Trump to visit China for high-stakes talks with Xi Jinping

Lead

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing for a three-day state visit, the first by an American president in nearly a decade, with trade, Iran, Taiwan and military communication expected to dominate talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit is seen as an attempt to stabilise the world's two largest economies amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Coverage comparison

Multiple outlets confirmed the visit dates and the broad agenda, but each framed the trip through a different lens. Africa News emphasised the diplomatic significance, noting that the visit marks the first trip by a US president to China since 2017 and that Trump is expected to press Xi on Iran, as China remains a major buyer of Iranian oil. The BBC focused on the trade war that has defined US-China relations since 2018, noting that the tariffs were paused after Trump and Xi's last face-to-face meeting in South Korea in October. Deutsche Welle reported that Trump departed for China accompanied by US business leaders, and that he is expected to address the Iran war, trade and Taiwan. The South China Morning Post carried multiple angles, from the trade agenda to the cultural symbolism of the Temple of Heaven, as well as military and Hong Kong perspectives. TASS reported that the visit was initially set for March 31-April 2 but was postponed after the February 28 war against Iran, and that talks will cover trade, energy, strategic stability, Iran and Taiwan. The Hindu highlighted that the visit comes amid a prolonged U.S.-Israel-Iran war and a crisis over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Key claims

President Trump will pay an official visit to China from May 13 to 15, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, as confirmed by China's foreign ministry and reported by multiple outlets including Africa News, TASS and The Hindu. The visit is the first by a US president to China in nearly a decade, with Africa News specifying since 2017 and other outlets saying since the late 1970s for a defence secretary accompanying a president.

Trump will attend a welcome ceremony and a bilateral meeting with Xi on Thursday, followed by a visit to the Temple of Heaven and a state banquet, according to US principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, as reported by the South China Morning Post and The Hindu. The two leaders will meet again on Friday for tea and a working lunch, and the US plans to host Xi for a reciprocal visit later this year.

The agenda is expected to cover trade, Iran, Taiwan, and military communication. The BBC reported that Trump and Xi will discuss trade and tariffs, with the trade war having started in 2018. Africa News said Trump is expected to press Xi on Iran, while Deutsche Welle reported that Trump is expected to address the Iran war, trade and Taiwan. TASS listed trade, energy, strategic stability, Iran and Taiwan as topics.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer called for stability with Beijing, saying the US is not out to reshape the Chinese economy but to rebalance trade, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Greer described the trading relationship as "wildly unbalanced" and said the goal is to achieve more balance.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the summit between Xi and Trump is "historic and landmark" and that Hong Kong's economy and trade with the US will benefit from greater stability and certainty, according to the South China Morning Post. He also noted that Xi is expected to make a state visit to the US this autumn.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is accompanying Trump on the visit, becoming the first American defence chief to accompany a sitting president on a state visit to China since relations were normalised in the late 1970s, as reported by the South China Morning Post. The Pentagon is planning to send a high-level delegation to Beijing, expected to be led by Elbridge Colby, defence undersecretary for policy, to finalise arrangements for a possible Hegseth visit, according to the same outlet. Analysts cited by the South China Morning Post said the summit might include discussion of nuclear weapons and restoring and expanding military-to-military communication channels.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said ties with the US have been in general stable despite "many twists and disruptions," and credited Presidents Xi and Trump for helping steer the direction of bilateral relations, as reported by The Hindu. He called on both countries to find a way to contribute to global peace.

Trump told reporters on Friday that the visit would be "amazing," as reported by the South China Morning Post. He also said on Tuesday, before departing, that the trip would be "very exciting" and that "a lot of good things are going to happen," according to The Hindu. He downplayed differences with Xi over Iran, saying "I don't think we need any help with Iran, and we'll win it one way or the other."

Perspectives

The Chinese government, through its foreign ministry, framed the visit as an opportunity for in-depth talks on bilateral and global issues, especially economic cooperation, and called Taiwan the "first red line" while expressing readiness to facilitate dialogue on Iran, as reported by TASS. Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed the stability of bilateral relations and the importance of contributing to global peace.

The White House, through principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, described the visit as of "tremendous symbolic significance" and outlined the schedule including the welcome ceremony, Temple of Heaven tour, and state banquet, as reported by the South China Morning Post and The Hindu. President Trump himself emphasised trade as the main topic and expressed confidence about the visit's outcome.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu welcomed the summit as "historic and landmark" and highlighted the positive outcomes for Hong Kong's economy and trade with the US, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

Gary Locke, former US ambassador to China and chairman of the Committee of 100, told the South China Morning Post that the world is looking for leadership from both the US and China to solve pressing issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence, cyberattacks and nuclear proliferation.

Chinese analysts, cited by the South China Morning Post, said the trip would be crucial for the two countries to manage risks in the face of rising uncertainty worldwide. Zhu Feng, dean of the School of International Studies at Nanjing University, said Hegseth's participation was likely to advance bilateral military communication mechanisms and crisis management.