Xi asks Trump if U.S. and China can avoid 'Thucydides Trap' at Beijing summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping asked U.S. President Donald Trump whether Washington and Beijing can avoid the 'Thucydides Trap' as the two leaders opened a high-stakes summit in the Chinese capital. According to CNBC, Xi told Trump that the world's two largest economies 'should be partners, not adversaries,' urging both sides to manage rivalry without sliding into open conflict.

The agenda spans tariffs, Taiwan, artificial-intelligence rules, the Iran war and rare-earth supplies. Trump arrived with a delegation of more than a dozen chief executives, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang. Negotiators are weighing reciprocal tariff cuts on roughly $30 billion of imports as a confidence-building gesture.

Beijing has paired the conciliatory language with a sharper warning that mishandling Taiwan could risk a 'clash.' Asia-Pacific markets opened cautiously and the yuan traded in a narrow band ahead of any joint statement, which officials expect later in the week.