Xi urges Trump to avoid US-China military conflict

Published: 25 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for sustained dialogue, military communication and greater cooperation with the United States as a way of preventing the increasingly competitive relationship between Washington and Beijing from developing into a military confrontation.

Xi made the remarks during his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, September 24, as the leaders sought to project a more stable relationship despite continuing disagreements over trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, technology restrictions and wider geopolitical issues. The meeting was accompanied by elaborate diplomatic ceremony and a state dinner attended by senior political, business and technology figures.

Speaking at the beginning of the summit, Xi said China and the United States should strengthen communication and seek areas of common ground while managing their differences. He argued that the two countries had much to gain from cooperation but could both suffer if competition turned into direct confrontation.

Xi specifically called for regular communication between the two militaries and improved mechanisms for crisis prevention and communication. He linked those measures to the longstanding international debate known as the “Thucydides trap”, a term used to describe the risks that can emerge when a rising power challenges an established power.

“The Thucydides trap can be overcome,” Xi said, presenting dialogue and mutual understanding as important tools for preventing strategic competition from escalating into conflict. His comments echoed remarks he made during his meeting with Trump in Beijing earlier this year, when the Chinese president had also raised the question of how the two countries could avoid such a confrontation.

Xi also framed the relationship in terms of the two countries pursuing their respective national ambitions without necessarily treating those ambitions as incompatible. Referring to Trump’s political slogan, he suggested that the rejuvenation of China and the goal of making America great again could proceed alongside one another.

The emphasis on coexistence came at a particularly sensitive moment in US-China relations. Washington and Beijing remain engaged in intense competition over advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and access to strategic supply chains, while tariffs and other trade restrictions continue to affect businesses in both countries. The two governments have also maintained sharply different positions on Taiwan and other international security questions.

Trump, meanwhile, adopted a notably warm tone in his public remarks. Welcoming Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the White House, the US president described his relationship with the Chinese leader as a “truly great friendship” and said the two countries had made progress on issues confronting them.

Trump said American and Chinese officials had been working toward what he described as a more balanced trading relationship, including increased market access for US farmers and ranchers. He also indicated that security, technology and artificial intelligence would feature prominently in the discussions.

The White House visit marked Xi’s first trip to Washington in more than a decade and the second state visit by a Chinese leader during the Trump presidency. Trump personally greeted Xi and Peng at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening, an unusually high-profile gesture that was followed by a formal arrival ceremony at the White House the following day.

The diplomatic warmth continued during the state dinner hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The event brought together senior government officials and prominent figures from the American business and technology sectors, reflecting the increasingly important role of technology companies in the US-China relationship.

Among those associated with the dinner were Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Apple chief executive Tim Cook, SpaceX and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. The presence of technology leaders underscored how artificial intelligence has become one of the central areas of strategic competition between Washington and Beijing.

Trump used his dinner remarks to emphasise the historical relationship between the American and Chinese peoples. He said that the two countries represented different political systems but maintained enduring connections between their populations.

Xi likewise described his relationship with Trump in positive terms, saying the two leaders had developed personal rapport and maintained communication. He said discussions during the visit had produced common understanding on several issues and argued that China and the United States should act as responsible major powers.

Behind the diplomatic language, however, major differences remain.

Trade was one of the most immediate areas in which the two governments sought to prevent renewed escalation. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the existing trade truce had been extended by two months. The arrangement had been due to expire in November, meaning the extension provides additional time for Washington and Beijing to continue negotiations rather than immediately returning to a more confrontational tariff environment.

The extension nevertheless leaves important disputes unresolved. Tariffs, Chinese purchases of American goods, supplies of rare-earth materials and US restrictions on advanced technologies remain central issues in the economic relationship. Reuters reported that the two-month extension effectively moves several of these questions into another round of negotiations rather than settling them permanently.

Artificial intelligence represents an even more complicated area of competition. The United States has imposed restrictions on exports of advanced chips, semiconductor technologies, software and chip-manufacturing equipment to China, with Washington arguing that such measures are necessary to protect national security and maintain control over sensitive technologies.

China, meanwhile, is seeking to strengthen its own capabilities in advanced computing and artificial intelligence. Both countries recognise AI as a technology with major economic and strategic consequences, making cooperation difficult even while officials acknowledge the risks of uncontrolled competition.

The summit therefore placed AI in an unusual position. It is simultaneously an area of commercial competition, national-security concern and potential international cooperation. Recent discussions have included the possibility of establishing mechanisms through which Washington and Beijing could communicate about AI-related risks.

Taiwan remains another major source of tension. Chinese officials continue to insist that the United States should oppose Taiwanese independence, while Washington maintains its own longstanding approach to Taiwan. Reports from the summit indicated that the issue remained part of the broader strategic discussion, illustrating the limits of the cordial atmosphere surrounding the meeting.

The leaders also face wider geopolitical disagreements, including differences involving Iran and other international conflicts. The range of subjects demonstrates how closely the two countries’ interests have become intertwined, even as their strategic objectives frequently diverge.

Xi additionally proposed expanding people-to-people contacts, including an invitation for large numbers of young Americans to visit China through educational exchanges. Such initiatives reflect Beijing’s broader emphasis on communication between societies as a way of reducing mistrust.

The challenge for both governments will be translating the summit’s conciliatory language into durable arrangements. Previous meetings between Trump and Xi have produced temporary understandings, but disagreements have repeatedly resurfaced over tariffs, technology, market access and security.

For now, the Washington summit has created another opportunity for the world’s two largest economies to manage their rivalry without allowing it to spiral into direct confrontation. Xi’s emphasis on military communication and crisis prevention reflects the recognition that competition can become particularly dangerous when diplomatic channels weaken.

The two governments have not removed their fundamental differences, and the extension of the trade truce does not amount to a comprehensive settlement. Nevertheless, the meeting demonstrated that both Washington and Beijing continue to see value in maintaining direct communication while attempting to prevent their strategic rivalry from becoming an uncontrolled conflict