Is a breakthrough unlikely at the US-China summit?
US President Donald Trump is expected to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on September 24th.
Despite meticulous preparation and solemn ceremonies, observers believe the meeting is unlikely to yield any breakthrough agreements, primarily aimed at managing tensions between the two superpowers.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of intertwined challenges facing Washington and Beijing's relationship. Key topics expected to be on the agenda included: the race to master Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, tariffs, global trade, and geopolitical hotspots.
Although President Trump declared he would discuss "almost every issue," international experts assessed the event as more symbolic than groundbreaking, aimed at prolonging temporary stability.
Jonathan Czin, an expert from the Brookings Institute, believes that this conference is largely a continuation of efforts to maintain the diplomatic commitment established during Trump's visit to Beijing in May.
Economically, Yue Su, an expert from The Economist Intelligence Unit, believes that both sides still have room to negotiate on tariffs, agricultural trade, and selective export controls.
However, according to Professor Wang Dong (Peking University), large-scale strategic agreements, especially in the field of AI, are currently "still out of reach" because both sides are afraid of losing their competitive advantage.
The highlight of this conference was the protocol. President Trump pushed for the completion of a new helipad on the South Lawn of the White House and prepared a grand state banquet to welcome the Chinese leader.
The most tangible outcome of the conference may be the agreement on a schedule for future events. According to the plan, the two leaders are expected to meet again at the APEC Forum in Shenzhen (China) in November and the G20 Summit in Miami (USA) in December.
