WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he would urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to “open up” China to American companies as he travelled to Beijing on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit expected to cover trade, Taiwan and the Iran war.
Highlighting his administration’s focus on business ties, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang accompanied Trump aboard Air Force One during a stop in Alaska, while Tesla chief Elon Musk was also part of the presidential delegation heading to China.
Before departing Washington, Trump wrote on social media that he would ask Xi, whom he described as “a Leader of extraordinary distinction,” to open China further to US firms so American business leaders could help take the People’s Republic to “an even higher level”.
Several other leading executives, including Tim Cook of Apple, are also expected in Beijing for the visit, marking the first trip by a US president to China in nearly a decade.
Despite Trump’s hopes of boosting trade ties, the summit is expected to be overshadowed by geopolitical tensions, including Taiwan and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which had already delayed the trip from March.
Speaking before leaving the White House, Trump said he anticipated having a “long talk” with Xi regarding Iran, noting that China purchases most of Iran’s US-sanctioned oil exports. However, he also downplayed any major disagreements, telling reporters that the United States did not require Chinese assistance on Iran and describing Xi as “relatively good” on the matter.
Meanwhile, Beijing has increasingly expressed concern over the conflict, with China’s foreign minister reportedly urging his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday to intensify mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.
Trump’s visit — his first to Beijing since 2017 — includes closely watched meetings with Xi on Thursday and Friday, alongside elaborate ceremonial events. The schedule features a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People and an official tea reception.
On Monday, Trump said he also intended to discuss US arms sales to Taiwan, the self-governed island claimed by China. His remarks marked a departure from longstanding US policy that traditionally avoids consulting Beijing over military support for Taiwan.
Rare earth export restrictions imposed by China, competition in artificial intelligence and broader trade disputes are also expected to dominate discussions between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.
The two countries are additionally expected to consider extending a one-year truce in their tariff war, originally agreed upon during Trump and Xi’s last meeting in South Korea in October.
Security measures in Beijing were visibly tightened ahead of the summit, with police monitoring key intersections and conducting identity checks on passengers using the metro system, according to AFP journalists on the ground.
“It’s definitely a big deal,” said Wen Wen, a 24-year-old traveller from the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, while speaking to AFP about Trump’s arrival. She expressed hope that both countries would make progress and help ensure “lasting peace” despite recent global instability.
The United States and China have sought for years to stabilise relations even as both increasingly view each other as strategic and economic rivals.
Trump has repeatedly pointed to his personal relationship with Xi, arguing on Monday that it would help prevent any potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
“I think we’ll be fine. I have a very good relationship with President Xi. He knows I don’t want that to happen,” Trump said.
The visit is expected to be closely monitored by Taiwan and US allies across Asia for any indication that Washington’s support for the island may be weakening.
Since Trump’s previous visit in 2017, China has become more assertive on the global stage, while Trump now faces growing pressure over the Iran conflict as he searches for a diplomatic way forward.
At the same time, the summit comes during a challenging period for China’s economy, which continues to struggle with weak domestic consumption and a prolonged debt crisis in the once-booming property sector.