U.S. President Donald Trump began his first visit to China in nearly nine years on Wednesday evening, with both superpowers aiming to stabilize their often-fraught relationship. The American president is scheduled to remain in China until Friday, following a White House-released itinerary that includes extensive engagements with Chinese President Xi Jinping. These encompass formal bilateral talks set to commence Thursday morning, a state banquet, tea, and a working lunch. Key discussions are anticipated to cover sensitive topics such as the Iran conflict, trade and export controls, tensions over Taiwan, and artificial intelligence. President Trump’s delegation includes prominent corporate executives like Tesla’s Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook, and NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang, with high expectations for securing commercial deals, particularly for aircraft and U.S. farm goods.
President Trump received a red-carpet welcome upon his arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport. His official meeting with President Xi is slated for 10 a.m. on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People, following a brief greeting ceremony.
During the visit, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated to Fox News that the administration would press Beijing for assistance regarding the Iran issue. Rubio stated, “We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they’re doing now and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf.” This comes despite President Trump having previously downplayed the need for Chinese help on the matter. Rubio’s participation in the visit is notable, as Beijing had sanctioned him in 2020 for his criticisms of alleged Chinese human rights abuses.
Setting the stage for the summit, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent conducted last-minute trade talks in South Korea with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang. China described these as “frank, in-depth, and constructive exchanges on resolving trade and economic issues of mutual concern and further expanding pragmatic cooperation.”
Symbolically, Beijing’s Temple of Heaven Park was closed to the public on Wednesday and Thursday in anticipation of a potential tour by President Trump.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson conveyed the nation’s readiness to collaborate with the U.S. based on equality and respect, aiming to foster mutual benefits, expand cooperation, and manage differences. Concurrently, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a stern warning, declaring, “Our resolve to oppose Taiwan independence is as firm as a rock, and our capability to crush Taiwan independence is unbreakable.” This statement gains particular significance as the U.S., Taiwan’s crucial security partner, recently approved an $11 billion arms package for Taipei. President Trump has stated his intention to discuss additional planned arms sales with Xi, a move that experts suggest departs from decades of U.S. policy against consulting China on such agreements.
En route to China, President Trump articulated his goal to urge President Xi to “open up” China, enabling the accompanying American business leaders—including Jensen Huang, Elon Musk, and Tim Cook—to “work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level!”
Ahead of the visit, Chinese state media underscored Beijing’s position. The People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official newspaper, commented on what it termed the “more equal” nature of bilateral relations after years of volatility, attributing this to China’s assertive stance during Washington’s trade war. The paper framed the summit as an opportunity to “recalibrate goals and ways of interacting” and advocated for expanding cooperation. However, it also emphasized Taiwan as the “most important and sensitive core issue,” aligning with “four red lines” previously outlined by the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., which include principles related to democracy and human rights, political systems, and China’s development rights. State news agency Xinhua echoed this sentiment, stating, “China is willing to meet the U.S. halfway, but will absolutely not trade away its principles, and even less will it compromise in the slightest on major issues involving national sovereignty, security or development interests.” The Chinese foreign ministry had also released a video titled “Peaceful Coexistence” in its formal announcement of the visit.
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