Washington:US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to engage in significant discussions in Washington, focusing on trade, rare earth minerals, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical tensions.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump extended a rare welcome to Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. This marked the first time since 1962 that a US president greeted a foreign leader on the base tarmac instead of the White House.

Xi's visit to Washington, his first in over a decade, coincides with a temporary extension of the US-China trade truce until January 10. Under this agreement, the US has halted increased tariffs and reduced some fentanyl-related duties, while China has eased restrictions on critical minerals. The deliberations are also expected to cover artificial intelligence and potentially touch on issues such as Taiwan, Iran, Ukraine, and North Korea.

The meeting takes place amid ongoing tensions, including the US's conflict with Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked on Wednesday that the relationship between the US and China, as the world's two largest economies and military powers, will shape the 21st century.

On Thursday, Trump will officially welcome Xi at the White House, where they will participate in a military review before engaging in closed-door discussions at both individual and delegation levels. The day will conclude with a state dinner hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, with notable attendees including Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

The leaders are scheduled to meet again on Friday before Xi departs, continuing their dialogue following Trump's state visit to China in May, where both sides committed to a 'new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.'