President Donald Trump is set to press for improved conditions for US businesses during his highly anticipated visit to Beijing, saying he will ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to "open up" the country.
Writing on his Truth Social platform as he travelled to China on Air Force One on Wednesday, Trump said the request would be his “very first” priority in talks with Xi, whom he described as a leader of “extraordinary distinction.”
He added that US business leaders were “brilliant people” who could help take China “to an even higher level.”
Trump is headed to China with a high-level business delegation that includes Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tesla's Elon Musk, Apple's Tim Cook and Boeing's Kelly Ortberg.
Ahead of his arrival in Beijing on Wednesday evening, top negotiators from both sides held talks on trade and economic issues, with China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meeting in Incheon near Seoul.
China’s state news agency Xinhua described the hours-long discussions as “frank” and “constructive,” adding that the two sides also discussed bilateral cooperation.
China’s Foreign Ministry welcomed Trump’s upcoming visit, with spokesman Guo Jiakun saying Trump and Xi would discuss key issues in US-China relations as well as “world peace.”
The visit is seen as an important test for ties between the world’s two largest economies. In addition to trade and market access, discussions are expected to cover export controls on technology, the Iran conflict and Taiwan.
According to the White House, Trump is scheduled to attend a welcome ceremony and hold bilateral talks with Xi on Thursday, followed by a joint visit to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a state banquet.
Before departing on Friday, he is expected to meet Xi again for morning tea and further discussions.
Trump and Xi's last face-to-face meeting was in October in South Korea, where they agreed to pause their escalating trade war.
