Donald Trump's visit to China marks a critical juncture for US-China relations, with discussions focused on trade imbalances, the Iran war, and technological competition between the two global powers.
Key Points
- The talks between Trump and Xi are expected to address the ongoing conflict in Iran and its impact on global stability.
- Trump's delegation includes top US business leaders, signalling a focus on economic cooperation and market access in China.
- China seeks semiconductor chips for AI development, while the US aims to secure rare-earth minerals, highlighting the tech rivalry between the two nations.
- The Taiwan issue and US arms sales to Taipei are expected to be points of contention during the discussions.
US President Donald Trump was accorded a red carpet welcome on Wednesday upon his arrival in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on a host of issues, including the Iran war and a trade deal.
Trump was welcomed by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at the airport, a rare honour that broke with usual diplomatic protocol.
Officials say most of the top leaders visiting China, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, a close ally of Xi, were received by state councillors, a high-ranking post of the ruling Communist Party of China.
By deputing Vice President Han to receive Trump, China sent a message about the importance it attached to his visit, observers said.
There was also a brass band playing as Chinese military personnel presented a guard of honour as Trump descended the steps of his plane.
He was also greeted by 300 Chinese youth dressed in blue and white uniforms and waving Chinese and American flags in unison, chanting in Chinese, "Welcome, welcome! Warm welcome!"
Trump briefly paused to listen to the flag-waving youth and moved to get into his limousine, The Big Beast, flown from Washington.
The highway route leaving the airport was decorated with American and Chinese flags. Skyscrapers were lit up with Chinese characters meaning "Beijing Welcome."
Trump's son Eric and his daughter-in-law Lara, as well as Tesla chief Elon Musk, disembarked from Air Force One along with Trump.
Accompanying Trump on his trip to China are some of the US's top business leaders.
Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tim Cook of Apple, Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, and Larry Fink of BlackRock, are among those travelling with the US president.
Trump's agenda: Trade and market access
"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.
Trump said that it will be his "very first request" when he meets the Chinese leader, BBC reported.
"I have never seen or heard of any idea that would be more beneficial to our incredible Countries," he said.
The last-minute addition of Nvidia's Jensen Huang to Trump's delegation was regarded as significant, as semiconductor chips are central to the US-China technology rivalry.
China is bargaining for semiconductor chips for its AI tech development, while the US wants the rare-earth minerals used for manufacturing mobile phones and aircraft jets.
Ahead of Trump's arrival, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Scott Bessent completed the final round of trade negotiations in South Korea, details of which are not known.
Key discussion: Iran, Taiwan, and technology
The next two days, Trump and Xi are scheduled to hold several rounds of talks to discuss both bilateral and global issues, especially the Iran war.
The talks are expected to focus on trade and tariffs, Artificial Intelligence and technology, Taiwan and US' arms sales to Taipei, Iran and West Asia East security and rare earths and supply chains.
Trump's schedule in Beijing included a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a complex of imperial temples where emperors would pray for a good harvest.
Ahead of his departure for Beijing, Trump told the media in Washington he would be talking with Xi about trade more than anything else. He plans to sign more deals with China to buy more American food and aircraft.
The two countries also plan to set up a Board of Trade with China to address differences between the countries.
From a trade point of view, China looks to reap a rich harvest as Trump is accompanied by top CEOs of US multinational giants, including Tesla chief Musk and Apple CEO Cook, who have well-entrenched businesses in China.
Global implications: Iran war
The global focus on the summit, however, would be on any possible outcome that could end the US-Israeli war against Iran and end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Ahead of Trump's visit, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made his first visit to Beijing after the war and held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
The US watched his visit closely as China is the largest importer of Iranian oil and shares strategic defence ties with Tehran, and has considerable influence over Iran.
After talks with Araghchi, Wang called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible, even as it appreciated Tehran's commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, a prime demand of Trump to end the war.
Commenting on Wang-Araghchi talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "I hope the Chinese tell him what he needs to be told. And that is what you are doing in the Strait, which is causing you to be globally isolated. You're the bad guy in this."
China's anxieties over the Iran war increased, especially after Trump imposed a blockade of Iranian ports, restricting Iran's oil exports to China.
Bert Hoffman, former World Bank country director for China, said China wants the Iran war to end because it has many partners in the region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. "So they don't like to see wars, they like to have stability," he said.
China's perspective: Taiwan and bilateral ties
In its editorial on Trump's visit, state-run Global Times said Xi has held multiple telephone conversations and meetings with him, which have helped correct the course of the bilateral relationship and steer it clear of hidden dangers at critical moments.
For China-US relations to truly stabilise and improve in the future, the most fundamental step is to fully and faithfully implement the important consensus reached by both leaders, it said.
From China's point of view, the Taiwan issue was expected to figure prominently in the talks.
Last week, Foreign Minister Wang told Rubio, during their telephone talks, that the US should make the right choice about the self-ruled Taiwan.
China claims Taiwan as part of its own and has been ramping up military pressure on the island with periodic military drills around the island.
