US says China trade truce extended as Trump welcomes Xi in first visit of three years

US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington for a three-day state visit, the first in nearly three years. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an extension of the 11-month trade truce through January 10. The visit includes a state dinner with tech CEOs and military ceremonies, but deep differences remain on Taiwan, technology, and Iran. The meeting comes as Trump faces falling approval numbers and public discontent over his war on Iran, while Xi arrives in a stronger position with China's trade engine roaring. Talks on Thursday could yield deals on tariffs, drug trafficking, and military dialogue.

US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, the first in nearly three years. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an extension of the 11-month trade truce through January 10, a move that could soothe global markets shaken by a 2025 tariff war. The welcome ceremony at Joint Base Andrews marked the first time in 11 years a US president has greeted a foreign leader there. The visit includes a state dinner with tech luminaries including Apple's Tim Cook, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and OpenAI's Sam Altman, a White House military ceremony, and a visit to the National Archives. Deep differences remain on issues including export controls on rare-earth minerals and computer chips, China's ties with Iran, and US support for Taiwan. The meeting comes at a difficult moment for Trump, who faces falling approval numbers as public discontent with his war on Iran grows. Xi arrives in a seemingly stronger position, with China's trade engine roaring. Talks set for Thursday could yield deals to lower tariffs in specific sectors, cooperate on drug trafficking, and expand military-to-military dialogue. The leaders are expected to issue dueling announcements rather than a joint press conference.