President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday evening for a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, opening a closely watched visit aimed at easing trade tensions, expanding access for American companies, and stabilizing one of the world’s most consequential diplomatic relationships.
Trump’s arrival marked the first visit by a U.S. president to China in nearly a decade. It also comes as the administration seeks a visible economic win while facing domestic pressure over inflation, the war with Iran, and the approaching midterm elections.
The president was greeted at Beijing Capital International Airport by Chinese officials, a military honor guard, and crowds of students waving American and Chinese flags as Air Force One landed at twilight. Trump paused on the red carpet as students chanted “welcome, welcome, warm welcome” in Mandarin. He raised his fist and smiled before entering his motorcade.
Wheels down in Beijing!
President Donald J. Trump lands for a landmark summit with China, greeted by Vice President Han Zheng during a welcome ceremony. pic.twitter.com/4q2mATZrn4
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 13, 2026
The delegation included several prominent business leaders, most notably Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Elon Musk. Their presence underscored the commercial stakes of the summit, particularly for companies seeking greater access to China’s tightly controlled market.
Nvidia has faced regulatory obstacles in China, including restrictions involving its advanced H200 artificial intelligence chips. According to a source familiar with the planning, Trump extended a last-minute invitation to Huang, who was seen boarding the presidential aircraft during a refueling stop in Alaska.
Trump framed the visit around market access for American companies. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic. I will make that my very first request.”
China signaled a cautious willingness to engage. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing is prepared to “expand cooperation, manage differences and inject more stability and certainty into the turbulent world,” according to Reuters.
Ahead of Trump’s meetings with Xi, U.S. trade negotiator Scott Bessent held three hours of talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at South Korea’s Incheon Airport. China’s state-run Xinhua news agency described the discussions as “candid, in-depth and constructive,” though neither side released specific details.
The summit schedule includes formal meetings, a grand reception at the Great Hall of the People, a visit to the Temple of Heaven, and a state banquet. The discussions are expected to cover trade, the Iran conflict, artificial intelligence, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and China’s restrictions on rare earth mineral exports.
Trump is expected to press China to help broker a resolution with Tehran, even as he has publicly downplayed the need for Beijing’s involvement. China, meanwhile, has objected sharply to American arms shipments to Taiwan, including a pending $14 billion package.
The two governments are also trying to preserve a truce reached last October, when Trump paused steep tariffs on Chinese imports and Beijing eased restrictions on rare earth exports used in electric vehicles, electronics, and defense systems.
