President Donald Trump addressed a lavish state banquet in Beijing’s Hall of the People with Chinese president Xi Jinping, bringing to an end the first day of his high-stakes state visit to China.
In his remarks, delivered shortly after 6pm local time (6am ET, 11am BST), Trump said it is a “great honor” to visit China, adding that he and Xi had “extremely positive and productive conversations.” He referred to his counterpart as “my friend.”
He then formally invited Xi to visit the White House in September, before proposing a toast to the “rich and enduring ties” between both nations.
During his own speech at the podium, Xi described the American president’s visit as “historic.” He further called on both the U.S. and China to be “partners rather than rivals,” adding, “We must make it work.”
“Achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand,” he said.
Following their meetings earlier Thursday, Xi warned Trump that tensions over Taiwan could lead to an “extremely dangerous situation” in an ominous threat.
Read MoreA humiliated Trump will be played by China
The symbolism of venue for Trump-Xi summit – and the tricky question of what they should eat
Key Points
- Trump formally invites Xi to visit the White House
- Xi delivers banquet speech: 'This is a historic visit'
- Xi tells Trump 'we should be partners and not rivals'
- Trump says this is the ‘biggest summit ever’
- What's happened so far - and what's yet to come?
Trump and Xi could meet 4 times this year: report
12:23 , Brendan RasciusTrump and Xi could meet as many as four times in the coming year, according to The Associated Press, citing U.S. officials.
The sit-downs could take place at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in China and the Group of 20 gathering in Florida.
Hors d’oeuvres include roast duck and slow-cooked salmon
12:19 , Brendan RasciusThe hors d’oeuvres being served at the lavish banquet include lobster in tomato soup, Beijing roast duck, crispy beef ribs and slow-cooked salmon in mustard sauce.
Sweeter options include tiramisu and trumpet shell-shaped pastries.
Photos show tables set with gilded silverware — forks, knives and chopsticks — as well as wine glasses and name placards.
Members of Trump’s entourage seen posing for photos, milling about at state banquet
12:14 , Brendan RasciusMembers of President Trump’s entourage were seen eating at round tables and milling about at the state banquet in the Great Hall of the People.
Billionaires Elon Musk and Tim Cook posed for a photo before the SpaceX CEO reached for a bite.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung was seen mingling with other guests.
Trump sticks to the script as he lauds ‘special relationship’ with China and invites Xi to White House in September
12:08 , Brendan RasciusPresident Donald Trump on Thursday hailed what he called a “special relationship” between the United States and China and said he’d had “extremely positive and productive talks” with Chinese president Xi Jinping as he invited him and his wife to Washington for a September 24 state visit.
Speaking in the Great Hall of the People’s ornate banquet hall, Trump thanked Xi for what he described as a “magnificent welcome” and said the lavish meal was “another cherished opportunity to discuss among friends some of the things that we discussed today, all good for the United States and for China.”
Andrew Feinberg reports...
Trump invites China’s Xi to future White House meeting
In his speech, Xi hinted at tense relations between the US and China
12:07 , Brendan RasciusDuring his speech, President Xi hinted at the tense relations between the U.S. and China.
Through phone calls and meetings, he said that he and Trump have kept China-U.S. relations “generally stable.”
“Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals,” he added. “We must make it work.”
Among the most contentious issues between the two countries are the ongoing Iran war, Trump’s tariffs, and the future of Taiwan.
ANALYSIS: China warns Trump ‘stay out of our back yard’ - and he’ll be fine with that humiliation
12:02 , Brendan RasciusSeeing the limits of American power exposed by its war against Iran, China has issued an unusually blunt warning that the two countries could end up in conflict over Taiwan.
For a peevish and fragile US president on a visit to Beijing this is a humiliation.
It is not one Donald Trump will feel. It will be disastrous for the region where China is already engaged in another land grab.
Sam Kiley has more...
China warns Trump ‘stay out of our back yard’ - and he’ll be fine with that
Trump formally invites Xi to visit the White House
11:58 , Brendan RasciusDuring his remarks at the state banquet, President Trump formally invited President Xi to visit the White House in September.
