WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 — A three-day summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded in Washington, with both sides agreeing to create a communication mechanism for artificial intelligence-related incidents and to accelerate military crisis communications. The summit, though lacking major breakthroughs, produced working groups aimed at preventing disputes from escalating. The White House confirmed that a Board of Trade, focused on selected bilateral issues, began operating this week.
China’s Foreign Ministry said the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening crisis communications and preventing crises between the two militaries, though the Chinese readout was light on details. Trump made it clear that the U.S. would not slow its AI efforts and would not share certain information with China.
“The United States of America is not going to be putting on brakes,” he said, adding that he would rather not integrate AI cooperation because the U.S. is leading China by at least a year, possibly up to two years.
Trade Truce Extended
On trade, the two sides agreed to extend a trade truce by two months and to continue working together on reducing reciprocal tariffs on roughly $30 billion worth of goods, with most reductions targeting non-sensitive goods such as agricultural products or holiday decorations. The White House said China agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of coal from the U.S. in 2027 and 2028.
Both sides continued to work on American concerns about rare earths supply, with the goal of ensuring shipment levels return to appropriate levels, after China imposed export controls on rare earths the previous year in response to U.S. tariffs.
Future Meetings and Regional Issues
The two governments agreed to meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November, and later at the G20 summit at the Trump National Doral Miami golf club in Florida. Both sides stated that Iran should honor its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons and that no country should charge tolls on international waterways, an apparent reference to the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. welcomed China’s decision to impose export controls on two additional precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl, and both sides noted recent arrests in fentanyl-related cases. Xi returned to Beijing on Saturday, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
Analysts said the incremental progress was noteworthy, emphasizing that working-level engagement and crisis-management mechanisms could help make stability more durable and institutionalized. With upcoming meetings on the horizon, the focus will remain on how these new mechanisms translate into tangible cooperation and conflict prevention.
