&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump-Xi Summit LIVE Highlights: Trump says China agrees to buy 200 Boeing aircraft")
Trump-Xi Summit LIVE Highlights: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Thursday (May 14), with Iran, trade tensions and Taiwan expected to dominate talks.
Trump, on his first China visit since 2017, received a grand ceremonial welcome in Beijing and is accompanied by top US business leaders including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Tesla’s Elon Musk, underscoring his push for major commercial deals.
The summit comes amid deep strains between the two powers, including a fragile tariff truce after last year’s trade war, China’s rare earth restrictions, AI rivalry and growing geopolitical friction over Taiwan.
Iran is also expected to feature prominently, with Washington hoping Beijing can play a bigger role given China’s economic ties with Tehran.
Trump has said he expects a warm personal reception from Xi, but both sides face difficult negotiations as they seek business wins while managing one of the world’s most consequential and tense bilateral relationships.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington’s policy towards Taiwan remains unchanged following President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while cautioning Beijing against attempting to seize the island by force.
Speaking to NBC News during Trump’s visit to China, Rubio said Taiwan was discussed during the talks, but stressed that the US position had not shifted.
“US policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today and as of the meeting that we had here today,” Rubio said.
He added that China routinely raises the Taiwan issue during bilateral engagements and the United States continues to reiterate its long-standing position before moving on to other matters.
China is willing to work with the United States to expand its list of areas for cooperation and shorten the list of problems, aiming for healthy, stable and sustainable trade ties, said He Yongqian, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.
During his visit to China, US President Donald Trump said Beijing has agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft as part of ongoing bilateral engagements.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said President Xi Jinping had offered China's help to open the Strait of Hormuz and pledged not to send military equipment to aid Iran in its war against the US and Israel.
"He said he's not going to give military equipment… he said that strongly," Trump told the "Hannity" show on Fox News, after the two leaders met in Beijing.
"He'd like to see the Hormuz Strait open, and said 'if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help,'" Trump added.
European and US stock markets climbed on Thursday as a tech-led rally extended gains, even as Washington and Beijing continued high-level talks in Beijing, with key US business leaders present in hopes of securing commercial agreements.
AFP reported that Wall Street's leading indices opened higher, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite climbing from record closes set on AI bullishness.
At a state banquet in Beijing, China reportedly played US President Donald Trump’s signature walk-off song, The Village People’s disco hit “Y.M.C.A”, during a private portion of the dinner, according to a White House official.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Chinese military band performed the track during the closed-door segment of the banquet, where Trump was being feted by his hosts, the AP reported.
Trump is known to regularly close campaign rallies and official appearances with ‘Y.M.C.A’, often dancing to the song with small fist pumps as it plays.
The choice of music echoes earlier diplomatic gestures. In 2017, ‘The Stars and Stripes Forever’ was played during a ceremony where Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reviewed Chinese honour guards, in what was seen as a symbolic cultural nod during the US leader’s visit.
Gita Gopinath, the former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reacted sharply to visuals from the Trump-Xi meeting, pointing to the absence of women in the high-level discussions. “A meeting of the two largest economies and not one woman at the table,” she wrote.
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The United States has reportedly approved around 10 Chinese companies to purchase Nvidia’s second-most advanced AI chip, a step that could help ease tensions in the ongoing US-China technology dispute.
While China remains a global leader in the production of legacy semiconductors used in products such as smartphones, cars, washing machines and medical equipment, it still trails behind in advanced AI chips developed by firms like Nvidia. Earlier this year, US authorities charged three individuals for allegedly attempting to illegally transfer sensitive American AI technology to China, highlighting the intense race for dominance in artificial intelligence. The unexpected presence of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during Donald Trump’s China visit has also fueled speculation that a broader tech agreement may still be possible.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday (May 14) hailed US President Donald Trump’s visit to his country as “historic”, saying that the United States and China “should be partners” and not “rivals”. This comes after the White House said that the high-stakes talks between the two leaders were “good”.
The state banquet dinner will include hors d’oeuvres to begin, followed by a main course, which will include:
- Lobster in tomato soup
- Crispy beef ribs
- Beijing roast duck
- Stewed seasonal vegetables
- Slow-cooked salmon in mustard sauce
- Pan-fried pork bun
The dessert will include:
- Trumpet shell-shaped pastry
- Tiramisu
- Fruits and ice cream
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that President Donald Trump would say more on Taiwan "in the coming days".
