US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a closely watched summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilise ties amid tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan and global security issues.
Trump landed in the Chinese capital aboard Air Force One, accompanied by several high-profile American business leaders, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang, signalling the economic significance of the visit and renewed efforts to strengthen commercial engagement between the world’s two largest economies.
The US President received a ceremonial welcome at the airport, with a brass band and flag-waving performers greeting him on the tarmac as he disembarked.
According to the official schedule, Trump will hold bilateral talks with Xi on Thursday following a formal welcome ceremony. The visit will also include a tour of Beijing’s historic Temple of Heaven and a state banquet hosted by the Chinese leadership. Trump is expected to depart China on Friday after a working lunch and tea session with Xi.
The summit comes at a sensitive moment in US-China relations, with both sides navigating disputes over tariffs, export controls, rare-earth supplies, artificial intelligence competition, and Taiwan. The ongoing Iran conflict is also expected to feature prominently in discussions.
Analysts anticipate the two leaders could unveil commercial agreements aimed at easing economic friction, including potential large-scale Chinese purchases of American aircraft and agricultural products such as soybeans and beef.
Ahead of the visit, Trump expressed optimism about the talks in a post on Truth Social, saying he expected “great things” from the summit.
US Senator Steve Daines, who recently visited China with a congressional delegation, said both countries had a shared interest in maintaining stable ties. |
