Trump Ally Visits China as U.S.-China Summit Preparations Accelerate

With U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China scheduled for Oct. 14-15, the governments of the two countries have begun full-scale preparations for the summit. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss ways to reduce the trade imbalance, including purchases of U.S. agricultural and livestock products, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), Iran, Taiwan and the One-China policy.
Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao Daily News reported on the 5th that three U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport planes arrived in Beijing on the 2nd and 3rd, bringing the total number of transport aircraft that have landed there to at least four. Another aircraft of the same type had arrived earlier on the 1st at Beijing Capital International Airport. Chinese media speculated that the planes were being used to carry the special vehicles and supplies for the U.S. president’s overseas trips.
The Paper reported on the 4th that a bipartisan delegation of five U.S. lawmakers, including Republican Senator Steve Daines, arrived in China on the 1st to coordinate ahead of the summit. Daines, a member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is a close Trump ally and lived in China for about six years. He also served as an unofficial channel of communication between the two countries during the first Trump administration. He said he would make U.S.-China competition a key topic during the visit.
One of the central issues in the rivalry between the two countries is AI. On the 23rd of last month, Michael Kratsios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, accused Chinese AI companies of stealing technology from U.S. firms in a social media post. Trump also mentioned AI during a small business event in Washington, D.C., on the 4th, saying, "I’m scheduled to meet Xi Jinping within two weeks." He added, "We are ahead of China in AI," and emphasized, "I’m looking forward to meeting Xi Jinping, and we are having a very friendly competition with China."
As the summit nears, Scott Bessent, the finance minister, raised the issue of Iran. In a Fox News interview on the 4th, he referred to a U.S.-led solution to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and said, "I urge China to join us in supporting this international operation." He added, "We need to see whether China will make diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to keep the strait open." He also stressed, "Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism, and China has been buying 90% of Iran’s energy, so it is effectively financing the largest sponsor of terrorism."
It remains unclear whether China will move in line with Washington’s wishes. On the 27th of last month, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) decided to ban investment and urged the withdrawal of a planned acquisition, saying that U.S. tech company Meta Platforms Inc. could not acquire the Chinese AI company Manus. In addition, MOFCOM said in a statement on the 2nd that it would prohibit the recognition, enforcement and compliance of U.S. sanctions targeting five private refiners linked to trade in Iranian crude oil.
pjw@fnnews.com Park Jong-won Reporter