As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares for his high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, reports indicate that the U.S. First Lady will not accompany him on the trip. The visit, focused on trade, diplomacy, and rising global tensions, marks a significant moment in U.S.-China relations.

Trump-Xi Meet: US First Lady Not Travelling to Beijing with Trump 

As U.S. President Donald Trump arrives in China for a major summit with President Xi Jinping, residents across China are expressing mixed reactions ahead of the high-profile visit. While some hope the meeting will improve U.S.-China relations and boost economic ties, others remain skeptical over trade disputes, geopolitical tensions, and global security concerns.


Trump-Xi Meet: Chinese Residents Share Mixed Reactions Ahead of Trump's Visit

The meeting marks the first summit-level engagement since Washington and Beijing paused their bruising trade war in October.

Can a Trump-Xi deal revive US energy exports to China?  This is what we know

When Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025, the immediate goal was simple: stop the relationship between the world’s two biggest economies from spiraling into a full-scale economic confrontation. The meeting, their first face-to-face interaction in six years, came after months of tariff threats, semiconductor restrictions, and rare earth export controls that had shaken global markets.&nbsp;The Busan summit produced what both sides called a temporary stabilisation. Trump agreed to pause new punitive tariffs and ease some pressure on Chinese imports, while Beijing signalled that it would restore purchases of American agricultural goods and soften restrictions on rare earth exports. Both countries also agreed to continue talks on fentanyl cooperation and high-tech trade controls. But the truce never fully resolved the deeper conflict.&nbsp;Since Busan, Washington, and Beijing have continued to clash over semiconductors, artificial intelligence, supply chains, and Taiwan. The United States maintained restrictions on advanced chip exports to China, arguing they were necessary for national security. China, in return, used its dominance over rare earth minerals as leverage, reminding Washington how dependent American technology and defence industries remain on Chinese supply chains.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-and-xi-aim-to-ease-trade-war-in-first-meeting-since-south-korea-summit-1778542696834">Trump and Xi aim to ease trade war in first meeting since South Korea summit</a>&nbsp;Taiwan has emerged as another major sticking point ahead of Wednesday’s summit in Beijing. China has grown increasingly frustrated with US military support and arms sales to Taiwan, while Washington insists its policy remains aimed at maintaining regional stability. Taiwanese officials themselves have expressed concerns about possible ‘surprises’ emerging from the Trump-Xi talks. Trade, however, remains the centerpiece of the relationship.&nbsp;Trump continues to push for what he calls ‘fair trade’, with his administration pressing China to buy more American soybeans, poultry, beef, and Boeing aircraft. Beijing, meanwhile, wants relief from US export controls, especially restrictions tied to semiconductors and advanced technology. There is also a larger geopolitical backdrop shaping the meeting. Since the Busan summit, tensions in the Middle East and the Iran conflict have changed the balance between the two powers. China’s dependence on oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and America’s military commitments in the region have added new urgency to the relationship. Trump is expected to pressure Xi over China’s purchases of Iranian oil and Beijing’s broader ties with Tehran.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-prime-minister-keir-starmer-faces-pressure-amid-major-loss-in-local-elections-1778519265924/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-prime-minister-keir-starmer-faces-pressure-amid-major-loss-in-local-elections-1778519265924/embed</a>&nbsp;Artificial intelligence and technology security are also expected to feature prominently during the summit. Analysts believe both countries are increasingly worried about cyber risks, AI competition, and the strategic race for technological dominance. What makes this summit particularly significant is that both leaders now see the relationship differently than they did in Busan. China enters the talks projecting confidence, believing it has strengthened its global standing economically and strategically. Trump, meanwhile, arrives looking for deals that can demonstrate economic wins back home while avoiding another destabilising trade war.&nbsp;That means Wednesday’s meeting is unlikely to produce a grand breakthrough. Instead, the focus may be on preventing fresh escalation, extending the tariff truce, and finding enough common ground to keep the US-China relationship from tipping back into open economic confrontation.

