US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded two days of talks in Beijing today, announcing narrow but tangible progress on AI chip exports and commercial aviation, while deferring deeper disagreements on Taiwan and supply-chain security to working-level channels.
The US Department of Commerce has approved case-by-case export licenses for NVIDIA H200 processors to select Chinese technology firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance and JD.com. The licenses require end-use verification and exclude entities currently on the US Entity List. In parallel, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation indicated a temporary suspension of pending antitrust reviews involving major US semiconductor companies.
On commercial aviation, China confirmed a purchase of 200 Boeing narrow-body aircraft, with deliveries scheduled through 2028. While below pre-summit industry expectations of up to 500 jets, the deal marks the first major Chinese order for US-made commercial aircraft since 2018.
Both leaders endorsed a joint statement committing to “a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability,” prioritizing crisis communication channels and managed competition. A bilateral AI safety dialogue was formally launched, with technical working groups expected to convene before Q3 2026.
The US delegation included 18 business leaders—among them Apple’s Tim Cook, Tesla’s Elon Musk and NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang—who attended a closed-door roundtable with President Xi. Official readouts confirm Xi reiterated China’s commitment to “opening wider” to foreign investment, while underscoring that “the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations.”
Notably absent from the final statement: binding agreements on rare earth supply chains, advanced semiconductor equipment exports, or restrictions on outbound investment—issues both sides acknowledged require further technical consultation.
What’s Next
• US Commerce and Chinese NDRC officials to meet in June to finalize H200 licensing protocols
• First AI safety working group session scheduled for Singapore, July 2026
• Treasury and PBOC to resume macroeconomic consultations ahead of the G20 summit
• US Commerce and Chinese NDRC officials to meet in June to finalize H200 licensing protocols
• First AI safety working group session scheduled for Singapore, July 2026
• Treasury and PBOC to resume macroeconomic consultations ahead of the G20 summit
Markets reacted cautiously: NVIDIA shares rose 2.1% in after-hours trading, while Boeing gained 1.4%. Analysts note that implementation—not announcement—will determine the summit’s long-term impact.