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Trump and Xi Resume Talks Amid Uneven Trade Commitments
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are meeting again to discuss problems between the United States and China.
Xi arrived in the United States on September 23, 2026.
They will talk about trade, technology, Taiwan, investment, and the Iran war.
The two leaders have made several trade agreements since 2017.
Some agreements promised that China would buy more American goods, including soybeans and other farm products.
The United States and China also placed very high tariffs on each other’s products in 2025.
The countries disagree about how much of their earlier promises have been completed.
Experts think the meeting may look important but may not produce many new results.
Xi Jinping arrived in the United States on September 23, 2026, for his first state visit there in 11 years.
The visit is the leaders’ second meeting of 2026, with trade, investment, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the Iran war on the agenda.
Their previous agreements include a 2017 trade plan, a 2018 tariff truce, the 2020 Phase One deal, and commitments made in Busan and Beijing.
US tariffs on Chinese imports reached 145% in 2025, while China’s retaliatory tariffs reached 125%.
Analysts expect the latest visit to emphasize optics and symbolism, with limited substantive progress because earlier commitments remain unevenly fulfilled.
- Who
- US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
- What
- A state visit and leaders’ meeting focused on trade, investment, artificial intelligence, tariffs, rare earths, Taiwan, and the Iran war.
- Where
- The current visit is in the United States; earlier meetings took place at Mar-a-Lago, in Beijing, Buenos Aires, Osaka, and Busan.
- When
- Xi arrived on September 23, 2026; the leaders previously met in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, October 2025, and May 2026.
- Why
- To discuss strained US-China relations and review or advance trade and other bilateral commitments.
Official Commitments
Skeptical Assessment
Value of the visit
Official Commitments
The meeting provides an opportunity to discuss trade, investment, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, rare earths, and the Iran war.
Skeptical Assessment
Analysts expect the visit to be heavy on optics and symbolism but light on substantive progress.
Implementation of agreements
Official Commitments
The United States and China have announced agricultural purchases, new bilateral boards, fentanyl cooperation, and a commitment to constructive strategic stability.
Skeptical Assessment
Both sides have largely followed their own interpretations of the Beijing agreements, and American officials say China has not fulfilled its commitments.
Key facts
- Current visit
- Xi Jinping arrived in the United States on September 23, 2026.
- Meeting frequency
- This is the second meeting between Trump and Xi in 2026.
- Peak US tariff
- US tariffs on Chinese imports reached 145% in 2025.
- Peak Chinese tariff
- China’s retaliatory tariffs reached 125% in 2025.
- Busan soybean pledge
- The United States said China agreed to buy at least 25 million metric tons of US soybeans annually for three years.
- Beijing agricultural commitment
- The White House said China would buy at least $17 billion in US agricultural goods annually through 2028.
- Potential tariff framework
- The leaders are discussing reciprocal tariff reductions on products worth $30 billion or more.
Sources
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