“And we look forward to it,” Trump said.
Xi’s most recent visit to the U.S. was in November 2023, when he traveled to San Francisco and met President Biden.
Campaigners call on Trump to secure release of imprisoned journalist
11:50 , Alex CroftCampaigners have called on Donald Trump to raise the issue of the imprisoned journalist Jimmy Lai.
Lai was part of the Hong Kong pro-democracy camp and is now held as a political prisoner after he was a prominent critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“The campaign to free Jimmy Lai is far bigger than just one journalist — Jimmy’s fight for freedom is representative of the global struggle against the rising forces of authoritarianism,” said Scott Griffen, Executive Director of the International Press Institute.
“IPI calls on President Trump to use all diplomatic means available to secure Jimmy’s release and send a powerful signal to the world that the U.S. is willing to stand by those fighting for the values of freedom that underpin strong, democratic societies.
He added: “Securing Jimmy’s freedom is a humanitarian imperative, given his declining health. Jimmy’s release must be a prerequisite to any agreement the U.S. and China may come to during this week’s summit. In tying Jimmy’s release to upcoming talks, Trump can secure a major diplomatic win on one of the most difficult and high-profile press freedom cases around the world.”
Trump says trip was ‘a great honor’ to be in China
11:46 , Brendan RasciusDuring his remarks, President Trump said it is “a great honor” to visit China, adding that he received a “magnificent welcome like no other.”
Sticking to his script, he then spoke of the historic relationship between both the U.S. and China, noting that Chinese workers helped create American railroads and that President Theodore Rooseve provided the funds to establish Xi’s alma mater in China.
Both the American and Chinese people, he said, have similar values: “We value hard work, courage and achievement, we love our families and our countries.”
He closed by proposing a toast to the “rich and enduring ties” between both nations.
Xi delivers banquet speech: 'This is a historic visit'
11:29 , Brendan RasciusPresident Xi Jinping just spoke at the podium during the state banquet.
“It is a great pleasure to host the state banquet in honor of President Trump during his visit to China. On the behalf of the Chinese government and people, I'd like to extend a warm welcome to President Trump and the U.S. delegation,” he said, according to a translator.
“This is a historic visit,” he continued. “The people of China and the U.S. are both great peoples…achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand.”
Xi said that he Trump, through meetings and phone calls, have kept China-U.S. relations “generally stable.”
“Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals,” he added. “We must make it work.”
Trump and Xi arrive for state banquet
11:15 , Brendan RasciusPresident Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping have arrived at the state banquet in the Great Hall of the People.
Musk tucks into food and drink alone as congregants gather in banquet hall
11:01 , Alex CroftWe’re getting some images now from inside the Great Hall, where Donald Trump will soon arrive for a state banquet.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has his thumbs up and is pulling a face as he is served by a waitress while posing for a picture with Apple CEO Tim Cook and a Chinese official.
Cook departs, and as US and Chinese officials stand around chatting, the Tesla and SpaceX owner picks up his fork and begins tucking into his food and drink.
Also in the hall are secretary of state Marco Rubio, defense secretary Pete Hegseth, and several other officials and entrepeneurs who are part of the US delegation.
Watch live: Trump participates in state banquet with China's Xi Jinping
10:54 , Alex CroftChinese officials prepare to host Trump at state banquet - but what's on the menu?
10:38 , Alex CroftWe’re around 20 minutes away from Donald Trump joining a state banquet in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.
If proceedings so far are anything to go by - such as Trump’s ceremonial red-carpet welcome - it promises to be a grand affair in the majestic hall, which has already wowed US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
There has been plenty of talk on what the menu will include - let’s take a look at what the likely options are.
In November 2017, the last time Trump joined a state banquet in Beijing, the menu was varied.
It included hors d’Oeuvres, coconut-flavoured chicken soup, seafood chowder and kung pao chicken.
The Chinese chefs tactfully included stewed beef steak in tomato sauce on the menu - a nod to the US president’s love of well-done steak with a side of ketchup. Braised vegetables in premium broth and grouper fillets with hot chilli oil were also included on the menu.
