Beijing: U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a much-anticipated summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the leaders are expected to discuss an array of knotty issues, including trade, the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and Taiwan. Trump's arrival marks his first visit to China since November 2017 and comes amid stalled peace negotiations between the United States and Iran, which have impacted the reopening of the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump was welcomed at the Beijing airport by China's Vice President Han Zheng and senior officials from both nations, including U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue and Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng. On the tarmac, 300 young Chinese people in blue-and-white outfits waved U.S. and Chinese flags as a military band and honor guard greeted the American president.
The U.S. delegation accompanying Trump includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Notably, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to join the group later after his preparatory talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in South Korea. Prominent U.S. business leaders, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, are also part of Trump's entourage.
Before leaving Washington, Trump expressed optimism about the summit, indicating that trade would be a central topic of discussion. "We're going to have a very good meeting. I spoke with President Xi ... We both look forward to the meeting. It's going to be great," Trump told reporters.
The summit is set to commence with a welcoming ceremony followed by a meeting in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday morning. The international community is closely monitoring the talks between these superpowers due to their potential security and economic implications. Discussions are expected to cover the creation of a "board of trade" for managing trade across non-sensitive goods and a "board of investment" for addressing investment issues.
Taiwan will likely be a significant topic, with Xi anticipated to reiterate China's firm position on the self-governing democracy, which it considers part of its territory. Speculation has arisen that the Trump administration might change U.S. policy language on Taiwan, but a senior U.S. official clarified that no policy change has occurred.
The ongoing conflict with Iran could also be a major focus, with the U.S. seeking China's support to exert pressure on Tehran for a peace deal. Trump may address concerns over China's potential transfer of dual-use goods and weapons to Iran and Russia, although he has stated that Iran has been "defeated militarily."
North Korea might also come up during the talks, as Trump has expressed interest in resuming diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, despite uncertainty over Pyongyang's willingness to engage with Washington.
On Thursday evening, Trump and Xi will attend a state banquet, with further meetings planned for the following day before Trump concludes his China visit. The summit could set the stage for additional bilateral talks later this year, including meetings coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen and the Group of 20 gathering in Florida.