Trump and Xi begin high-stakes Beijing summit on trade and security. The two leaders opened a two-day meeting focused on resolving tariff disputes, Taiwan tensions, and Iran policy between the world's two largest economies. Xi raised the "Thucydides Trap," questioning whether rising and ruling powers can avoid historical conflict patterns. Trump pledged the relationship would be "better than ever before." Key agenda items include rare earths, artificial intelligence, and energy agreements. A trade truce from their South Korea meeting last fall is expected to become formalized. Xi emphasized Taiwan as the most critical issue, warning mishandling could push bilateral relations into dangerous territory. The summit includes U.S. business leaders in Trump's delegation, signaling focus on strengthening economic ties and potential business deals between nations.