The menu for the 2026 visit has not yet been unveiled - stay with us to find out what’s on the President’s platter.
Watch: Trump says 'it's great' when asked about talks with Xi
10:22 , Alex CroftRubio: US hopes to persuade China to play more active role in Iran
10:05 , Alex CroftThe U.S. hopes to convince China to play a more active role in trying to persuade Iran to walk away from what it is doing in the Gulf, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said in an interview aired on Fox News on Wednesday.
Rubio made the comments in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity.
When asked about Trump’s meeting with Xi, he said it is in everyones interest to see stability in the world, according to China’s CCTV state broadcaster.
Watch: Trump praises 'happy and beautiful' children during crucial Xi summit
09:55 , Alex CroftTrump and Xi hold talks on Iran war - White House
09:44 , Alex CroftWe’ve just heard from the White House, which has issued a statement following the bilateral meeting between Trump and Xi.
It says the meeting was “good” and that the leaders discussed deepening economic cooperation and increasing Chinese investment into US industries.
The pair also discussed the Iran war, the White House says.
“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” the statement reads.
“President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to the militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the Strait in the future.”
The countries both agreed that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon”.
Nothing surprising from Trump-Xi talks, says Taiwan
09:27 , Alex CroftThere have been no surprising messages from the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing so far, a Taiwanese government spokesperson has said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued a warning over Taiwan, stating that if the U.S. is not collaborative with Beijing the two countries “could collide or even enter into conflict”, warning of a “very dangerous situation”.
Taiwan said Beijing must reduce its military intimidation of the island, and warned that Chinese attempts to destroy the status quo remain the largest threat to peace in the region.
Government officials from Taiwan are in close contact with the U.S. during its visit to China, the spokesperson added.
China willing to work with U.S. in positioning new relationship
09:05 , Alex CroftChina is willing to work with the U.S. to translate the “new orientation” of China-U.S. relations into actions toward each other, the country's foreign ministry said on Thursday.
The statement followed a cordial meeting between its the two leaders, in which Xi declared the countries have “more common interests that differences.”
In their earlier meetings, China's Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump at the start of a two-day summit on Thursday that trade talks were making progress - but he warned that disagreement over Taiwan could send relations down a dangerous path and even lead to conflict.
More pictures from Trump's visit to China
08:41 , Alex Croft
Recap: Trump says US industry leaders are in China to 'pay respects'
08:22 , Alex CroftDuring his remarks after arriving in Beijing, Donald Trump spoke briefly about the cohort of business leaders who he has taken with him on the trip.
These include some of the biggest names in US industry, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Trump said they are here to “pay respects” and build business in the nation.
“We have amazing people, and they’re all with me,” Trump said during opening remarks.
“We asked the top 30 in the world. Every single one of them said yes, and I didn’t want the second or the third in the company. I wanted only the top. And they’re here today to pay respects to you and to China, and they look forward to trade and doing business, and it’s going to be totally reciprocal on our behalf,” he said.
Here is a list of some of Trump’s invitees:
- Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX
- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
- Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA
- Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock
- Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone
- Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi
- Ryan McInerney, CEO of Visa
- Dina Powell McCormick, President of Meta
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel skewers Trump's China visit with dig over Iran war parallels
08:00 , Alex CroftWhat's happened so far - and what's yet to come?
07:41 , Alex CroftDonald Trump’s high-stakes talks with Xi Jinping are underway - and so far they have avoided a fallout.
It has been a grand affair so far. The US president, along with an entourage of American billionaires, was greeted with the red-carpet treatment as hundreds of chanting children, waving US and Chinese flags in unison, chanted “welcome, welcome, warm welcome”.
He set off for a formal welcome by Xi in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, before the pair held a bilateral meeting.
Xi afterwards took Trump on a visit to the Temple of Heaven, where the two posed for an almost tourist-style picture in front of the 600-year-old monument.
But there is still plenty to come...
At 6pm local time (6am ET, 11am BST), a state banquet will be held, the centrepiece of the president’s visit
Another photo opportunity with for Trump and Xi will take place at 11:30am on Friday (11:30pm Thursday ET, 4:30am BST).
