Donald Trump touched down in Beijing on Thursday for a face-to-face meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, bringing together the leaders of the world's two superpowers for discussions expected to cover Iran, trade relations, Taiwan, and artificial intelligence.
The visit unfolded with considerable pageantry. Military honour guards lined the arrival at the Great Hall of the People, where the two leaders shook hands following a formal welcome ceremony. Gun salutes echoed across Tiananmen Square as Trump's delegation descended from Air Force One, while crowds gathered along Beijing's streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the motorcade.
Trump arrived with key members of his cabinet in tow, including secretary of state Marco Rubio and secretary of defense Pete Hegseth. The delegation also included Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was introduced to Chinese vice-president Han Zheng at the capital airport.
The bilateral meeting at the Great Hall marked the centerpiece of the visit, with both leaders sitting down to address the thorniest issues facing the relationship between Washington and Beijing. The agenda reflected the complexity of the superpower dynamic: the Iran situation, which has escalated tensions across the Middle East; ongoing trade disputes that have defined recent US-China relations; the status of Taiwan, which remains a flashpoint; and the race for artificial intelligence dominance.
The optics of Trump's arrival reflected the diplomatic weight of the occasion. Chinese military personnel, youth groups, and official delegations turned out for the ceremony. Residents waited outside the airport for a chance to see the American president arrive. In the shopping district of Wangfujing, onlookers paused to watch his motorcade pass through the streets.
The visit was being closely watched beyond China's borders. In Taipei, residents monitored the live coverage of the meeting between Trump and Xi on restaurant televisions and smartphones, underscoring how intently Taiwan tracks developments in the US-China relationship.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's return to Beijing signals that high-level dialogue between the superpowers remains essential, even as the stakes keep climbing."
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