US-China summit shows rare warmth despite deep tensions

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit in Washington marked by rare warmth, yet significant underlying tensions remain between the two nations. During the visit, both sides announced a two-month extension of a trade truce originally reached in Busan, South Korea, which includes a commitment from China to increase supplies of critical metals to the US.

Despite the diplomatic bonhomie, serious differences persist, particularly regarding supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths. US Ambassador to China David Perdue has accused Beijing of ‘weaponising’ its dominance in these sectors, where China controls approximately 70 per cent of global mining and 90 per cent of processing.

A notable friction point during the summit was the absence of Chinese corporate executives from the White House state dinner. While the 134-person guest list included prominent American leaders such as Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Jensen Huang, and Lisa Su, the Chinese delegation consisted solely of 19 officials. This absence followed failed negotiations regarding diplomatic reciprocity and communication breakdowns between the two governments.