Donald Trump has landed in Beijing for his first visit to China as US president in nearly a decade, seeking to bolster his standing amid the ongoing war in Iran. The US president descended Air Force One to a red-carpet welcome from China's vice-president, Han Zheng, and a military band, as 300 young Chinese waved flags and chanted greetings.
Trump is accompanied by his son Eric, daughter-in-law Lara, and tech leaders including Elon Musk of Tesla and Jensen Huang of Nvidia. The two-day summit with President Xi Jinping is expected to cover trade, artificial intelligence, and Taiwan, with Trump predicting Xi would “give me a big, fat hug.” However, the Iran conflict casts a shadow over talks, as Washington seeks Beijing's help in pressuring Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The US recently sanctioned Chinese firms accused of aiding Iranian oil shipments and supplying satellite imagery for military operations. China condemned the measures as “illegal unilateral sanctions” and invoked a blocking statute. Chinese officials have publicly called for stability while avoiding overt alignment with the US, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosting his Iranian counterpart in Beijing last week.
Despite tensions, both sides aim to prevent the Iran crisis from derailing broader engagement. A fragile tariff truce holds, and a sale of 500 Boeing 737 Max jets is expected to be announced. Trump and Xi will also discuss a new trade board to manage bilateral purchases. Trump's comments on consulting Beijing over US arms sales to Taiwan have raised concerns in Taipei about a potential shift in US support.
