&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump, Xi shake hands as they meet in Beijing, discuss Taiwan and trade - VIDEO")
US President Donald Trump on Thursday morning (May 14) 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. The two leaders shook hands for a good 15 seconds, but stopped short at it and did not proceed for a hug. US delegation including State Secretary Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and business CEOs including Elon Musk awaited the two leaders to meet before greeting the Chinese officials. The ceremony is continuing, with marching soldiers and music. Xi and Trump are seen standing side by side under a gazebo.
The US president was accorded a grand military reception, including a 21-gun salute. Xi introduced Trump with the key Chinese officials before the they proceeded amid band playing the US national anthem. The Chinese national anthem was then played.
Trump-Xi bilateral meeting begins
After the grand reception, the two sides are seen seated in a conference hall. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is seated next to Jinping, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seated next to Trump. The meeting comes amid the ongoing Iran war and worldwide trade tensions. The two sides will discuss in great length the trade rules and Washington may propose a special trade mechanism to decide what goods both countries should buy and sell from each other. Rare minerals may be a goldmine deal as US is likely to seek steady access to China’s rare earth minerals, which are important for technology and defence. China buying hundreds of Boeing planes and more US farm products could also be discussed. China wants fewer restrictions on its companies in the US, specially in sectors like AI and electric vehicles. Chinese EV giant BYD could become a key talking point. Taiwan is expected to remain a sensitive issue. China has repeatedly warned the US to be careful about arms sales and military support to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Trump has also hinted that he would talk about Jimmy Lai.
What Trump and Xi told each other in opening remarks?
Xi Jinping welcomed Trump to Beijing, saying it was a “pleasure” to meet him and stressing that the success of both China and the United States should be seen as “an opportunity for each other.” Xi added that he has “always believed that the common interests between China and the United States outweigh the differences” and said he was “happy” about Trump’s visit at a time when the world stands at a “crossroads.”
Trump, in response, said the US-China relationship was “going to be better than ever” and described the meeting with Xi as “an honour like few I’ve ever seen before.” The US president also expressed optimism about bilateral ties, telling the Chinese leader: “We’re going to have a fantastic future together.”