Ahead of the Trump-Xi Beijing summit, here’s how US-China relations evolved since the Busan summit in South Korea, including trade tensions, tariffs, Taiwan, rare earths, AI competition, and the biggest sticking points between Washington and Beijing

When Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025, the immediate goal was simple: stop the relationship between the world’s two biggest economies from spiraling into a full-scale economic confrontation. The meeting, their first face-to-face interaction in six years, came after months of tariff threats, semiconductor restrictions, and rare earth export controls that had shaken global markets. The Busan summit produced what both sides called a temporary stabilisation. Trump agreed to pause new punitive tariffs and ease some pressure on Chinese imports, while Beijing signalled that it would restore purchases of American agricultural goods and soften restrictions on rare earth exports. Both countries also agreed to continue talks on fentanyl cooperation and high-tech trade controls. But the truce never fully resolved the deeper conflict. Since Busan, Washington, and Beijing have continued to clash over semiconductors, artificial intelligence, supply chains, and Taiwan. The United States maintained restrictions on advanced chip exports to China, arguing they were necessary for national security. China, in return, used its dominance over rare earth minerals as leverage, reminding Washington how dependent American technology and defence industries remain on Chinese supply chains. Also Read: Trump and Xi aim to ease trade war in first meeting since South Korea summit Taiwan has emerged as another major sticking point ahead of Wednesday’s summit in Beijing. China has grown increasingly frustrated with US military support and arms sales to Taiwan, while Washington insists its policy remains aimed at maintaining regional stability. Taiwanese officials themselves have expressed concerns about possible ‘surprises’ emerging from the Trump-Xi talks. Trade, however, remains the centerpiece of the relationship. Trump continues to push for what he calls ‘fair trade’, with his administration pressing China to buy more American soybeans, poultry, beef, and Boeing aircraft. Beijing, meanwhile, wants relief from US export controls, especially restrictions tied to semiconductors and advanced technology. There is also a larger geopolitical backdrop shaping the meeting. Since the Busan summit, tensions in the Middle East and the Iran conflict have changed the balance between the two powers. China’s dependence on oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and America’s military commitments in the region have added new urgency to the relationship. Trump is expected to pressure Xi over China’s purchases of Iranian oil and Beijing’s broader ties with Tehran. https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-prime-minister-keir-starmer-faces-pressure-amid-major-loss-in-local-elections-1778519265924/embed Artificial intelligence and technology security are also expected to feature prominently during the summit. Analysts believe both countries are increasingly worried about cyber risks, AI competition, and the strategic race for technological dominance. What makes this summit particularly significant is that both leaders now see the relationship differently than they did in Busan. China enters the talks projecting confidence, believing it has strengthened its global standing economically and strategically. Trump, meanwhile, arrives looking for deals that can demonstrate economic wins back home while avoiding another destabilising trade war. That means Wednesday’s meeting is unlikely to produce a grand breakthrough. Instead, the focus may be on preventing fresh escalation, extending the tariff truce, and finding enough common ground to keep the US-China relationship from tipping back into open economic confrontation.

From Busan to Beijing, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping face fresh tensions over tariffs, Taiwan, AI, rare earths, and global trade dominance

Trump-Xi 2.0: Trade peace or temporary pause? Can Beijing and Washington avoid another trade shock?

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are preparing for high-stakes talks in Beijing this week, with discussions expected to cover Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, trade tensions, and the future of a critical rare earth minerals agreement between the United States and China. According to US officials, the summit will mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders in more than six months as Washington and Beijing attempt to stabilize increasingly strained relations. The relationship between the world’s two largest economies has faced mounting pressure in recent months due to ongoing trade disputes, geopolitical rivalry, and tensions surrounding the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran.&nbsp;Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday (May 13), while formal meetings between the two leaders are expected to take place on Thursday and Friday. The visit will be Trump’s first trip to China since 2017. Officials said both sides are expected to announce new platforms aimed at strengthening trade and investment cooperation. China is also anticipated to confirm major purchases involving Boeing aircraft, US agricultural goods, and energy products.&nbsp;Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/keir-starmer-faces-growing-calls-to-quit-as-prime-minister-amid-political-turmoil-1778539260553"> Keir Starmer faces growing calls to quit as Prime Minister amid political turmoil</a>&nbsp;Plans for a new Board of Trade and Board of Investment could also be formally introduced during the summit, although US officials said that additional negotiations may still be needed before the mechanisms become operational. Another major focus of the talks will be extending the temporary trade truce that currently allows the continued export of rare earth minerals from China to the United States. However, officials cautioned that it remains uncertain whether the agreement will be renewed during this week’s discussions.&nbsp;The upcoming summit follows the last in-person Trump-Xi meeting held on October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea, during Trump’s five-day Asia tour. The two leaders reportedly spoke for nearly 100 minutes. At the time, Trump described the talks as ‘amazing’, while Chinese officials said both countries had reached a consensus on resolving 'major trade issues'. The Busan summit came after months of escalating economic pressure between the two nations. Trump had threatened sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, while Beijing tightened export controls on rare earth materials.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/philippines-lawmakers-vote-to-impeach-vice-president-sarah-duterte-1778519314575/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/philippines-lawmakers-vote-to-impeach-vice-president-sarah-duterte-1778519314575/embed</a>&nbsp;Despite the tensions, both leaders characterized the meeting as constructive and agreed to continue negotiations aimed at easing the growing trade conflict. Trump later praised the outcome of the Busan summit, saying he would rate the meeting “a 12 out of 10.” Reports suggested the discussions included tariff reductions, renewed Chinese purchases of American soybeans, expanded rare earth exports, and easing certain trade restrictions. The South Korea meeting was widely viewed as a critical attempt to stabilize ties between Washington and Beijing amid fears of a renewed global trade war and worsening geopolitical tensions.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping hold major Beijing talks focused on trade, Iran, Taiwan, AI, nuclear issues, and rare earth agreements

