The first visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House in a decade comes as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilise relations after years of trade and technology disputes. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, Taiwan and technology, while China’s growing willingness to engage on the Iran conflict could also feature in their talks. Damian Ma, director and chairperson of Carnegie China, told Al Jazeera that Donald Trump and Xi are developing a personal rapport that could help put a “floor” under the US-China relationship. Ma said AI, computer chips and rare earth permanent magnets are likely to be more challenging issues than tariffs. He rejected the idea of a simple Taiwan-for-Iran quid pro quo, saying Taiwan is too complex for such a deal. Ma said Washington and Beijing still face intense competition over AI, technology and supply chains despite efforts to stabilise ties. He added that greater stability between the two powers would benefit the global economy and help prevent their rivalry from getting out of hand.
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