US-China Summit Leaves Big Issues Unresolved

The recent US-China summit in Washington yielded limited concrete deliverables, reflecting a cautious approach as both nations navigate domestic political pressures and upcoming midterms. While the two leaders agreed to continue diplomatic engagement through future meetings at APEC and the G20, substantive business deals remain scarce. Beijing is prioritizing a longer trade truce to stabilize its sputtering domestic economy, while the United States maintains a firm stance on sensitive issues like Taiwan and potential Chinese support for Iran. Meanwhile, the technological rivalry over artificial intelligence intensifies, with both countries pursuing competing infrastructure strategies. Although the United States currently leads in processing power, China is aggressively investing in indigenous innovation to achieve parity, framing the development of AI guardrails as a shared responsibility for global stability.