The pair will hold another bilateral meeting 10 minutes afterwards, before Trump sets off back for Washington.
Marco Rubio's reaction to Great Hall of the People ceiling goes viral
07:08 , Shweta SharmaUS secretary of state Marco Rubio appeared to praise the ceiling of the Great Hall of the People.
Video footage showed Rubio craning his neck to look up at the ornate ceiling, pointing towards it and gesturing animatedly while speaking with US defence secretary Pete Hegseth.
The clip quickly spread across X and Chinese social media platforms, where many users appeared amused by Rubio’s visible fascination with the setting – with some also jokingly noting that the US secretary of state remains under Chinese sanctions.
“Look at those lights – we should replace ours when we get back,” a Weibo user wrote.
Another said on X, “Let’s redecorate the White House like this when we get back.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared fascinated by the ornate ceiling inside Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. pic.twitter.com/yQIqhQaBvA
— Vitamvivere (@Vitamvivere) May 14, 2026
Trump exclaims 'China’s beautiful' after visiting Temple of Heaven
06:57 , Shweta Sharma“Great place, incredible,” Donald Trump told Xi Jinping as the two leaders posed for photographs at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, with its iconic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the background.
“China’s beautiful,” Trump added.
The vast imperial-era complex, dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, was traditionally used by Chinese emperors to perform ceremonial prayers for good harvests.
As the leaders walked through the historic site, reporters travelling with Trump repeatedly shouted questions about whether Taiwan had been discussed during the talks, but neither president responded.
Asked separately how negotiations were progressing, Trump replied with a single word: “Great.”
Trump and Xi discussed Ukraine, Iran war and Korean peninsula tensions
06:52 , Shweta SharmaXi Jinping and Donald Trump exchanged views on a range of major global flashpoints, including the Middle East crisis, the war in Ukraine and tensions on the Korean peninsula, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Trump is leaving Temple of Heaven after short visit
06:49 , Shweta SharmaTrump has already left the Temple of Heaven after a short visit with Xi to the 15th century temple, with his motorcade seen rolling away.
Later in the day, there will be a state banquet held in honour of Trump.
Asian shares mixed and Chinese stocks trade lower
06:44 , Shweta SharmaAsian shares were mixed Thursday as investors closely monitored takeaways from Trump's summit with Chinese leader Xi in Beijing.
The Shanghai Composite index lost 1% to 4,199.19. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.3% to 26,478.99.
Markets in Japan and South Korea were higher, with Tokyo's Nikkei 225 up 0.2% and Seoul's Kospi gaining 1%.Investors are watching for progress on the Iran war and US-China trade relations from the Xi-Trump summit, as well as possible trade deals on areas such as soybeans, airplanes and chips.
In pictures: Trump arrives at Temple of Heaven
06:41 , Shweta SharmaThe 15th century temple was Trump's next stop after meeting with Xi at the Great Hall of the People.
The White House and Chinese state media said the leaders concluded their meeting after about two hours of talks.
The leaders discussed trade, Taiwan and other differences in the US-China relationship.
Trump declines to say if he and Xi discussed Taiwan
06:36 , Shweta SharmaTrump said, "great," when reporters asked how the talks with Xi went.
But that's about all he said.
Follow-up questions about whether they discussed Taiwan were asked.
Trump didn't answer as he posed alongside Xi for photos after they arrived at the Temple of Heaven.
Inside Trump’s billionaire entourage for Beijing as Elon Musk and Tim Cook join the President on China trip
06:33 , Shweta SharmaPresident Donald Trump is being accompanied on his key trip to China by an entourage of the super-rich, boasting a combined net worth in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
The list of tech and financial industry titans joining the commander-in-chief during his summit with China’s President Xi Jinping includes Elon Musk, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Musk posted from Air Force One on Wednesday that he was on his way to Beijing, and was pictured greeting dignitaries on the red carpet when the plane landed that evening.
