Trump-Xi Summit Puts Global Trade, Taiwan, and Iran War at Center of High-Stakes Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing on Thursday for talks that could reshape global trade, security, and energy markets. The summit agenda includes tariffs, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, rare-earth exports, and the Iran war. China’s restrictions on rare earth materials and semiconductor products have already disrupted supply chains across Europe and Asia. Analysts said governments worldwide are closely watching the meeting because its outcome could affect economic growth, global stability, and the future of the international rules-based order. The summit was delayed earlier this year after the United States became deeply involved in the Iran conflict. Taiwan is expected to be one of the most sensitive issues during the talks. Beijing has reportedly pushed Washington to reduce security support for the island, while Chinese officials warned that Taiwan remains the biggest risk in U.S.-China relations. Experts cautioned that even small changes in U.S. policy could embolden China against Taiwan. Southeast Asian nations are also watching closely because changes to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods could affect manufacturing investment in countries like Vietnam. Meanwhile, any agreement between Washington and Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz could ease the global energy crisis caused by the Middle East war. Russia is also expected to monitor the summit closely as Moscow depends increasingly on Chinese support during the Ukraine war.