US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened high-stakes talks at the White House on Thursday. The agenda included artificial intelligence, trade, Taiwan and Iran. The two leaders gathered with aides for opening remarks before formal talks.

Trump said he and Xi had forged "a friendship, a truly great friendship" built on mutual respect and the vital interests of their people, dating from Trump's first election in 2016. Xi was more pointed, saying Chinese and American interests are "deeply intertwined" and that "competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds." Xi also urged that the US and China keep artificial intelligence under "human control," according to the account of the meeting.

On Iran, the source material said China has resisted the Trump administration's urgings — and economic threats — to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran. No further details were provided.