President Donald Trump has touched down in Beijing, kicking off a three-day visit marking the first time a sitting US president has visited China in roughly nine years as the two global superpowers grapple for economic dominance while dancing to a diplomatic tune.
Arrival and Delegation
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng greeted Trump at Beijing airport. US Ambassador to China David Purdue and China’s Ambassador to the US Xie Feng were also there to welcome the President. The trip, delayed by the US-Israel war against Iran, features a delegation of US titans of industry set on striking deals with Chinese counterparts.
It is the first time a sitting US president has visited China since Trump's first-term visit in 2017. But this journey to Beijing comes amid global concerns over trade, the Iran war, and artificial intelligence.
Who's on Air Force One
The President's Air Force One posse included Elon Musk, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang (who was scooped up on a refueling stop in Alaska), Eric and Lara Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Fox News host Sean Hannity, and 'Rush Hour' Director Brett Ratner.
Trump's arrival with a verified boardroom of CEOs, including Musk, Huang, Apple's Tim Cook, Boeing's Kelly Ortberg, Goldman Sachs' David Solomon, GE Aerospace's Larry Culp, and others, signifies the full arsenal of American capitalist firepower touching down in communist China. The executives cover a large portion of US industries ranging from tech, finance, banking, aerospace, and more.
Pragmatic Pivot
As globalist trends fade and nations turn inward to provide for themselves in an increasingly self-isolating environment, the President's choice to bring a group of hand-selected CEOs underscores a pragmatic pivot to outsourcing some of America's economic hurdles to private citizens while Trump engages with his 'friend' Chinese President Xi Jinping. The board of US businessmen arriving in Beijing with the President represent tens of trillions of dollars.
Business Agendas
Each of the businesses all have their own China-related problems to solve: NVIDIA wants to sell its AI-powering chips in China, Visa wants to regain ground to digital-first Chinese payment systems, Boeing wants to sell a load of aircraft to Chinese buyers, Apple wants to stabilize its China-based supply lines and protect its IP, and the list goes on.
'I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to 'open up' China so that these brilliant people can work their magic,' Trump posted on social media while on Air Force One. 'I will make that my very first request.'
While most state visits feature a cadre of diplomats, military leaders, and agency heads, Trump has deliberately loaded up his presidential aircraft with dealmakers. The CEOs are not there for show; rather, they are there to negotiate terms that fuel US and Chinese ambitions.
Diplomatic Agenda
Meanwhile, Trump has a long laundry list of issues to iron out with Xi, including the Iran war, differences over the fate of Taiwan (which China claims as its territory), the US-China competition for AI dominance, and tamping down rhetoric that has painted the US and China as adversaries.
So far, the Iran war has cost America $29 billion — that’s even higher than the $25 billion figure the Pentagon provided to Congress two weeks ago. The Republican postponed his originally planned trip to China by a few months so he could stay in the US as the war on Iran ramped up. Three months later, that conflict is still roiling, though a shaky ceasefire has bought both sides time to negotiate an end to hostilities.
Trump has sought to bring in Xi as a mediator in the conflict, noting how China purchases the lion's share of Iranian energy exports to power its ever-growing industrial and manufacturing base.
Previous Meetings
During the two presidents' last face-to-face meeting in Busan, South Korea, in October, the leaders were able to re-negotiate a tariff deal after Trump's April 2025 'Liberation Day' gambit hit Beijing with bruising high rates. This time around, Trump is reportedly angling to get Xi to come to the table and buy US soybeans, beef, and Boeing planes.
Economic Expectations
Xi is expected to push for tariff relief on the export-heavy Chinese economy, which has suffered from Trump's unexpected volatility; exports make up roughly 20 percent of China's GDP. The Trump administration has floated the idea of a 'Board of Trade' for the US and China to stabilize their balance books.
The board would determine 'what kinds of things should we be importing from China, what kinds of things should we be exporting to China, to really make sure that we can focus on areas of mutual benefit,' Greer said in Paris after meeting with Chinese counterparts alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. 'That's what we expect for leaders to be talking about when they meet,' he added, referring to Trump and Xi's meeting.
There has also been a proposed 'Board of Investment' where China and the US can discuss investment hurdles, such as resolving roadblocks preventing Chinese investment in the US and providing a venue for resolving further economic issues.
Schedule of Events
Following the President's arrival in Beijing, he is expected to have a full two days of bilateral meetings and cultural events. On Thursday morning, Trump will arrive at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing for a formal arrival ceremony alongside Xi. The pair of presidents will then have a nearly two-hour closed-door meeting. After that, Trump will head to his hotel for several hours before heading back to the Great Hall for a state banquet.
On Friday, Trump will participate in a photo-op with Xi before having a ceremonial tea and another bilateral meeting. The Republican is scheduled to depart the Chinese capital Friday afternoon and return to Washington on Friday evening.
