US President Donald Trump touched down in Beijing on Thursday (May 14) for a closely watched summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People the first face-to-face between the two leaders amid simmering global trade tensions and the ongoing Iran war.
Trump arrived in a motorcade to the steps of the iconic venue, where the two leaders exchanged a firm handshake lasting nearly 40 seconds. The greeting stopped short of a hug. Members of the US delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and business executives among them Elon Musk stood by before exchanging pleasantries with Chinese officials. Marching soldiers, ceremonial music, and a 21-gun salute marked Trump’s formal reception, after which Xi personally introduced the US president to senior Chinese officials. Both national anthems were played in succession.
Bilateral Talks Get Underway
The two sides then moved to a conference hall, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi seated beside Xi and Secretary Rubio flanking Trump. The wide-ranging agenda includes trade architecture, technology access, and longstanding geopolitical fault lines.
Washington is reportedly considering proposing a dedicated trade mechanism to govern what goods the two countries buy and sell from each other. Rare earth minerals are expected to be a central flashpoint, with the US seeking reliable access to China’s reserves critical for both defence and technology industries. Possible Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft and American agricultural products are also on the table.
Beijing, for its part, is pushing for fewer restrictions on Chinese companies operating in the US, particularly in artificial intelligence and electric vehicles. EV giant BYD is likely to feature prominently in those discussions.
Taiwan remains the sharpest edge in the room. China has consistently warned Washington against arms sales and military support to the self-governed island, which Beijing claims as its own territory. Trump has also signalled he intends to raise the case of detained Hong Kong media owner Jimmy Lai.
What the Two Leaders Said
Xi opened by welcoming Trump warmly, calling it a “pleasure” to receive him and framing the relationship as one where each country’s success should be viewed as “an opportunity” for the other. He said he has “always believed that the common interests between China and the United States outweigh the differences,” describing the visit as timely given that the world stands at a “crossroads.”
Trump matched the tone, calling the meeting “an honour like few I’ve ever seen before” and declaring that the US-China relationship was “going to be better than ever.” He told Xi directly: “We’re going to have a fantastic future together.” Talks are ongoing.
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