Trump and Xi hold summit as trade and technology tensions between the two powers deepen

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held high-stakes bilateral talks on September 24, with the two leaders coming face to face as tensions over trade and technology continue to strain relations between the world's two largest economies.

Xi's visit, his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade, lasted 43 hours. Trump moved to mark the occasion with considerable ceremony, receiving the Chinese president at the airport and hosting a reception at the White House before the two sides sat down for substantive negotiations.

The talks spanned a broad range of issues, with trade deliverables, technology competition and the question of Taiwan all understood to be on the agenda. Rare earth supply chains, a longstanding point of friction given China's dominant position in that market, were also expected to feature prominently in discussions.

Both leaders arrived carrying distinct strategic advantages, and the outcome of the summit is likely to shape the trajectory of US-China relations in the months ahead.