Trump China Visit LIVE Update: Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a major diplomatic and economic summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking one of the most closely watched US-China meetings in recent years.
Trump landed in the Chinese capital with a high-profile delegation that included some of America’s biggest technology and business leaders. Chinese officials welcomed the US president with a ceremonial reception featuring a brass band, flag bearers and chants of “welcome welcome, a warm welcome” as Trump entered his presidential motorcade.
The summit comes at a time when relations between Washington and Beijing remain tense over trade, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, tariffs and global influence.
Trump China Visit LIVE Update: Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Nvidia CEO Join Trump in China
Several top American business executives accompanied Trump during his Beijing visit, highlighting the economic importance of the summit.
Among the prominent names seen arriving in Beijing were:
- Elon Musk
- Tim Cook
- Jensen Huang
- Kelly Ortberg
Trump’s son Eric Trump was also seen walking alongside the delegation before the motorcade left the airport.
The presence of technology and manufacturing leaders signals that trade and business agreements will remain central to the discussions between the two countries.
China Sends Vice-President Han Zheng to Welcome Trump
Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng personally received Trump at the airport as he stepped off Air Force One. Political analysts viewed the move as a significant diplomatic gesture from Beijing. During Trump’s 2017 China visit, a lower-ranking Chinese official received him instead.
JUST IN: President Trump departs Air Force One after landing in Beijing for his long-awaited talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
It marks his first visit in nearly nine years, with both sides putting diplomacy on full display before negotiations begin. pic.twitter.com/KlsSQJYqw1
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 13, 2026
Han Zheng had also attended Trump’s inauguration last year, indicating continued high-level engagement between the two governments.
US-China Trade Gap and Tariff War Expected to Dominate Discussions
Trade remains one of the biggest issues in the Trump-Xi meeting. Although the US and China continue to maintain massive commercial ties, trade volumes between the two countries have declined sharply in recent years because of tariffs, sanctions and growing economic rivalry.
Last year, two-way trade between the nations stood at around $414.7 billion, significantly lower than the 2022 peak of $690.4 billion. The United States also continues to face a major trade imbalance, importing more than $200 billion worth of additional goods from China compared to what it exports.
American industries such as soybean farming, beef exports and aircraft manufacturing are expected to benefit if both countries agree to increase Chinese purchases of US products.
Boeing and Technology Sector Watching Summit Closely
Boeing is among the companies closely monitoring the outcome of the summit. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg recently expressed confidence that the talks could result in major aircraft purchase agreements from China.
At the same time, semiconductor and artificial intelligence companies are also paying close attention to the discussions, especially because advanced AI chips have become a key point of conflict between the two global powers.
Trump in China: Trump’s 2017 China Visit
Since Trump’s last China visit in 2017, relations between the two countries have changed dramatically. The trade war, the Covid-19 pandemic and technology restrictions have reshaped global supply chains and increased tensions between Washington and Beijing.
China has since expanded its global trade partnerships, strengthened its manufacturing sector and invested heavily in artificial intelligence and green technology. Analysts believe Xi Jinping will use this summit to present China as a more confident and economically independent global power.
