President Donald Trump landed in Beijing on Wednesday night for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking the first visit by a US president to China since 2017. A military band and a guard of honor greeted him on the tarmac. Trump said on Truth Social he would ask Xi to open the economy so American executives could "work their magic."
Vice President Han Zheng and US Ambassador to China David Perdue were among the first to greet Trump near the aircraft. A group of roughly 300 young people waved American and Chinese flags in a choreographed display. The reception was a deliberate signal.
Beijing rolled out a ceremonial welcome reserved for the most significant state visits. Eric Trump and Lara Trump followed the president down the steps. Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also in the official party.
The family presence was notable. It blurred the line between a diplomatic mission and a personal endeavor. The delegation includes Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Their presence underscores the economic stakes. China remains a critical market for both companies. Nvidia’s advanced chips face export restrictions.
Apple assembles most of its products there. The trip is not just about geopolitics. It is about supply chains and quarterly earnings.
Trump posted on Truth Social before landing. He called Xi a “Leader of extraordinary distinction.” He said he would ask the Chinese president to “open up” the economy. The goal: let top US executives “work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level!” The language was striking.
A US president framing American business as a tool for China’s advancement breaks with decades of rhetorical tradition. Follow the leverage, not the rhetoric. Trump arrives with a weak hand on trade.
Tariffs from his first term remain largely in place. China’s economy is slowing. Beijing wants technology transfers and market access.
Trump wants a deal he can sell as a win. The math does not add up. Both sides need something, but neither wants to be seen conceding first.
The last US presidential visit to China was Trump’s own trip in November 2017. That visit included a lavish reception at the Forbidden City. The current trip is shorter and more transactional.
No state dinner has been announced. The schedule focuses on working meetings Thursday and Friday. Reuters reported that the talks will cover trade imbalances, technology restrictions, and the fentanyl supply chain.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Trump’s team wants progress on TikTok’s ownership status. The Chinese readout, according to Xinhua, emphasized “mutual respect” and “win-win cooperation.” The gap between those phrases and Trump’s “work their magic” framing is wide. Musk’s role is particularly complex.
Tesla operates a massive factory in Shanghai. The company faces intense competition from BYD and other domestic EV makers. Musk has cultivated a personal relationship with Chinese officials.
He met Premier Li Qiang in April. His presence on the tarmac was a visual reminder of those ties. Jensen Huang’s attendance carries equal weight.
Nvidia’s H20 chips, designed to comply with US export controls, are still sold to Chinese firms. Beijing wants access to more advanced technology. Washington wants to maintain its AI advantage.
Huang is caught in the middle. His company’s stock price swings on every headline about chip restrictions. Here is what they are not telling you.
The Chinese economy grew 4.6% in the first quarter, missing government targets. Youth unemployment remains above 15%. A trade deal with the US would offer Xi a much-needed economic boost.
Trump knows this. The question is what Xi will give in return. The ceremonial welcome was carefully calibrated.
A military band played both national anthems. The guard of honor stood at attention. The 300 young people waving flags were not a spontaneous crowd.
They were organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, a group tied to the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department. The optics matter. Beijing wants to project stability and control.
Trump’s Truth Social post also praised Xi’s leadership during “challenging times.” The phrasing was vague. It could refer to economic headwinds, tensions with Taiwan, or domestic political pressures. The ambiguity was likely intentional.
Trump avoids criticizing Xi publicly. That pattern held through his first term and has continued. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s presence is notable.
Rubio has been a vocal critic of China on human rights and trade practices. He was sanctioned by Beijing in 2020. Those sanctions remain in place.
His inclusion in the delegation suggests the administration wants to signal toughness. Or it could simply reflect the reality that Rubio is the top US diplomat. Either way, Chinese state media did not mention him in initial reports.
The business delegation is larger than any Trump took to China in his first term. Apple’s Tim Cook has navigated US-China tensions carefully. He visited Beijing in March and met with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.
Apple’s revenue from Greater China was $72.6 billion in fiscal 2024. That is nearly 20% of total sales. Cook cannot afford a trade war.
Trump’s “work their magic” comment drew immediate scrutiny. Critics argued it framed American companies as agents of Chinese economic development. Supporters said it was a negotiating tactic.
The president often uses flattery before making demands. The pattern is familiar. He praised Kim Jong Un before walking away from the Hanoi summit in 2019.
The timing of the visit coincides with rising tensions in the South China Sea. The Philippine navy reported a confrontation with Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday. The US has a mutual defense treaty with Manila.
The issue is expected to be raised in the meetings. Taiwan remains the most sensitive topic. China’s military conducted drills near the island in April.
Trump has not clarified his position on defending Taiwan. His ambiguity is deliberate. It keeps both Beijing and Taipei guessing.
Why It Matters: The summit will set the terms for US-China economic relations through the end of Trump’s term. A deal could ease supply chain pressures and lower consumer prices. A breakdown would accelerate decoupling.
American companies with China exposure—Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, and dozens of others—face binary outcomes. Their stock prices will move on every headline from the meetings. Key takeaways from the visit so far: - Trump’s delegation includes the CEOs of the three most valuable US companies, signaling that economic negotiations will dominate the agenda. - Trump’s public flattery of Xi masks a weak negotiating position on trade, where tariffs have not delivered the concessions he promised in his first term. - The presence of Marco Rubio, sanctioned by Beijing since 2020, introduces a diplomatic complication that Chinese state media has already downplayed.
Thursday’s meetings begin at 10 a.m. local time. The first session will be a one-on-one between Trump and Xi. A larger delegation meeting follows in the afternoon.
A joint statement is possible Friday evening. No press conference has been confirmed. The Chinese side typically resists unscripted media appearances.
The last time Trump and Xi met, the trade war was in full swing. Tariffs covered $370 billion in Chinese goods. The Phase One deal bought temporary calm.
That agreement expired in 2021. No replacement has been negotiated. The current talks start from scratch.
Watch for three signals. First, whether Trump mentions Taiwan in public remarks. Second, whether any concrete trade commitments emerge by Friday.
Third, how Chinese state media frames the visit. If they emphasize “mutual respect” without mentioning concessions, Beijing believes it has the upper hand. If they highlight specific deliverables, a deal is close.
The motorcade left the airport at 9:47 p.m. Trump’s convoy passed under red banners reading “Long live the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” The banners were new. They were not there last week.
Someone hung them for this moment.
Key Takeaways
— - Trump's delegation includes the CEOs of the three most valuable US companies, signaling that economic negotiations will dominate the agenda.
— - The ceremonial welcome was a calculated display of Chinese hospitality, designed to create a positive atmosphere before hard bargaining begins.
— - Trump's public flattery of Xi masks a weak negotiating position on trade, where tariffs have not delivered the concessions he promised in his first term.
— - The presence of Marco Rubio, sanctioned by Beijing since 2020, introduces a diplomatic complication that Chinese state media has already downplayed.
Source: Forbes