The self-ruled island, which China views as part of its territory, is set to be a key issue for talks in Beijing between Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping.
Chinese President Xi Jinping says, "...China and US have written many chapters of friendship through mutual openness and cooperation. Under the new situation, President Trump and I are fully aware of the expectations of our two nations and the international community, have had multiple meetings and phone calls, and kept China-US relations generally stable. Today, President Trump and I had an in-depth exchanges on China-US relations and the international & regional dynamics. We both believe that the China-US relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never mess it up. Both China and the US stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Our two countries should be partners, rather than rivals. President Trump and I also agreed to build a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world."
Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Thursday that China's advancement could go "hand-in-hand" with making America great again, as he addressed a banquet following talks with US President Donald Trump.
"Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can totally go hand in hand, help each other succeed, and advance the well-being of the whole world," Xi said, a reference to Trump's MAGA movement.
US President Donald Trump says, "We had extremely positive and productive conversations and meetings today with the Chinese delegation earlier. This evening is another cherished opportunity to discuss among friends, some of the things that we discussed today, all good for the United States and for China. It was a great honour to be with you."
Xi urges the two sides to work closely together. “We must make it work and never mess it up,” he says, adding, “Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals.”
“We can help each other succeed and advance the well being of the whole world,” the Chinese leader says.
Xi Jinping appears to be seeking either a shift in rhetoric or fresh assurances from President Donald Trump regarding Taiwan. Beijing is looking for clear confirmation that the US does not support Taiwan’s independence. Ideally, China would also like to see a further reduction in US arms sales to Taiwan, including the defence package currently under consideration that Taipei is awaiting.
On the Xi Jinping-Donald Trump meeting and the Tibet issue, the Tibetan Government in exile, Spokesperson, Tenzin Lekshay told ANI, "It's very important that the two world leaders should meet and to engage to make a better future for all the world. And they should be responsible also. They should also understand that in this chaotic time that we are living in, the Tibet issue is still an unresolved issue. The US has made lots of policies on Tibet, which all talk about engaging with the Chinese to seek dialogue to resolve this under the Tibetan conflict. The US can put up this cause to the Chinese leaders because the Chinese leaders are the ones who suppress the Tibetan identity, who are the ones who have occupied Tibet."
"The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy," the White House said.
"The Beijing authorities are currently the sole risk to regional peace and stability," Taiwan Foreign Ministry said in a statement adding that "Beijing has no right to make any claims on behalf of Taiwan internationally."
'China is willing to work with the US to translate the 'new orientation' of China-US relations into actions toward each other', says China Foreign Ministry
Xi stated that he and president Trump agreed to establish a “constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the US”
China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing is willing to work with the United States to turn the “new orientation” of China-US relations into concrete actions and strengthen cooperation between the two countries. The ministry also stressed that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait remains the “biggest common denominator” between China and the US.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said that China is the "sole risk" to regional peace and stability, after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart Donald Trump that the issue of Taiwan could lead to conflict. "The Beijing authorities are currently the sole risk to regional peace and stability," the ministry said in a statement, highlighting China's "military harassment" and grey-zone activities around Taiwan and the region as evidence, and adding that "Beijing has no right to make any claims on behalf of Taiwan internationally.
US President Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping discussed the war in the Middle East, the Ukraine conflict, and issues on the Korean Peninsula when they met in Beijing on Thursday, the Chinese government said.
"The two heads of state exchanged views on major international and regional issues, including the situation in the Middle East, the Ukraine crisis, and the Korean Peninsula," according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.
China has renewed export licences for hundreds of US beef processing plants, customs data showed, in a possible goodwill gesture as the leaders of both countries met in Beijing.
US President Donald Trump described his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as "great" when questioned by reporters. However, he declined to elaborate further.
Reporters also asked whether Taiwan was discussed during the meeting, but Trump did not respond as he stood alongside Xi for photographs after arriving at the Temple of Heaven. -- Agencies
US President Donald Trump says "China is beautiful" as reporters fire questions at him at the historic Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Standing side-by-side, Trump and China's Xi did not respond to questions about whether they had discussed Taiwan during their bilateral meeting earlier in the day.
Marco Rubio said US officials would try to persuade China to take a more “active role” in resolving the conflict in Iran. The US secretary of state told Fox News while en route to China that the US had made its case to Beijing on why it should engage in efforts to settle simmering tensions with Iran.
