What to know as Trump visits Xi in China

Trump has landed in Beijing for the first visit by a US leader since his own in 2017. Trump China trip: What to know as president meets Xi Jinping Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping pictured shaking hands in front of a Chinese flag and a US flag What to know as Trump visits Xi in China Trump landed in Beijing late on Wednesday and was greeted by Vice-President Han Zheng Trump walks along tarmac from Air Force One in Beijing on Wednesday evening US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing on the first trip to China by an American leader since in his own previous visit, during his first term in 2017. He will hold two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, originally meant to be held in March but rescheduled after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran. The main focus of the talks is expected to be the current tense trade relationship between the two superpowers. Trump said he would ask Xi to "open up" China's economy to major tech companies. He added that he also expected a "long talk" about Iran, though he insisted he did not need China's help to end the conflict. He said Xi had been "relatively good" on Iran, adding that it would be an "exciting trip" and "a lot of good things are going to happen". Donald Trump standing next to Xi Jinping and smiling with the Chinese and US flags behind them/ Donald Trump's head in profile on the left and Xi Jinping's head in profile on the right. They are both wearing shirts and suit jackets. Xi's head is overlaid with a red design element. How the Trump-Xi summit could set superpower relations for many years to come Xi meanwhile is expected to press for an end to US arms sales to Taiwan, and an extension of the trade truce agreed in October that halted tariff escalation between the US and China. Commentary in Chinese media also suggested Beijing was looking for a "better future" with the US, and a relationship that would "add more stability and certainty" to a turbulent world. Trump arrived in Beijing on Air Force One on Wednesday evening local time, before the main part of the visit starts on Thursday. The US president is expected to attend an arrival ceremony with Xi at the Great Hall of the People, before the two leaders hold bilateral talks. A state banquet will be held later at the same venue. On Friday, Trump will pay a visit to Zhongnanhai, a rarefied compound where China's leaders live and work. The visit will feature a "friendship photo" and handshake with Xi. After another bilateral meeting with Xi and a working lunch, Trump will return to the airport for a departure ceremony before heading back to the US. Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang are among those taking part in the trip On the left of a split picture Elon Musk wears a black tshirt and speaks in front of a blue background, on the right, Jensen Huang also wears a black tshirt and speaks in front of a blue background. Trump is being accompanied on the visit by CEOs of major US businesses and tech companies. by CEOs of major US businesses and tech companies Among those joining the president on his official trip to Beijing are Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tim Cook of Apple, Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, Larry Fink of BlackRock, as well as other executives from Meta, Visa, JP Morgan, Boeing, Cargill and more. The late addition of Huang to the group is noteworthy as Nvidia's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips are a major focus of the rivalry between the US and China. He had not been on the original list but was personally invited by Trump, and was spotted boarding Air Force One during a stopover in Alaska. The leaders last met in South Korea in October 2025 Donald Trump (L) and Xi Jinping (R), both wearing blue suits, stand between two Chinese flags, with a US flag between them. Trump is pointing towards Xi with his right hand. The issue has receded somewhat since 2025, for much of which China and the US seemed on the verge of a trade war. But the two sides will still have plenty to talk about, however, as a permanent resolution has remained elusive. Trump is expected to push to increase Chinese purchase of goods from vital US industries, including soybeans and aircraft parts. Beijing is coming from a position of strength, with record export levels, but it still needs the US consumer market. Also, Xi is sure to pressure the US to drop a recently announced trade probe into unfair business practices. Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Taiwan would be a topic of conversation at the summit, with a view to preventing the issue becoming a source of tension between the US and China. Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said would be a topic of conversation at the summit, with a view to preventing the issue becoming a source of tension between the US and China. China has also signalled that Taiwan is a priority in the talks. On Wednesday morning, a Chinese official reiterated Beijing's opposition to US military ties with and sale of weapons to Taiwan. Despite Trump's insistence that he did not need China's help with ending the conflict with Iran, he is widely expected to encourage Beijing to convince Tehran to make a deal. Despite Trump's insistence that he did not need China's help with ending the , he is widely expected to encourage Beijing to convince Tehran to make a deal. Xi Jinping, China's president, left, gestures while standing next to U.S. President Donald Trump, during a welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, in November 2017. A decade on, Trump returns to a stronger and more assertive China US President Donald Trump exchanges a handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping while posing for pictures in front of their countries' national flags Trump's China visit set to test fragile truce China is eager for an end to the war and is trying to step in quietly as a peacemaker, reports BBC China correspondent Laura Bicker, as the conflict is causing pain to a sluggish Chinese economy heavily reliant on exports. Another major issue for the two superpowers is artificial intelligence, where rivalry has been compared to a nuclear arms race and both sides are seeking channels of communication to avoid conflict. Another major issue for the two superpowers is , where rivalry has been compared to a nuclear arms race and both sides are seeking channels of communication to avoid conflict. A deal could be done, according to BBC North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher, with China offering rare earths in return for high-end computer chips for programming the brains of its new robots. The BBC's Sarah Smith explains the power dynamic between President Trump and China's Xi Jinping. The leaders of the global superpowers are expected to discuss the war in Iran, tariffs, AI and Taiwan during the two-day visit. More than a dozen US executives have joined the president on his visit, where he will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Police commandos entered the building where a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court had sought refuge. The suspect allegedly tried to transfer millions of dollars worth of shares from the K-pop singer's account. Nearly 2.28 million candidates will now have to reappear in a test to secure a place in India's top medical colleges. Beijing is arguably the most powerful competitor the US has confronted in its history, one analyst says. Trump's whirlwind visit to China is the most significant for years - but will it bear fruit?