Trump and Xi to Meet September 24 With Modest Expectations

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Washington on September 24, their second face-to-face meeting this year, with analysts and White House officials downplaying prospects for major breakthroughs. The visit begins Wednesday, and the central question hanging over it is whether the two governments will signal an extension of the trade truce struck in October 2025 that averted a major shock to the global economy. Four months after the leaders met in Beijing in May, progress on the commitments announced then has been uneven. The two sides agreed on a framework including reciprocal tariff reductions on about $30 billion of goods in each direction and a possible Board of Trade. A Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said earlier this month that both sides hope to implement the tariff cuts at an early date, and analysts expect an announcement this week, though some think it will fall short of $30 billion and be limited to non-sensitive items such as toys, holiday decorations and other low-end factory products. China's promised agricultural purchases may also fall short.