The United States and China agreed to extend their trade truce by two months, until January 10, as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension on Wednesday, September 23, after discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. The leaders are due to meet at the White House on Thursday, September 24. The agreement gives the two governments more time to negotiate while avoiding an immediate return to the tariff confrontation they paused last year.
The existing truce, reached after Trump and Xi met in Busan, South Korea, had been scheduled to expire on November 10. Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Wednesday evening, according to both news agencies. Reuters reported that this is Xi's first visit to Washington in more than a decade and the leaders' second meeting this year. The visit comes amid disputes over trade rules, technology and security even as both governments seek to keep their relationship stable.
The two presidents face unresolved economic questions. Reuters said Washington wants progress on agricultural purchases and other trade barriers, while US officials have raised concerns about China's supply of rare earth minerals. Beijing has sought relief from restrictions on advanced technology exports. AP reported that the temporary extension is shorter than the longer periods officials on each side had discussed in recent weeks. Bessent said a broader agreement might be possible by January, but that the countries could also extend the truce again.
Security issues also form part of the agenda. AP and Reuters reported that Xi is expected to press the United States over arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory, while Trump wants China to use its influence with Iran amid the ongoing war. Officials have also discussed a possible mechanism to notify each other of serious artificial intelligence incidents, according to the agencies. None of those discussions amounts to a new agreement, and the leaders had not completed their White House talks when the truce extension was announced.
The extension reduces the near-term risk of another sharp increase in tariffs between the world's two largest economies. AP noted that both leaders have domestic reasons to avoid economic disruption: Trump's party faces US midterm elections in November, while Xi is managing uneven growth in China. Reuters reported that major breakthroughs at the summit are not expected, despite the ceremonial welcome and the range of issues under discussion. The temporary arrangement leaves longer-term trade and security disagreements unresolved.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss the relationship directly at the White House on Thursday, with further events during Xi's state visit. Their talks will show whether the two governments can turn the January deadline into a more durable trade settlement or maintain another short extension. For now, the confirmed outcome is a two-month reprieve, with decisions on tariffs, technology controls and regional security still to be negotiated.
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