Trump and Xi Meet at White House, A.I. Leaders Attend State Dinner
The U.S. and Chinese presidents convened for bilateral talks ahead of an evening dinner with prominent figures from the artificial intelligence industry.
President Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday for several hours of discussions, culminating in a state dinner attended by leading figures in the artificial intelligence sector. The meeting occurred amid a growing global conversation about the regulation of AI.
Following initial remarks and a military review, the two leaders engaged in extended meetings. During their opening statements, both Trump and Xi acknowledged the topic of AI, with Xi emphasizing the need for AI development to remain "under human control."
That evening, Trump hosted a state dinner for Xi, with notable attendees including Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Bilateral discussions also covered international relations and trade. According to Chinese state media, Xi addressed the issue of Iran, expressing hope for the resumption of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and stating China's support for recommitting to a previously reached memorandum of understanding. On the subject of Taiwan, Xi conveyed his hope that the U.S. would maintain its stance against Taiwan's independence.
Xi also called for increased cooperation between the two countries, proposing more direct flights and inviting 100,000 American students for cultural exchange over the next five years. In a continuation of diplomatic tradition, Xi announced that two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, would soon be sent to Zoo Atlanta.
"China and the United States must hold the line of no conflict and no confrontation between us, and we can certainly find the right path for two great countries to get along on this planet we both call home," Xi stated.
This visit marks the first time a Chinese leader has undertaken a second formal state visit to the United States. President Xi previously made a formal state visit to Washington, D.C., in September 2015 at the invitation of President Obama.
Trump and Xi's initial meeting took place in 2017 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. Their most recent encounter prior to this meeting was in May, during Trump's two-day state visit to Beijing. During that visit, discussions encompassed tariffs, rare mineral trade, and the Strait of Hormuz, leading to the announcement of a "Board of Trade" initiative aimed at reducing tariffs on non-national security-related products.