Inside Trump’s billionaire entourage joining President on key China trip
Xi says trade teams produced 'balanced and positive outcomes'
06:27 , Shweta SharmaBehind closed doors, Xi said negotiations between economic and trade teams on Wednesday had reached an "overall balanced and positive outcome", according to a readout by China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
“China-US economic ties are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature,” it quoted Xi as saying.
"Yesterday, our economic and trade teams produced generally balanced and positive outcomes. This is good news for the people of the two countries and the world," Xi said.
Facts have shown time and again that trade wars have no winner, he noted.
"Where disagreements and frictions exist, equal-footed consultation is the only right choice," he said, calling on the two sides to jointly sustain the good momentum that they have worked hard to create.
The latest round of negotiations aimed to maintain the trade truce struck between Trump and Xi last October and establish mechanisms to support future trade and investment, officials with knowledge of the matter said.
China's Xi promises US business leaders greater access in Beijing meeting
06:24 , Shweta SharmaChinese president Xi Jinping told US CEOs accompanying president Donald Trump on a Beijing visit that China's door would only open wider, and that he believed US companies would have broader prospects in the country, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
Xi met with the delegation of CEOs, including Elon Musk, Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Apple's Tim Cook in the Great Hall of the People, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Trump had said on Tuesday that he would ask Xi to "open up" China during his summit with the leader.
Xi warns Trump of 'clashes and even conflicts' over Taiwan support
06:08 , Shweta SharmaXi Jinping warned Donald Trump that tensions over Taiwan could push the US and China towards “clashes and even conflicts”, according to Chinese state media reports on their closed-door meeting in Beijing.
According to a readout published by Xinhua, Xi told Trump that if the Taiwan issue is “handled well”, relations between the two countries could maintain “overall stability”.
But he cautioned that mishandling the issue would place the wider US–China relationship in “great jeopardy”.
Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive issues in ties between Beijing and Washington, with China viewing the self-governing island as part of its territory and opposing US military and political support for Taipei.
Jimmy Lai’s son pins hopes on Trump to rescue jailed media tycoon during Xi visit
06:00 , Shweta SharmaThe son of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has implored Donald Trump to secure his father’s release from prison during a historic state visit to China.
Mr Lai, the 78-year-old founder of Apple Daily, the city’s most vocal pro-democracy newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February on disputed collusion and sedition charges, as part of a mounting national security crackdown on the former British colony by Beijing.
Sebastien Lai told The Independent that he “held hope” that Hong Kong would “act rationally and release my father” if the US president presses the issue during meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Mr Trump pledged during his 2024 campaign to secure his release and earlier this week vowed to bring up the case on his trip to Beijing.
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Jimmy Lai’s son pins hopes on Trump to rescue jailed media tycoon during Xi visit
Bilateral talks end after two hours
05:59 , Shweta SharmaThe closed-door bilateral talks between Trump and Xi have ended. The talks lasted two hours, almost double the duration it was originally scheduled.
He is set to visit the Temple of Heaven and later take part in a state banquet held in his honour.
No ‘big fat hug’ as Xi and Trump stick to protocol at start of crucial summit
05:52 , Shweta SharmaDonald Trump did not receive the “big fat hug” from Xi Jinping that he had predicted ahead of his formal welcome ceremony in Beijing on Thursday.
Kicking off the pomp-filled two-day summit, Trump was greeted by Xi on the red carpet at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People with the leaders shaking hands and smiling warmly.
A brass band played the national anthems as the leaders walked past rows of military honour guards and children waving Chinese and US flags and flowers. Trump was also seen occasionally patting Xi on the back during the ceremony.
Weeks earlier, Trump had suggested in a social media post that Xi would greet him with a “big, fat hug” upon his arrival in Beijing.
Trump-Xi meeting is still underway, White House official says
05:44 , Shweta SharmaA White House official has confirmed that the closed-door meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping is still underway in the Great Hall of the People.
Why Xi is urging Trump to avoid the ‘Thucydides Trap’
05:15 , Shweta SharmaIn remarks welcoming Trump, Xi name-checked an ancient Greek historian to express his hopes that the US and China can avoid conflict, saying that history, the world and its people were asking “whether the two countries can transcend the 'Thucydides Trap' and forge a new model for relations between major powers".
