Trump, Xi expected to talk Taiwan, AI, trade and Iran as DC summit kicks off

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to meet at the White House on Thursday for high-stakes talks spanning trade, artificial intelligence, the Iran war and broader geopolitical tensions, including Taiwan. While analysts expect a cautious summit with few major breakthroughs, the meeting carries significant stakes for Taiwan and US allies in Asia, which are watching closely for signs that a Washington-Beijing truce could come at the expense of their security or economic interests.

The elaborate reception underscores the importance Trump is placing on the visit. Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening—the first time he has traveled there to welcome a foreign leader—before a formal White House arrival ceremony, military review and bilateral meeting scheduled for Thursday. It is Xi’s first visit to Washington since 2015. Trump said “Super Intelligence,” his administration’s new term for AI, would be a major topic of discussion.

The summit will culminate in a state dinner in the White House East Room, where Trump and Xi are expected to deliver remarks. Beyond diplomacy, Trump hopes the visit will generate business opportunities for US companies, although expectations for major commercial deals remain modest, particularly as leading Chinese executives are reportedly staying home.

The American guest list, however, reads like a who’s who of the technology industry. Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Dell CEO Michael Dell are among those expected to attend. Their presence highlights how closely Trump has associated his economic and technology agenda with some of America’s most powerful corporate leaders.

Many of these executives have become increasingly visible around Trump, appearing at his inauguration, White House events and overseas trips. Huang in particular has repeatedly appeared alongside the president as AI and semiconductor policy moves to the center of US-China competition.

Reference Sources

1. CNBC-Trump, Xi expected to talk Taiwan, AI, trade and Iran as DC summit kicks off
2. Bloomberg - Trump Elevates Tech Titans to Place of Honor at US-China Summit

CXMT, SMIC power 620% surge in profits in China's chip industry

Chinese chipmakers saw a 62% increase in net profit during the first half of the year, with total net profit for roughly 190 companies related to the semiconductor industry rising 620% from the year-earlier period, according to a Nikkei analysis. Aggregate revenue also jumped 68% during that span. Demand for semiconductors, especially from data centres, gained steam due to the rapid spread of AI applications. Measures to expand China's domestic supply chain were also a Tailwind.

CXMT, also known as Changxin Memory Technologies, reported a net profit of CNY77.6Bn ($11.5Bn) during the first half, up from a net loss of CNY2.3Bn a year earlier.

YMTC, also known as Yangtze Memory Technologies, is a major supplier of NAND flash memory, used for long-term data storage.

Thanks to strong demand driven by data centres, Foundries such as Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) and Hua Hong Grace Semiconductor are expanding production capacities. Capital expenditures by semiconductor suppliers are also benefiting Chinese chip tools makers.

Naura Technology Group and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. China (Amec) reported profit growth during the first half.

Amec in particular saw Net profit quadruple from the same half last year.

Reference Sources

1. nikkei - CXMT, SMIC power 620% surge in profits in China's chip industry

Shohei Ohtani returns to Dodgers lineup for World Series push

Shohei Ohtani has returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup after missing two weeks with right biceps discomfort.

Ohtani was set to bat second as the designated hitter against the San Diego Padres and left-handed starter Robbie Ray.

Ohtani hits left-handed and throws and pitches right-handed.

Mookie Betts was in Ohtani's usual Leadoff spot, where he's been since the two-way superstar went on the injured list on Sept. 8.

The good news quickly dried up for the Dodgers after that, as they fell to the Padres 5-1, missing a chance to clinch a First-Round Bye with a win.

Ohtani's return was still significant, and the success of his end-Of-season tune-up will have playoff implications.

The Dodgers clinched the NL West while he was out and are one game away from securing a first-round bye.

Ohtani's time off left him feeling "considerably" better, according to manager Dave Roberts, allowing him to return as early as possible from the IL and get at the plate.

Reference Sources

1. newyorkpost - Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani shows progress in return from injury
2. nbc - Shohei Ohtani returns from injury and is the DH as the Dodgers reshuffle the top of the order
3. latimes - Shohei Ohtani gets a hit in his return, but Dodgers fall to the Padres
4. newyorkpost - Shohei Ohtani returns to Dodgers lineup for World Series push
5. usatoday - Shohei Ohtani activated from IL: What to expect from Dodgers superstar

The CommonWealth English daily news digest is a service curated by CommonWealth English team with the help of AI tools.  

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