Trump-Xi Summit Puts AI Safety Talks on the Table as Rivals Race for Tech Dominance
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on September 23 for a three-day state visit with President Trump, with both countries planning to discuss AI safety despite their fierce competition in artificial intelligence development.
What's Happening
Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan are scheduled to make a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25, 2026, received by Donald Trump. According to the visit schedule announced by the White House, Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base on September 23, with Trump greeting the couple at the airport and holding a welcoming ceremony. This marks their second meeting in four months, a development Beijing has described as a "milestone of historic significance".
The AI Race at Center Stage
President Donald Trump wants the U.S. to beat China in the artificial intelligence race, but as he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping, both countries are also weighing how to address the risks posed by rapidly advancing technology. In recent months, AI systems have taken more consequential actions online: OpenAI said one of its research models gained unauthorized access to parts of the AI platform Hugging Face, while Anthropic found AI was being used to automate parts of cyberattacks.
Broader Context and Negotiations
On September 20, 2026, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York City, where they agreed to set up an AI dialogue. When Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Washington this week, he will be sitting down with President Donald Trump in a vastly different position than the last time the two men met face-to-face in the United States nearly a decade ago, as at that 2017 summit at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort China was lagging America on multiple fronts.
Summit Agenda
During his talks with Trump, Xi will discuss key issues concerning China-US relations, as well as world peace and development. On September 24, Trump will greet Xi and Peng at the White House, followed by a guard of honor review in the Rose Garden before the summit meeting.