US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday as both countries sought to stabilize bilateral relations, with trade, tariffs, and Taiwan among the key issues surrounding the visit.
The closed-door meeting lasted approximately two hours and 15 minutes, followed by a visit by both leaders to the Temple of Heaven. Speaking to reporters afterward, Trump described the talks as “great” and praised China as an “incredible place.”
Neither leader publicly confirmed whether Taiwan was directly discussed during the meeting. However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a post that Xi emphasized Taiwan as a major issue in US-China relations, stating that maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait remains critical to broader bilateral ties.
The meeting began with an official welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, where the two leaders exchanged remarks before private discussions began. Xi said a stable relationship between both countries benefits the global economy and emphasized cooperation. Trump highlighted his personal relationship with Xi and said the US remains interested in expanding business ties with China.
The meeting marked the first in-person discussion between the two leaders since October and Trump’s first visit to China since 2017.
Trade remains a major focus of the talks following elevated tensions last year, when both countries imposed significant tariffs on each other’s goods. The two sides have since rolled back some tariff measures, while China also eased export restrictions on rare earth materials.
Officials from both countries are continuing discussions on broader trade cooperation, including maintaining US access to rare earth supplies and increasing exports of American food and other products to China. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has also proposed the creation of a US-China “Board of Trade” to help coordinate future agreements.
Before departing for Beijing, Trump said trade would be a central focus of discussions with Xi.
Several US business executives also joined the visit, including Elon Musk of Tesla, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, and Tim Cook of Apple. The executives attended the official welcome ceremony and later met with Xi.
According to Chinese state media, Xi told business leaders that China remains open to foreign investment and sees broader opportunities for US companies operating in the country. Trump had also previously said he would encourage China to further open its markets during the visit.
While trade dominated the agenda, Taiwan remained a closely watched issue as both sides continue to manage broader geopolitical differences. Analysts say the outcome of the meeting could shape future trade negotiations and overall economic relations between the world’s two largest economies.
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