U.S President, Donald Trump is set to arrive in China where he will hold a state visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Trump will arrive in China on Wednesday evening and, after a ceremonial greeting, go to his hotel. He will attend a state banquet on Thursday and have a working lunch with Xi on Friday, before returning to the US.
The meetings will be the first face-to-face exchanges since the leaders of the world’s two largest economies met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025. It is the second time Trump will travel to China as President, and the first time since his second term began on January 20, 2025.
Trump is seeking a win in Beijing by signing deals with China to buy more US food and aircraft, saying he will be talking with Xi about trade “more than anything else.” Underscoring the initiative, Trump invited an array of US business leaders to accompany him on the trip, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
The Trump administration hopes to begin the process of establishing a “Board of Trade” with China to address differences between the countries.
The board could help prevent the trade war ignited last year after Trump hiked tariffs, which China countered by tightening export controls on rare earth minerals. That led to a one-year truce last October.
Trump, as he flew to Beijing, posted on social media that his “first request” to Xi during the visit will be to ask the Chinese leader to bolster the presence of U.S. firms in China.
“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!”
Donald Trump
The status of Taiwan also appears to be a major topic as China is displeased with U.S. plans to sell weapons to the self-governing island that the Chinese government claims as part of its own territory. Trump told reporters before embarking on his trip that he would be discussing with Xi an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan that the U.S. administration authorized in December but has not yet begun fulfilling.
Xi is expected to visit the US later this year. Trump was already portraying the trip as a success before he left the White House grounds. He openly mused about Xi’s planned reciprocal visit to the US, lamenting that the construction of the White House ballroom would not be completed in time.
“We’re going to have a great relationship for many, many decades to come. As you know, President Xi will be coming here toward the end of the year. So that would be exciting. I only wish we had the ballroom finished.”
Donald Trump
Trump said that he had spoken with the Chinese leader and the meeting would be “positive” as he embarked on Air Force One.
Trump’s three-day visit to Beijing comes at a fraught time for the US President. His approval ratings have been dragged down by the protracted war on Iran and a surge in inflation, which economists attribute in part to the disruption of global energy supplies. The war has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply previously flowed, stranding tankers and causing energy prices to spike to levels that could sabotage global economic growth.
Trump Says China’s Assistance Not Needed In Ending War
Trump said that he does not need China’s assistance in ending the war on Iran as he departed Washington, DC, for Beijing.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “I don’t think we need any help with Iran” and declared that the US will win the war “one way or the other.”
Trump offered conflicting signals on how central Iran would be to his discussions with Xi.
Trump said before boarding Air Force One, “We’re going to have a long talk about it. I think he’s been relatively good, to be honest with you.” Minutes later, he appeared to reverse course.
“We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn’t say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control.”
Donald Trump
He also said the financial struggles of Americans were not a factor in his decision-making in the negotiations to end the Iran war, saying that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is his top priority.
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