Trump to Urge Xi Jinping to 'Pressure Iran'... Rare Earths and Taiwan Also on the Table

Discussions on Iran, Taiwan, and AI

Clear Divergence over Stance on Taiwan Independence

China Considers Boeing Aircraft and Soybean Purchases

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to reduce support for Iran during the U.S.-China summit scheduled for this week. With the two countries set to discuss a range of sensitive issues—including the possible extension of their trade truce, rare earth supplies, Taiwan, artificial intelligence (AI), and nuclear arms control—expectations are mounting that this summit could prove a watershed moment for U.S.-China relations.

According to the Financial Times (FT) and other sources on May 11 (local time), President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping are scheduled to hold a summit in Beijing, China, on May 14-15, with the issue of support for Iran at the top of the agenda.

A U.S. government official stated, "The President is expected to put pressure on China," adding, "The discussion will continue regarding President Xi and China's support for Iran and Russia, the supply of dual-use components, and the potential for arms exports."

The Taiwan issue is also expected to be a core point of contention. According to the FT, China is asking the U.S. to clearly state that it "opposes" Taiwan's independence, rather than maintaining its previous neutral stance.

On this, a U.S. official drew a line, saying, "No changes are expected in future Taiwan policy." However, it has been reported that the Trump administration has postponed notifying Congress of a new arms package for Taiwan worth over 14 billion dollars (approximately 19 trillion won), taking into account the atmosphere of the summit.

The two countries are also making efforts to restore economic cooperation. U.S. officials stated that deals involving Boeing aircraft, U.S. agricultural goods, and the energy sector are expected to be discussed at the summit. There is also talk of China potentially announcing expanded purchases of U.S. soybeans and Boeing aircraft.

In addition, the two countries are pursuing plans to establish a 'Board of Trade' to oversee trade in non-sensitive items, as well as a 'Board of Investment' for bilateral investment talks. However, the U.S. side has reportedly expressed uncertainty about the possibility of reaching a large-scale investment agreement.

The extension of the trade war truce is another focus of attention. Through last year's trade truce agreement, the two countries have maintained U.S. access to Chinese rare earth supplies, and the extension of this agreement is slated for discussion at the summit. However, there is also speculation that any announcement regarding the extension may not come immediately after the summit.

Technology and security issues will also be on the table. The U.S. has expressed concerns about the advancement of Chinese AI models and is seeking to establish formal channels of communication on this matter.

Progress on nuclear arms control talks appears unlikely. While the U.S. hopes to engage China in nuclear arms control negotiations, it is reported that China has informally indicated it is not yet willing to participate.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.