Trump visits China and meets Xi Jinping

A highly critical summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be held in Beijing, China, on May 14 and 15, 2026. This marks President Trump's first visit to China since 2017, and also the first state visit by a US President to China in nearly nine years.

This bilateral meeting has been organized amidst ongoing US and Israeli conflicts with Iran, trade imbalances, arms sales to Taiwan, technological and artificial intelligence rivalry, as well as global hotspots including rare earth mineral resources and supply chain crises.

Although this Beijing summit was initially planned for April 2026, it had to be postponed due to the war situation in Iran. Previously, these two leaders met on October 30, 2025, at the APEC summit in Busan, South Korea, where they discussed trade and economic agreements. For his current visit, President Trump arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on the evening of May 13, where he received a grand red-carpet welcome. A military honor guard, a brass band, and nearly 300 Chinese students waving American and Chinese national flags were part of this reception. According to standard diplomatic protocols, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng welcomed the American President at the airport instead of the Chinese President, and Mr. Trump had chosen the Four Seasons Beijing hotel for his accommodation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as several prominent business leaders such as Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Jensen Huang of Nvidia, and Larry Fink are also participating in this visit. Additionally, members of Trump's family, including Eric and Lara Trump, are part of this delegation. On May 14, at 10 AM, President Trump arrived at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and after the national anthems of both countries were played, he shook hands with President Xi and participated in the official welcoming ceremony. Subsequently, he is scheduled to participate in bilateral discussions, a tour of the historic Temple of Heaven, and a state banquet.

Key discussion topics at this state leaders' meeting specifically include the Iran war and stability in the Gulf region. The US seeks China's assistance in pressuring Iran, utilizing China's influence to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt arms supplies to Iran. Additionally, attention will be given to extending the 2025 trade agreements, tariffs, opportunities for American businesses to access the Chinese market, and supply chains for rare earth minerals controlled by China. Discussions are also expected regarding US arms sales to Taiwan and China's 'four red lines', and a primary objective of this summit is to manage technological and nuclear rivalry in a way that prevents escalation. Political analysts point out that China holds a somewhat advantageous position in these discussions due to its economic strength, dominance in mineral resources, and existing relations with Iran.

However, analysts state that while Trump hopes to achieve breakthroughs regarding trade and pressure on Iran, a massive turnaround cannot be expected, and this summit will primarily serve to stabilize relations between the two countries. This meeting will go down in history as the seventh face-to-face encounter between Trump and Xi Jinping, and the participation of American business leaders demonstrates a strong interest in accessing the Chinese market. AP, BBC, Reuters, and Chinese state media networks are providing live coverage of this summit, and as a result of the summit, joint statements on trade, mineral resources, or Iranian diplomacy, as well as plans for a future US visit by the Chinese President, may be announced. The international market is already closely monitoring the impacts of the Iran war situation, as well as oil prices, tariffs, and supply chains.