Xi was referring to a term that’s popular in foreign policy studies, based on the idea that when a rising power threatens to displace an established power, the result is often war.
It comes from Thucydides’ account of the destructive Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, in which he remarked that: “It was the rise of Athens, and the fear that rise engendered in Sparta, that made war inevitable.”
Trump will soon tour the Temple of Heaven
05:11 , Shweta SharmaBuilt in the 15th century, the Temple of Heaven was a site where emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped Heaven and prayed for bountiful harvests. The site was inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List in 1998.
Located south of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the site’s design reflects the ancient Chinese belief that heaven is round and the earth is square. A main building there is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an iconic, blue-tiled building known for its circular design and triple-eaved roof.
According to the Unesco website, it is not only the most complete imperial sacrificial building complex in China but also the world’s biggest building complex for offering sacrifice to heaven.
The temple has been closed to visitors for three days as preparations were made for the visit.
Inside the Trump–Xi summit: Why the venue matters and what may be served
US industry leaders are in China to 'pay respects', Trump says
04:50 , Shweta SharmaIn his remarks, Donald Trump also briefly spoke about the huge cohort of business leaders who are accompanying him on the trip.
Trump has brought along some of the biggest names in US industry, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Apple CEO Tim Cook.He said they are here to “pay respects” and build business in the nation.
“We have amazing people, and they’re all with me,” Trump said during opening remarks.
“We asked the top 30 in the world. Every single one of them said yes, and I didn’t want the second or the third in the company. I wanted only the top. And they’re here today to pay respects to you and to China, and they look forward to trade and doing business, and it’s going to be totally reciprocal on our behalf,” he said.
Here are some of the executives Trump brought with him to China for his high-stakes summit with president Xi Jinping:
- Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX
- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
- Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA
- Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock
- Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone
- Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi
- Ryan McInerney, CEO of Visa
- Dina Powell McCormick, President of Meta
Recap: Trump and Xi meet in Beijing
04:30 , Shweta SharmaDonald Trump and Xi Jinping have met in Beijing for a high-profile, closely choreographed summit set against a backdrop of tight security, a military display and a red carpet welcome at the Great Hall of the People.
The two leaders shook hands on arrival before walking together along the red carpet as senior US officials – including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth and business figures such as Elon Musk – looked on.
A formal welcome ceremony followed, with marching troops, music and a full guard of honour.
There was no hug between the two leaders, with the encounter remaining strictly protocol-driven.In opening remarks, Xi Jinping stressed the significance of the moment, saying “the whole world is watching our meeting. Currently transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe and the international situation is fluid and turbulent”.
He framed the talks around global responsibility and US–China relations, asking: “The world has come to a new crossroads: can China and the US overcome the Thucydides trap and create a new paradigm of relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide more stability for the world? Can we, in the interest of our world, of our two peoples, and the future of humanity, build a brighter future for our bilateral relations?”
“These are the questions vital to history, to the world, and to the people. They are the questions of our times that you and I need to answer as leaders of major countries.”
Trump, in response, said it was “an honour” to meet Xi, adding: “We’ve gotten along, when there were difficulties we worked it out. I would call you and you would call me. People don’t know, whenever we had a problem we worked it out very quickly.”
He described Xi as “a great leader” and said he had brought “the best business leaders in the world” on the trip “only the top people here today to pay respects to you”.
Calling it “the biggest summit ever”, Trump said he looked forward to the discussions ahead, adding: “It’s an honour to be with you, it’s an honour to be your friend,” and expressing confidence that US–China relations would be “better than ever before”.
WATCH: Trump posts slo-mo montage of his arrival in China
04:30 , Rachel DobkinNo women at the table as Trump and Xi meet in Beijing
04:27 , Shweta SharmaAn interesting point emerging from today’s meeting is the visible absence of women at the negotiating table.
All those seated around the long table were men from both the US and Chinese sides, as Trump and Xi delivered their remarks across the room at the Great Hall of the People.
