Donald Trump arrived in Beijing with his delegation shortly before 8 p.m. local time for a two-day series of high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at a time of intense geopolitical shifts and growing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Trump’s arrival — after stepping off the aircraft stairs and greeting the crowd with a raised fist — was marked by exceptional ceremony and symbolism, something the American president traditionally appreciates. Waiting for him at the airport were Chinese Vice President Han Zheng (widely regarded as Xi’s envoy at diplomatic events and who attended Trump’s presidential inauguration last year), along with senior Chinese and American officials.

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

Among them were US Ambassador to China David Perdue, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng, and China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. Walking behind the American president on the red carpet were, among others, his son Eric Trump, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, Tesla chief Elon Musk, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

The welcoming ceremony included a military honor guard, a military band, and around 300 young Chinese participants dressed in matching blue-and-white uniforms, lined up along the runway holding Chinese and American flags.

Elon Musk just arrived in Beijing, China aboard Air Force One with President Donald J. Trump. pic.twitter.com/S2fy2egzZz

— David Soiza (@SoizaDavid) May 13, 2026

Trump’s official reception by Xi Jinping is scheduled for Thursday morning around 10 a.m. China time.

The talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on US–China trade relations, technological rivalry, the Taiwan issue, and the war with Iran, which is affecting global energy markets and security balances in Asia and the Middle East.

America’s Top Business Leaders Join Trump to Improve Trade Relations

Several top business executives disembarked alongside President Trump in Beijing, including the CEOs of Nvidia, Apple, Tesla, and Boeing.

Overall, however, trade volume between the two countries has declined in recent years amid an escalating trade war, tariffs, and other commercial restrictions.

Last year, bilateral trade amounted to $414.7 billion, significantly lower than the $690.4 billion recorded in 2022.

One of the major issues Trump faces is the trade imbalance, as last year the US imported more than $200 billion worth of goods from China beyond what it exported there.

One proposed way to address this problem is by increasing sales of American products to China — something likely to be popular domestically due to the jobs and opportunities it could create.

Some of the most likely beneficiaries could be American soybean and beef producers, as well as Boeing. Its CEO, Kelly Ortberg, recently told investors he was “very optimistic” about a deal that could result in orders for a “large number” of new aircraft following this summit.