US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on May 13, 2026, marking his first visit to China in a decade for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping [1, 2, 3]. The summit seeks to ease trade tensions and address the ongoing Iran war [1, 4, 2, 3]. Trump declared Iran would either “make a good deal” with the US or face devastation, reiterating military threats [4].
On May 14, Xi Jinping welcomed Trump at the Great Hall of the People with an elaborate ceremony [5, 6]. In his opening remarks, Xi said, “The common interests between the United States and China outweigh their differences” [7]. Trump said he would have a lengthy discussion about Iran but insisted he did not need China’s help to resolve the conflict [2].
Trump told reporters he would urge Xi to "open up" China’s economy to major US tech firms during the talks [2]. Accompanying Trump were top US business leaders including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Elon Musk [2]. Meanwhile, Xi is expected to press Trump to end US arms sales to Taiwan, a key point of contention [2]. Analyst Ali Wyne called Taiwan “the most critical issue in China-US relations” [8].
Financial markets reacted cautiously during the summit. On the day Trump arrived, US producer prices rose 6% year-over-year [9]. On May 14, copper prices fell by as much as 1.9% amid cautious Chinese investor sentiment [10]. Chinese stock indexes dropped: the CSI 300 fell 1.7%, while the ChiNext and STAR 50 indexes declined 2.5% and 2.6% respectively, as markets awaited concrete outcomes from the talks [11].
The summit included a state banquet, detailed bilateral meetings, a visit to Zhongnanhai, and several official photo moments [2]. The discussions continue with expectations that trade and security issues, especially Taiwan and Iran, will dominate the agenda.
