CNBC's The China Connection newsletter: Five things to watch for the Trump-Xi summit – CNBC

CNBC’s The China Connection newsletter: Five things to watch for the Trump-Xi summit  CNBCXi rolls into Trump summit with China’s trade engine roaring  ReutersOpinion | What Trump doesn’t seem to realize about Xi Jinping  The Washington PostDonora’s end of summer bash celebrates 125 years  Mon Valley IndependentWith Time on His Side, Xi Seeks to Extend Truce With Trump  The New York Times

Many in China sound far more optimistic than those in the U.S. about the bilateral relationship, ahead of a highly anticipated summit this week. Hi, this is Evelyn, writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection — a snapshot of what I'm seeing and hearing from local businesses. I'm joined again by my Singapore-based colleague Anniek Bao, as we unpack expectations inside and outside China for a closely watched summit in Washington, D.C., later this week. Fanfare aside, what will this meeting achieve? It reflects Beijing's growing confidence, after China was the first major economy to retaliate against the Trump administration's "Liberation Day" tariffs in April 2025.

But the list of U.S. concerns has only grown. Staying ahead of China in the artificial intelligence race has become Washington's latest worry. As Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to the U.S. for his first state visit since the Obama administration, here's what businesses are watching: The two sides are expected to extend a trade truce expiring in November — although for how long remains in question. At a meeting last fall in South Korea,