US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
The summit comes amid mounting disagreements over trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Ahead of the talks, Trump appeared focused on economic and technology cooperation, with Jensen Huang and Elon Musk travelling with the US delegation.
China remains restricted from purchasing advanced chips produced by Nvidia under US export controls imposed on national security grounds.
During the flight, Trump said he would urge Xi to further open China’s economy to American businesses and technology firms.
Trump, visiting China for the first time since 2017 during his first term in office, is expected to receive a formal state welcome and participate in a series of diplomatic engagements.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold talks on Thursday at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, followed by a state banquet later in the day.
Speaking before departing Washington, Trump said discussions with Xi would include the Iran conflict, noting that China remains a major buyer of Iranian oil despite US sanctions.
However, Trump downplayed expectations of Chinese involvement in resolving the crisis, saying he did not believe Washington required Beijing’s assistance on Iran.
China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed Trump’s visit and said Beijing was prepared to work with the United States to expand cooperation while managing differences.
The summit is also expected to focus heavily on Taiwan, after Trump indicated earlier this week that he planned to discuss US arms sales to the self-governing island with Xi, a move seen as a departure from longstanding US policy.
Trade tensions are also expected to dominate the discussions following the tariff dispute that escalated after sweeping US tariffs and retaliatory Chinese levies pushed duties above 100 percent.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss extending a one-year tariff truce reached during their last meeting in South Korea in October.
China’s restrictions on rare earth exports and agricultural trade are also likely to feature prominently during the negotiations.
Security measures were visibly heightened across Beijing ahead of the summit, with police monitoring key intersections and conducting identity checks on metro passengers.
Trump has repeatedly described his relationship with Xi as strong and has argued that it could help prevent conflict over Taiwan.
The visit is being closely watched by Taiwan and US allies across Asia for indications of any shift in Washington’s support for the island.
