Trump, Chinese President Xi to meet at White House Thursday

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive at the White House Thursday morning for a welcome ceremony. President Donald Trump will aim at matching the pageantry he experienced in Beijing in May.

Trump was impressed with the welcome ceremony Xi staged when Trump arrived for a state visit in mid-May. Trump is predicting a successful summit.

“We’re going to have a very good meeting. We’re going to have a meeting. We get along well. We’re doing very well with China,” Trump said.

The two leaders will meet in the Oval Office Thursday to discuss tariffs and trade, the future of Taiwan, and concern about artificial intelligence.

Trump, speaking at the United Nations on Tuesday, rejected calls from industry leaders for global AI regulation.

“I’m not going to stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the industrial revolution,” Trump said.

National security hawks are concerned about Chinese support for Iran and for Russia in its war with Ukraine.

Some lawmakers, including Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), are urging Trump to be tough with Xi. Wicker is the Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) delivered a similar message.

“President Trump must draw a hard line. Do not weaken America’s export controls. Do not give China greater access to the advanced chips and chipmaking equipment it needs to close the gap with the United States,” Schumer said.

Both sides want a positive summit. Trump faces midterms in under six weeks. Administration officials are lowering expectations of an announcement on agricultural and energy purchases by China, and continued dialogue on AI.