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are preparing for high-stakes talks in Beijing this week, with discussions expected to cover Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, trade tensions, and the future of a critical rare earth minerals agreement between the United States and China. According to US officials, the summit will mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders in more than six months as Washington and Beijing attempt to stabilize increasingly strained relations. The relationship between the world’s two largest economies has faced mounting pressure in recent months due to ongoing trade disputes, geopolitical rivalry, and tensions surrounding the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran. Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday (May 13), while formal meetings between the two leaders are expected to take place on Thursday and Friday. The visit will be Trump’s first trip to China since 2017. Officials said both sides are expected to announce new platforms aimed at strengthening trade and investment cooperation. China is also anticipated to confirm major purchases involving Boeing aircraft, US agricultural goods, and energy products. Also Read: Keir Starmer faces growing calls to quit as Prime Minister amid political turmoil Plans for a new Board of Trade and Board of Investment could also be formally introduced during the summit, although US officials said that additional negotiations may still be needed before the mechanisms become operational. Another major focus of the talks will be extending the temporary trade truce that currently allows the continued export of rare earth minerals from China to the United States. However, officials cautioned that it remains uncertain whether the agreement will be renewed during this week’s discussions. The upcoming summit follows the last in-person Trump-Xi meeting held on October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea, during Trump’s five-day Asia tour. The two leaders reportedly spoke for nearly 100 minutes. At the time, Trump described the talks as ‘amazing’, while Chinese officials said both countries had reached a consensus on resolving 'major trade issues'. The Busan summit came after months of escalating economic pressure between the two nations. Trump had threatened sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, while Beijing tightened export controls on rare earth materials. https://www.wionews.com/videos/philippines-lawmakers-vote-to-impeach-vice-president-sarah-duterte-1778519314575/embed Despite the tensions, both leaders characterized the meeting as constructive and agreed to continue negotiations aimed at easing the growing trade conflict. Trump later praised the outcome of the Busan summit, saying he would rate the meeting “a 12 out of 10.” Reports suggested the discussions included tariff reductions, renewed Chinese purchases of American soybeans, expanded rare earth exports, and easing certain trade restrictions. The South Korea meeting was widely viewed as a critical attempt to stabilize ties between Washington and Beijing amid fears of a renewed global trade war and worsening geopolitical tensions.

Trump and Xi are set to meet in Beijing for high-stakes talks on trade, Iran, Taiwan, AI, and rare earth minerals after months of tensions

