Xi Jinping called for stronger cooperation between Beijing and Washington as he opened high-level talks with Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday during a summit expected to shape the future of global trade and geopolitical stability.
The Chinese president welcomed Trump at the Great Hall of the People in an elaborate state ceremony attended by senior officials and business leaders from both countries. The summit marks Trump’s first official visit to China since returning to the White House and comes at a time of renewed tensions over trade, Taiwan and global security issues.
During opening remarks, Xi said China and the United States should become “partners and not rivals”, stressing that stable ties between the world’s two largest economies would benefit the international community.
Trump responded warmly, praising Xi’s leadership and describing the meeting as one of the most significant summits in recent history. He expressed optimism that bilateral relations could improve despite ongoing disputes between the two powers.
The summit agenda includes discussions on tariffs, trade access, rare earth exports, artificial intelligence competition and the future of the one-year tariff truce agreed during the leaders’ previous meeting in South Korea last year.
Taiwan emerged as one of the most sensitive issues during the talks. Chinese state media reported that Xi warned Trump that mishandling the Taiwan question could push bilateral relations into a dangerous phase. Beijing continues to view Taiwan as a core national interest and opposes US military and political support for the self-governed island.
The talks are also taking place against the backdrop of growing instability in the Middle East. Trump indicated he would discuss Iran with Xi, while US officials said Washington hopes Beijing can encourage de-escalation efforts in the Gulf region.
A major focus of Trump’s visit remains economic cooperation and market access for American businesses. The US delegation includes prominent corporate figures such as Elon Musk, Jensen Huang and Tim Cook, reflecting Washington’s push for stronger commercial engagement with China.
Ahead of the summit, China renewed export licences for hundreds of US beef exporters, a move analysts described as a goodwill signal before broader trade negotiations.
Both governments are expected to seek limited but symbolic agreements aimed at stabilising relations while avoiding further escalation in trade and security disputes that could impact global markets and supply chains.