Summits normally run on months of working-level talks that narrow a draft communiqué before leaders put their names to it. Without a settled working line, the task of shortening the list of contested items never begins.

The agenda is said to include tariffs and export controls, the permitted scope of advanced-chip and AI cooperation, critical-minerals supply and agricultural purchases. Each falls to a different agency, making coordination heavy.

Inside the U.S. administration, the question of whether trade or security agencies should lead China policy has been contested for some time — a structure some read as the reason the appointment is slow.

Beijing's negotiating line is comparatively settled. But if the counterpart channel is unclear, China too struggles to identify whom to close with, making the delay a shared problem.

The timing compounds it: the reported draft letters demanding a choice of AI bloc surfaced during summit preparation. When pressure cards are shown early, the other side tends to harden its position before the meeting.

Hwagyo Sibo reports that concerns about preparations have been raised. Dates and agenda will be settled by official announcement from both governments.