China Formalizes Preparations for U.S.-China Summit Following Schedule Announcement; Speeding Up Agenda Coordination

China is accelerating preparations for the upcoming U.S.-China summit, scheduled to be held in Beijing on May 14–15, following the official announcement of the dates.

Given the clear differences in positions between the two countries on core issues, it is expected that China will maintain a "low-key" strategy, focusing discussions on areas where consensus is possible—excluding the Taiwan issue—while simultaneously initiating coordination through preliminary negotiations.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced through a spokesperson that U.S. President Donald Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 13 to 15.

While the ministry did not disclose specific details, it briefly noted that President Trump's visit is being made at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

Ahead of the summit, trade representatives from both sides are scheduled to begin coordinating specific agendas through preliminary talks in South Korea.

According to announcements from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and statements from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet in South Korea on May 13 to conduct economic and trade negotiations.

While Secretary Bessent made it clear that this meeting serves as a preliminary negotiation ahead of the U.S.-China summit, the Ministry of Commerce stated without further background that they would "conduct negotiations on economic and trade issues of mutual interest."

The decision by U.S. and Chinese trade representatives to hold separate talks in a third country, South Korea, is interpreted as an attempt to filter out sensitive economic and trade disputes before the main summit and to narrow down areas of potential agreement for discussion between the leaders.

In particular, South Korea is seen as highly symbolic, as it is a U.S. ally that also has a high economic dependence on China and serves as a key region for the restructuring of U.S.-China supply chains.

Although China has not yet commented on the main agenda for the summit, the White House has previously indicated that discussions would include the U.S.-China Trade Committee and Investment Committee, as well as potential additional agreements between the two countries in the fields of aerospace, agriculture, and energy.

According to The New York Times (NYT), Scott Kennedy, a senior adviser on Chinese economy and business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), summarized the agenda for this summit as the "5B"s (Boeing, Beef, Beans, Board of Trade, Board of Investment), which focus on economic benefits prioritized by the U.S., and the "3T"s (Taiwan, Tariffs, Technology), which are strategic and security issues emphasized by China.

The explanation is that while President Trump, ahead of the November midterm elections, is prioritizing the expansion of Chinese exports of items such as Boeing aircraft, beef, and soybeans, and the reduction of trade imbalances, China will seek to find common ground on the Taiwan issue, high tariffs, and export controls on high-tech sectors like semiconductors.

Amid conflicts over strategic industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and rare earths, the two countries are expected to focus on adjusting the boundaries between competition and cooperation.

The safety of AI and its military applications are also cited as newly emerging pillars of negotiation.

The situation in the Middle East regarding Iran, supply chain stability, and the global financial and payment systems are also expected to be included in the discussions.

In particular, while there is a possibility that the U.S. will raise concerns about China's imports of Iranian crude oil, potential arms exports to Iran, and the export of dual-use items to Russia, there are also observations that China could use its role as a mediator in the Middle East conflict as leverage to demand that the U.S. state its position on the Taiwan issue, including opposition to arms sales.

Some predict that rather than reaching a "grand bargain" on politically sensitive issues, the two countries will focus on economic and trade areas with easier accessibility to minimize friction.

There are already claims that the "Trade Committee," which is expected to be a major agenda item for the summit, will only provide a symbolic function and has clear limitations in terms of actual operation.

The Economist cited Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, who pointed out, "China wants the committee as a mechanism to resolve trade friction, but if China uses it as a means to avoid purchase commitments, U.S. patience will reach its limit."

Tu Xinquan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, told The Economist, "Stabilizing U.S.-China relations does not mean improving them, but preventing them from worsening," adding that "(the U.S.-China summit) is best at avoiding a 'catastrophe' rather than a grand bargain."

Bloomberg reported that "expectations for the U.S.-China summit are extremely low," predicting that no major agreements or bilateral treaties would be reached during the meeting.
* Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.