Women remain underrepresented at the highest levels of power in both Washington and Beijing. Neither country has ever had a female head of state, and China’s Politburo currently has no women among its top leadership.
While Trump’s White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is the first woman to hold that role, she did not travel to Beijing. White House chief of protocol Monica Crowley is present on the trip but is not part of the core meeting with Xi.
At present, just four women serve in Trump’s cabinet following recent departures and reshuffles.
Full list of U.S. presidents who have visited China
04:00 , Rachel DobkinHere is a full list of U.S. presidents who have made trips to China:
- Richard Nixon in 1972
- Gerald R. Ford in 1975
- Ronald Reagan in 1984
- George H.W. Bush in 1989
- Bill Clinton in 1998
- George W. Bush in 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2008
- Barack Obama in 2009, 2014 and 2016
- Donald Trump in 2017 and 2026
Trump says this is the ‘biggest summit ever’
03:56 , Shweta SharmaTrump repeatedly played up his personal relationship with Xi as the two leaders sat down with their teams to start bilateral talks.
“It’s an honour to be with you,” Trump said. “It’s an honour to be your friend and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.”
Trump said he was "particularly impressed" by the crowds of children who greeted him."They were happy. They were beautiful."
"You and I have known each other now for a long time. In fact, the longest relationship of our two countries that any president has had, and that's to me, an honour. We've had a fantastic relationship. We've gotten along. When there were difficulties, we worked it out."
Watch as Trump tells Xi 'you're a great leader'
03:46 , Shweta SharmaRubio and Trump offer contrasting takes on Iran discussions in China
03:46 , Shweta SharmaSecretary of state Marco Rubio, who is in China as part of Donald Trump’s entourage, said administration officials will underscore that “economies are melting down because of [the Iran] crisis” and that will result in consumers “buying less Chinese product.”
“So it’s in their interest to resolve this,” Rubio said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they’re doing now and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said.
The message contrasts with comments by Trump, who downplayed differences with Xi over Iran before departing from Washington.
“We have a lot of things to discuss,” Trump told reporters. “I wouldn’t say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control.”
The contrast between Xi's remarks and President Trump's was quite stark
03:46 , Andrew FeinbergWhile Xi opened the meeting by posing several key questions – including whether the U.S. and China can "overcome the Thucydides trap," a term coined by U.S. political scientist Graham Allison for when relations between a rising power and an existing great power trend towards war –Trump used his speaking time in front of the cameras to praise Xi and talk about himself and the Chinese leader's personal relationship and brag about the large delegation of corporate leaders who accompanied him to Beijing.
Xi tells Trump 'we should be partners and not rivals'
03:43 , Shweta SharmaIn his opening remarks, Xi said that “the whole world is watching our meeting. Currently, a transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe and the international situation is fluid and turbulent”.
“Welcome back to China after nine years,” he said.
He added: “The world has come to a new crossroads: can China and the US overcome the Thucydides trap and create a new paradigm of relations?
“Can we meet global challenges together and provide more stability for the world?
Can we, in the interest of our world, of our two peoples, and the future of humanity, build a brighter future for our bilateral relations?”“These are the questions vital to history, to the world, and to the people. They are the questions of our times that you and I need to answer as leaders of major countries.”
“This year is the 250th anniversary of American independence,” he added.
“Our two countries have more common interests than differences. Success in one is an opportunity for the other, and a stable bilateral relationship is good for the world. China and the US both stand to gain from cooperation and not lose from confrontation.”
“We should be partners and not rivals. We should help each other succeed and prosper together. Find a way for major countries to get along with each other in the new era,” he said.
Xi and Trump conclude opening remarks
03:35 , Shweta SharmaBoth leaders have opening remarks.
Trump nodded as Xi spoke and the Chinese leader smiled as Trump thanked him for the welcome.
Trump tells Xi 'you're a great leader'
03:32 , Shweta SharmaIt’s now Trump’s turn to speak and he called Xi a “great leader”.
“You're a great leader... sometimes people don't like me saying it but I keep saying it because it's true,” he said.
Trump said trade is going to be reciprocal.
