Trump-Xi meeting: AI, trade and Taiwan take centre stage as US-China leaders meet

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held high-stakes talks at the White House, seeking to stabilise ties between the world's two largest economies amid differences over trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine.

Welcoming Xi for a state visit on Thursday, Trump recalled the relationship he has developed with the Chinese leader, describing it as a "truly great friendship" built on mutual respect and the interests of the two countries.

"From the time of my first election in 2016, President Xi and I have forged a friendship, a truly great friendship, actually, built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people," Trump said.

Xi said the interests of China and the United States were "deeply intertwined" and that competition between the two countries should be healthy and kept within bounds.

He also reiterated a warning against falling into the "Thucydides trap", a term used to describe the risk of conflict when a rising power challenges an established one.

Trump said ahead of the talks that "Super Intelligence (SI)" would be a major topic of discussion, reiterating his position against any slowdown in the development of AI models.

"A big day with President Xi of China. Super Intelligence (SI) will be a big topic of discussion, but I want to leave it exactly where it is. That is China’s position also. Our guardrail is the DOJ!" Trump posted on Truth Social ahead of the discussions.

However, Xi, in his opening remarks, said China and the US had both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for the benefit of humanity.

"AI must be kept under human control," Xi said, according to a Chinese readout of the talks, adding that a people-centred approach should guide AI development.

The two leaders also discussed efforts by their economic and trade teams to reach a new arrangement following a fresh round of consultations.

Xi said the latest consultations had produced a "new joint arrangement", calling it good news for businesses and people in both countries and for the global economy.

"Cooperation is a two-way street," Xi said, according to the readout, urging both sides to expand areas of cooperation while reducing the number of outstanding disputes.

Trump also said the latest trade consultations had produced new outcomes and called for continued dialogue to reach an "even better deal".

Xi reiterated China's opposition to Taiwanese independence and called on Washington to handle the issue with caution.

"The Chinese side's position on safeguarding national reunification and territorial integrity is clear-cut," Xi said, according to the readout. He urged the US to adhere to its position of opposing "Taiwan independence".

The two presidents also exchanged views on major international and regional issues, including the situation in the Middle East, the Ukraine crisis and the Korean Peninsula.

They agreed to support each other in hosting the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and the G20 Summit.

The meeting was part of Xi's state visit to the US, with the Chinese leader's visit coming less than six months after the two presidents last met.

Xi said the two leaders had agreed in May to build a constructive China-US relationship based on strategic stability and urged them to turn that vision into action.

"The two sides should turn this vision into action," Xi said, calling for cooperation to remain the mainstay of ties, competition to be kept within proper limits and differences to be managed.

Trump, for his part, said Xi's state visit was a "great visit" and described both countries as "great nations".

He said he and Xi were "good friends" who maintained close communication and expressed confidence that the relationship could move forward under their leadership.

The focus on AI was also expected to extend beyond the leaders' talks, with some of the technology industry's most prominent executives expected at a White House state dinner for Xi.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang were among the prominent AI figures expected to attend the dinner.