US and China Prepare for Summit Amid Rising Trade and Geopolitical Friction

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24, with discussions expected to cover trade, defense production, the conflict in Ukraine, and artificial intelligence. The meeting comes amidst heightened U.S.-China friction over trade, technology, and energy security. China has reportedly tightened export controls on several rare earth elements, critical for U.S. defense industries, further exacerbating trade tensions.