Trump and Xi Move to Oval Office for Bilateral Talks
Trump and Xi held private talks in the Oval Office after a Rose Garden arrival ceremony, with trade, Taiwan, chips and Iran on the agenda.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping moved their state visit into the Oval Office on Thursday, following a morning of ceremonial events that included an arrival ceremony and a military review in the Rose Garden.
The two leaders are holding private discussions expected to cover a range of bilateral issues, several of them contentious.
Washington has pressed Beijing to use its influence to push Iran toward accepting US terms to end a war now nearing its seventh month, a push that has included economic threats. China has so far resisted those urgings.
On the Chinese side, Xi is seeking a permanent halt to US arms sales to Taiwan and a loosening of export restrictions on advanced semiconductors.
The two sides agreed on Wednesday to extend by two months a one-year trade truce that had been due to expire on November 10, buying time as they work toward a more durable agreement.
Despite the difficult agenda, Trump has emphasised his long-standing relationship with Xi as the state visit unfolds. Speaking on arrival at the White House, Xi said competition between the two countries "should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds."
The leaders were joined at the White House by first ladies Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan.