Trump Hails 'Great Friendship' With Xi as US-China Summit Opens

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened White House talks on Sept. 24 after an arrival ceremony in the Grand Foyer. On Sept. 23 the two sides extended by two months a trade truce set to expire Nov. 10. Trump said that since 2016 they had forged a "truly great friendship" built on mutual respect. Xi said competition "should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds" and "a race of catching up with one another, not a wrestle in which one either wins or loses." US tariffs peaked at 145% and China's at 125% last year; after South Korea, averages fell to roughly 47% and the mid-30s. Trump is holding back final approval of a $14 billion Taiwan arms package. On AI, Trump said he wants to "leave it exactly where it is," which he said is also China's position; Xi said both must keep AI "under human control" and serving the people. Scott Bessent confirmed the truce extension on Fox News. The Thursday East Room state dinner includes a toast to the 1972 Nixon-Zhou meeting and guests Jeff Bezos, Jensen Huang and Mark Zuckerberg. No factual disputes among outlets were found. Chinese officials had sought an extension to January 2029; US officials proposed three to six months. Whether a broader deal comes by January remains unresolved.