President Trump is traveling to China for a major summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping as tensions surrounding Iran, Taiwan, trade, and global supply chains continue to rise.
The meeting, taking place in Beijing, marks the first in-person summit between the two leaders since last October and comes after the visit was previously delayed due to the war involving Iran.
Trade is expected to dominate discussions, though both sides are also expected to address energy security, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments.
Ahead of the summit, Trump described Xi as “an amazing man” and said the two leaders have a strong relationship despite ongoing geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.
Several major U.S. business and tech figures reportedly accompanied the president to Beijing, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, filmmaker Brett Ratner, and Fox News host Sean Hannity. Other invited executives reportedly included Apple CEO Tim Cook, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon.
Analysts say both countries are looking to stabilize relations and avoid deeper conflict, especially after the intense U.S.-China trade battles earlier this year.
Taiwan is also expected to become a key topic during the talks. Beijing continues to push for reunification with Taiwan, while the U.S. remains one of Taiwan’s main military supporters. Trump said Xi would likely raise the issue directly during the summit.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran may also strengthen China’s position in negotiations, according to foreign policy experts, as Beijing sees the U.S. increasingly distracted from Asia while managing tensions in the Middle East.
The summit comes as both nations continue competing economically, militarily, and technologically, while also trying to prevent tensions from escalating into a larger confrontation.