Xi Jinping said the new positioning agreed upon during talks with Donald Trump would provide “strategic guidance” for US-China relations over the next three years and beyond. Xi said both sides should expand cooperation in areas including trade, agriculture, healthcare, tourism and law enforcement, while also urging Washington to handle the Taiwan issue with the “utmost prudence.” According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, the two leaders also exchanged views on the Middle East situation, the Ukraine crisis and developments on the Korean Peninsula.
The Trump-Xi bilateral meet has wrapped, a WH official said. It lasted for 2 hours and 15 mins
Taiwan said Thursday the United States has expressed "clear and firm support" for the island democracy, as US President Donald Trump meets with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing. "The US side has repeatedly reaffirmed its clear and firm support for Taiwan," cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee told reporters.
Several of the US company CEOs entered the room during the Trump-Xi talks, according to China's CCTV. Responding to reporters on his way out of the Great Hall of the People, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he wants to accomplish "many good things" in China. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he hopes the two leaders will build on a good relationship to improve two-way ties, CCTV reported. Apple CEO Tim Cook gave an affirmative gesture as he was leaving.
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump concluded their high-stakes bilateral meeting in Beijing after discussions on trade, Taiwan, rare earth minerals and global security. The summit at the Great Hall of the People came amid rising US-China tensions and ongoing concerns over the Iran war and global economic uncertainty.
Xi quoted an ancient Greek historian to express his hopes that the US and China can avoid conflict, saying that history, the world and its people were asking whether the two countries can transcend the “Thucydides Trap” and forge a new model for relations between major powers.
Xi Jinping has told Trump their countries could come into conflict if the issue over self-ruled Taiwan claimed by Beijing is mishandled, Chinese state media said.
“You’re a great leader,” Trump told Xi. “Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it’s true.”
Asian markets traded mixed on Thursday as investors balanced optimism around the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing with inflation concerns and Middle East-linked energy risks.
Wall Street’s tech-driven momentum pushed the Nasdaq and S&P 500 to fresh record highs overnight, powered by AI enthusiasm and strong earnings, but Asia remained cautious as traders looked for signs of progress in US-China trade talks.
Trump and Xi opened their Beijing summit with warm public remarks, raising hopes for some easing in tensions, though analysts remain cautious about any major breakthrough.
Meanwhile, inflation pressures persisted after US wholesale prices surged beyond expectations, while Brent crude hovered above $105 a barrel as the Strait of Hormuz crisis continued to weigh on energy markets.
Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei advanced, while Shanghai and Singapore slipped, reflecting investor caution as markets await concrete outcomes from the high-stakes summit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping opened his high-stakes summit with US President Donald Trump on Thursday (May 14) by striking a tone of warmth, caution and strategic optimism, telling the US president he was "happy" to welcome him back to Beijing at what he described as a moment when the world stands at a historic "crossroads." Seated at the head of the table inside the Great Hall of the People, Xi framed the meeting as bigger than a routine bilateral engagement, presenting it instead as a defining moment for global stability.
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US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping walked up the red-carpeted steps into Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, where high-level talks are now underway.
Xi is delivering opening remarks as the two leaders begin discussions on trade, Iran and Taiwan.
US President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping at Beijing's Great Hall of the People for a high-stakes summit.
The two leaders shook hands after Trump arrived in a motorcade to the steps, where a US delegation including State Secretary Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and business CEOs including Elon Musk awaited him.
US President Donald Trump has arrived at the Great Hall of the People to take part in high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, with trade, Iran, and Taiwan topping the agenda.
Beyond tariffs, the two leaders are also expected to tackle China’s rare earth export controls, artificial intelligence competition and broader economic rivalry.
"We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they are doing now, and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told broadcaster Fox News in an interview aired Wednesday ahead of the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump.
Trump has said he plans to discuss US arms sales to Taiwan with Xi, a sensitive move likely to be closely watched by Beijing and regional allies.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss extending their fragile tariff truce, reached last year after a bruising trade war that saw tariffs soar beyond 100 percent.
Trump said he expects a lengthy discussion with Xi on Iran, while Washington hopes Beijing will use its influence to pressure Tehran amid the ongoing Gulf conflict.
Trump landed in Beijing alongside top US CEOs including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang as he pushes for major business and market access deals.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Trump with full state honours in Beijing, offering pomp and ceremony despite deep tensions between the world’s two largest economies.