Trump-Xi summit could hinge on these two crucial tech flashpoints

U.S. President Donald Trump's summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping could hinge on two key tech flashpoints — critical minerals and market access for American companies. The much-anticipated bilateral meeting between the two countries that were locked in a tariff standoff just a year ago began on Thursday, with warm words exchanged between the two leaders. The discussions will continue into Friday and are expected to cover geopolitics in Taiwan and Iran, as well as key trade topics. But it's issues relating to U.S. and Chinese tech sectors that could be crucial points of discussion and contention, with a roster of key American executives including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tesla's Elon Musk and Apple's Tim Cook joining Trump on the plane. Tesla CEO Elon Musk gestures next to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador to China David Perdue stand prior to a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China. Alex Wong | News | "What is at stake is not just one trip or one headline but the direction of AI supply chains, the shape of future export controls, and the degree to which US chip leadership remains monetizable in China," Wedbush Securities' Dan Ives said in a note from Wednesday. …