President Trump and President Xi are preparing to meet. But this is not just another diplomatic summit. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack what may really be on the table: AI, Taiwan, Iran, rare earth minerals, oil flows, nuclear weapons, tech supply chains, and the future of US-China competition. At the center of this conversation is a deeper question: when the United States and China negotiate, who else gets a say in the future they are shaping? And what happens to Europe, Taiwan, the Global South, and smaller economies when the world’s most powerful countries start trading issues across the table? What this episode explores Why the Trump-Xi summit matters for AI, trade, and geopoliticsHow rare earth minerals give China leverage over US tech supply chainsWhy the US may want a direct AI communication channel with ChinaHow Taiwan, Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz could become bargaining chipsWhether Trump is seeking short-term wins while China plays the long gameWhy Europe, Taiwan, and the Global South may be affected without being in the roomWhy this matters AI is not just software. It depends on chips, minerals, energy, data centers, trade routes, military stability, and geopolitical power. That means a US-China deal could shape far more than tariffs or diplomacy. It could influence how AI is governed, how supply chains are secured, how regional conflicts evolve, and how smaller countries navigate a world increasingly defined by great-power bargaining. This episode asks what happens when the future of global technology is negotiated by two leaders — while much of the world is left outside the room. About Rethinking Tech Rethinking Tech explores the intersection of technology, geopolitics, business, and ethics — focusing on how systems actually work, not just how they’re talked about.
