Trump and Xi Extend Trade Truce by Two Months at White House Summit

US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday for a state visit that combined pageantry with substantive talks on trade, artificial intelligence and the strategic rivalry between the world's two largest economies.

Trade truce extended, but only briefly

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two sides agreed to extend a trade truce that had been due to expire in November, but only by two months. The extension, he said, would give negotiators "more time to see what we can do on the economic front."

The move pushes core issues — tariffs, Chinese purchases, rare-earth supplies and technology restrictions — into the next round of talks. Bessent noted that Beijing was meeting its commitment to buy 25 million tons of soybeans but was lagging on a pledge to purchase $17 billion in other agricultural goods. US officials have also said rare-earth deliveries were falling short.

For businesses, the outcome leaves tariff rates lower for now, but decisions must still be made against a shifting policy backdrop. Trump and Xi could have further opportunities to reach a more durable deal before a new January 10 deadline, with multilateral summits scheduled in Shenzhen and Miami before the end of the year.

Xi presses on Taiwan

Xi raised the Taiwan issue, saying China hoped the United States would "handle the Taiwan question with prudence to lay a solid foundation for bilateral strategic cooperation and the development of China-US ties," according to China's official news agency Xinhua. Xinhua's English-language service also reported that Xi hoped the US would oppose Taiwan independence — a tougher formulation than Washington's long-standing position that it does not "support" independence.

There was no immediate White House readout of the exchange. US officials have long avoided explicitly stating opposition to Taiwanese independence, and any shift in language would raise questions about Washington's commitment to defend the island and provoke opposition in Congress. Washington is Taiwan's most important international backer and is bound by US law to provide it with the means to defend itself. Trump previously described a pending arms package for Taiwan worth up to $14 billion as a "negotiating chip" after his summit with Xi in May.

Strategic risk invoked

Xi again invoked the "Thucydides Trap," an academic theory that competition between a rising power and an established one tends toward war. While he said the risk "can be overcome," his reference underscored persistent concerns about a potential US-China military conflict. Xi argued that both nations stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, calling for regular military dialogue and stronger crisis-prevention mechanisms.

Trump drew on the two nations' shared history to emphasize cooperation, noting their wartime alliance against Japan and saying they could accomplish much by pursuing common interests.

A showcase for a remade White House

For Trump, the visit was an opportunity to display a Washington being remade in his image. After Xi hosted Trump in Beijing at a Ming dynasty temple and a walled-off garden retreat rarely opened to foreigners, Trump returned the favor with troops in wigs and tri-corner hats marching in formation in a Rose Garden redesigned to resemble a Trump golf club. Fighter jets and bombers roared overhead during ceremonies on Wednesday and Thursday, one so loud it caused Trump to flinch.

Trump has spoken for months about needing more authority to beautify and remodel the capital ahead of Xi's visit, though many projects — including a new White House ballroom and the Reflecting Pool — are unfinished or have encountered problems. When the press corps was called to cover the leaders, it was to watch them tour the Marine One helicopter and the recently redesigned South Lawn, complete with a large helipad bearing the presidential seal. Trump brushed aside questions about policy discussions, saying of Xi, "He loves good granite. Great meeting."