Trump and Xi aim to ease trade war in first meeting since South Korea summit

Donald Trump announced on Wednesday (March 25) that he will travel to Beijing in May to meet Xi Jinping, following the postponement of an earlier planned summit due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The visit, now scheduled for May 14–15, had initially been planned for late March. Trump described the upcoming meeting as a major and historic occasion, adding that he also intends to host Xi and his wife in Washington, DC later this year.&nbsp;"My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th," Trump said on his Truth Social network. Officials from both the White House and China are currently completing arrangements for the meetings in both countries. "I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a Monumental Event," Trump added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/danish-pm-frederiksen-resigns-after-failing-to-secure-majority-may-become-pm-again-1774458486058">Danish PM Frederiksen resigns after failing to secure majority, may become PM again</a>&nbsp;The White House confirmed the revised dates shortly before Trump’s statement. The trip will mark Trump’s first visit to China during his second term and is expected to focus heavily on improving strained trade relations between the two global economic powers. The two leaders last met in South Korea in October, where they agreed to ease tensions stemming from ongoing trade disputes initiated by US tariffs.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Trump explained that he requested the delay to remain in the US during military operations in the Middle East. "Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel. And so we've requested that we delay it a month or so," Trump told reporters at the time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-iran-s-local-media-trump-s-15-point-plan-rejected-by-tehran-1774464271782/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-iran-s-local-media-trump-s-15-point-plan-rejected-by-tehran-1774464271782/embed</a>&nbsp;White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to confirm whether the rescheduling indicates expectations about the conflict’s duration. "We've always estimated approximately four to six weeks (for the length of military operations against Iran), so you could do the math on that," she said. “President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now. He understood obviously the request to postpone and accepted it.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, analysts suggest that China may gain leverage in upcoming negotiations. The US military involvement alongside Israel has intensified instability in the Middle East, driven up global energy prices, and raised concerns about supply disruptions, especially due to Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. With geopolitical pressure mounting and limited backing from allies, Trump may enter the talks seeking a diplomatic success. This could strengthen China’s position in pushing for reduced tariffs and resisting US demands on issues such as critical mineral access.

'Trump to meet Xi in Beijing on May 14-15', says White House after delay due to Iran war

Donald Trump announced on Wednesday (March 25) that he will travel to Beijing in May to meet Xi Jinping, following the postponement of an earlier planned summit due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The visit, now scheduled for May 14–15, had initially been planned for late March. Trump described the upcoming meeting as a major and historic occasion, adding that he also intends to host Xi and his wife in Washington, DC later this year. "My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th," Trump said on his Truth Social network. Officials from both the White House and China are currently completing arrangements for the meetings in both countries. "I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a Monumental Event," Trump added. Also Read: Danish PM Frederiksen resigns after failing to secure majority, may become PM again The White House confirmed the revised dates shortly before Trump’s statement. The trip will mark Trump’s first visit to China during his second term and is expected to focus heavily on improving strained trade relations between the two global economic powers. The two leaders last met in South Korea in October, where they agreed to ease tensions stemming from ongoing trade disputes initiated by US tariffs. Earlier this month, Trump explained that he requested the delay to remain in the US during military operations in the Middle East. "Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel. And so we've requested that we delay it a month or so," Trump told reporters at the time. https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-iran-war-iran-s-local-media-trump-s-15-point-plan-rejected-by-tehran-1774464271782/embed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to confirm whether the rescheduling indicates expectations about the conflict’s duration. "We've always estimated approximately four to six weeks (for the length of military operations against Iran), so you could do the math on that," she said. “President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now. He understood obviously the request to postpone and accepted it.” Meanwhile, analysts suggest that China may gain leverage in upcoming negotiations. The US military involvement alongside Israel has intensified instability in the Middle East, driven up global energy prices, and raised concerns about supply disruptions, especially due to Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. With geopolitical pressure mounting and limited backing from allies, Trump may enter the talks seeking a diplomatic success. This could strengthen China’s position in pushing for reduced tariffs and resisting US demands on issues such as critical mineral access.

Donald Trump will meet Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14–15 after delaying the trip due to Iran conflict, with trade talks and diplomacy in focus

trump-xi-meeting

Trump Xi Meeting, News on Trump Xi Meeting, stories on Trump Xi Meeting, articles on Trump Xi Meeting, Trump Xi Meeting stories at Wion, Trump Xi Meeting news, Trump Xi Meeting latest news

trump xi-meeting

Trump-Xi Meet: US First Lady Not Travelling to Beijing with Trump

Trump-Xi Meet: Chinese Residents Share Mixed Reactions Ahead of Trump's Visit

Can a Trump-Xi deal revive US energy exports to China? This is what we know

Trump wants a deal. China wants relief. Inside the high-stakes Beijing Summit

Trump and Xi aim to ease trade war in first meeting since South Korea summit

'Trump to meet Xi in Beijing on May 14-15', says White House