US President Donald Trump descended the steps of Air Force One in Beijing on Wednesday evening, greeted with pomp and pageantry ahead of a high-stakes summit with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
During his two-day visit, the global superpowers are expected to discuss tariffs, competition over technology, the war in Iran, and America’s relationship with Taiwan.
Trump returns to a more assertive China than the one he visited in 2017, as he faces mounting scrutiny over his military campaign in the Middle East.
The trip had originally been scheduled for March but was postponed because of the US and Israel’s war in Iran, a conflict that continues to unsettle the global economy.
Trump was greeted on the red carpet by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, one of China’s top leaders.
The move is being read as a show of respect for the US president from Beijing, after a lower-level leader received Trump on his last visit.
A brass brand and flag wavers holding Chinese and American flags chanted “welcome welcome, a warm welcome”, as the president gave his signature fist pump to the large greeting party, standing by the dozen in tight, uniformed rows.
The US president was accompanied byhis son Eric Trump and a slew of US tech industry titans, includingTesla’s Elon Musk and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang among them.
Other CEOs expected to be travelling with Trump include Tim Cook of Apple, Larry Fink of BlackRock, and Kelly Ortberg of Boeing.
“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level,” Trump said in a post on social media ahead of his landing.
Trump said that would be his “very first request” when he meets the Chinese leader.
Trade between the two countries has declined in recent years amid an escalating tariff war and other restrictions.
Last year, bilateral trade totalled $414.7bn (£307.3bn), a sharp decline from the $690.4bn (£511.6bn) recorded in 2022.
Trump is also hoping to bring down the trade deficit between the two countries. Last year, the US imported more than $200bn worth of goods from China than it exported there.
China, for its part, has sought to present itself as formidable competitor in the global AI arms race, increasing its demand for US-made computing chips.
But many in the US are wary of Chinese firms stealing their technology, prompting tighter restrictions on exports.
This is where Beijing could wield its leverage over rare earth metals, essential for high-tech industries, a tool the country previously used in retaliation against Trump’s tariffs.
On trade, Trump is expected to push for increased Chinese purchase of US agricultural products, while Beijing is likely to pressure Washington to lower tariffs on Chinese goods.
The war in Iran is also expected to be high on the agenda as Trump meets Xi.
China relies heavily on Iran for oil, and the exports have effectively been cut off as ships are unable to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. The two nations also have an alliance dating back decades.
Beijing is under growing pressure from the US to use its economic and political influence over Iran.
Shortly before departing for China, Trump told reporters in Washington he and Xi will have a “long talk” about Iran, but insisted “I don’t think we need any help” in resolving the conflict.
China also wants the war to end, with rising oil prices putting pressure on its economy.
The meeting will also be marked by tensions over Taiwan in the backdrop.
The Trump administration has taken a mixed approach with Taipei, approving a massive arms deal while downplaying its willingness to defend the island from Chinese aggression.
On Friday, a bipartisan group of US senators sent a letter directly to Trump, calling on him to affirm US support for Taiwan and remind China’s president of the $14bn arms sale to Taiwan approved in Congress last year.
“You can make clear to Beijing that as you seek to level the economic playing field, American support for Taiwan is not up for negotiation,” the letter said.
On Thursday, Trump is scheduled to participate in a welcome ceremony with Xi at China’s Great Hall of the People, a state banquet, multiple bilateral meetings, and a “friendship photo” in Beijing’s Zhongnanhai Garden.
He will leave China on Friday, following tea and a working lunch with Xi.
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