Trump to Welcome Xi Wednesday as Trade Truce Nears Expiry — SkimNews
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- Donald Trump will personally welcome Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, September 23 — an unusual move since US presidents do not typically greet foreign leaders at the airport.
- The Busan trade truce expires November 10, forcing both governments to decide whether to extend the agreement that lowered Trump's tariff threats and paused port fees.
- Negotiators are discussing a ~$30 billion package of "non-sensitive" goods across roughly 10 categories, plus potential purchase targets for agricultural products, energy, and Boeing aircraft.
- Beijing lifted rare-earth and mineral export limits under the Busan deal, and the US is now seeking more stable supply of materials used in AI hardware, defense systems, and automobiles.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says AI safety will be on the agenda, with Beijing pushing for eased US restrictions on Chinese tech while some US businesses worry about being outpaced.
- China has threatened to pull out of the summit entirely if the US green-lights new arms sales to Taiwan, and both countries' planned agenda includes China's economic ties with Iran and detained foreign nationals.
- Anna Ashton, founder of Ashton Intelligence, told CNBC: 'I think status quo is probably both sides' general best expectation' — not a breakthrough.
Why it matters: With the Busan trade truce expiring November 10, Washington needs stable rare-earth supply for AI and defense hardware while Beijing seeks tariff relief — and analyst Anna Ashton told CNBC 'status quo is probably both sides' general best expectation,' meaning neither side walks away with the breakthrough Trump's Joint Base Andrews welcome might imply.
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