CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Latest Analysis: Trump-Xi Summit

Following President Trump and President Xi Jinping’s May summit in Beijing, the two leaders are set to meet again this week in Washington. Here, CSIS experts offer analysis on a range of issues expected to be on the agenda. Follow this page for analysis as the summit unfolds.

Photo: Brendan Smialowski - Pool/Getty Images

Xi Jinping’s Return to Washington: A State Visit to Build Stability

by Edgard D. Kagan — September 22, 2026

The State of AI Global Governance and Its Implications for the U.S.-China Summit

by Christopher Collins and Aalok Mehta — September 21, 2026

The U.S.-China Summit: Too Big and Too Small to Fail

by Scott Kennedy — September 18, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

The AI Industry Is Coalescing on “Pacing the Frontier.” Will It Actually Change Anything?

Over the past week, frontier labs, policymakers, and the U.S. public have reached remarkable consensus around calls to pace AI development. What now? Aalok Mehta outlines the four steps government and industry must take to translate the current moment into durable change.

Commentary by Aalok Mehta

Understanding the U.S. Federal Government’s AI Spending

Critical Questions by Yasir Atalan, Erik Tiersten-Nyman, and Benjamin Jensen

Photo: Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto/Getty Images

AI Security Threats Aren’t a Hoax—But They Also Aren’t as Existential as They Might Seem

Critical Questions by Nikita Shah

Don’t Slow Down AI Development—Speed Up Benchmarking

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen and Yasir Atalan

What a Driver’s License Breach Shows About Foreign Data-AI Threats

Commentary by Justin Sherman

Satellite imagery of Chinese military base in Djibouti — Imagery: Copyright © 2026 by Planet

Extended Range: China Upgrades Its Military Base in Djibouti

China’s military has added two new communications facilities at its overseas base in Djibouti, strengthening its ability to operate far from home and likely collect intelligence across the Middle East and Africa.

by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Douglas Comstock