US President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing from May 13 to 15 for a highly anticipated summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in their first face-to-face meeting in more than six months.

The talks come at a sensitive moment in US-China relations, with both sides under pressure over trade tensions, tariffs and supply chain restrictions involving critical sectors such as rare earth minerals and semiconductors.

Beyond economics, the agenda is expected to extend to major geopolitical flashpoints, including Taiwan and the ongoing war involving Iran, alongside emerging concerns over artificial intelligence and technological competition.

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong and Dr Benjamin Ho, Assistant Professor and Coordinator at the China Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), look ahead to what’s at stake in this summit and what both Washington and Beijing are hoping to achieve.