-end chip sales to China, and said the extension of the U.S.-China tariff truce does not sufficiently address supply chain issues such as China's hold on global rare-earths refining.

Dress to impress

For Trump, Xi's White House visit was an opportunity to show off a Washington being remade in his image.

After Xi treated Trump in Beijing to a tour around a Ming dynasty temple and a walled-off garden retreat rarely opened to foreigners, the U.S. president returned the favor with a different kind of spectacle: Troops wearing wigs and tri-corner hats marched in formation and played music in a Rose Garden redesigned to look like a Trump golf club.

Fighter jets and bombers also roared overhead during ceremonies staged Wednesday and Thursday.

When the White House press corps was called to cover the two leaders, it wasn’t to hear them talk about the weighty affairs of state. Instead, it was to watch them tour the Marine One helicopter and the recently redesigned South Lawn of the White House, replete with a large helipad emblazoned with the presidential seal.

Trump brushed away questions about policy discussions.

“He loves good granite,” Trump said of Xi. “Great meeting.”