North American President Donald Trump arrived in China today for a summit with his counterpart Xi Jinping, which will address topics such as international trade, the war in Iran and the sale of weapons to Taiwan.
North American President Donald Trump arrived in China today for a summit with his counterpart Xi Jinping, which will address topics such as international trade, the war in Iran and the sale of weapons to Taiwan.
This is the first visit by a US president to China since Trump himself visited in November 2017.
The highlight of the visit will only come on Thursday, when the two leaders will hold bilateral talks and a formal banquet.
The Chinese are offering Trump a pompous welcome after the US presidential plane, Air Force One, landed in the Chinese capital at 7:50 pm local time (12:50 pm in Lisbon).
Trump is expected to be received by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Chinese Ambassador to Washington Xie Feng and Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu, as well as the United States (US) envoy to Beijing, David Perdue, according to the White House.
The welcoming ceremony will include around 300 Chinese youth, a military honor guard and a military band.
Xi will receive Trump on Thursday at 10am local time (3am in Lisbon) in the Great Hall of the People in Tianamen Square, in the heart of Beijing and which will be under heavy protection.
The pomp of the reception and the signs of attention shown to a guest who postponed this trip, initially planned for the end of March and which was postponed due to the war in Iran, will not make the multiple disagreements that await the two leaders behind closed doors disappear.
Trump, apparently focused on business, took with him several business leaders, including former advisor Elon Musk, leader of Tesla and SpaceX and the richest man on the planet, the heads of Apple, Tim Cook, Boeing, Kelly Ortberg, and electronic chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang.
“I will ask President Xi, an unparalleled leader, to open up China so that these brilliant people can work their magic and help take the People’s Republic to an even higher level!” wrote Trump on his social network Truth Social, on his way to China.
At the top of the US wish list is the announcement of agreements in areas such as agriculture and perhaps the confirmation of a massive order for Boeing aircraft.
“China welcomes President Trump’s state visit,” said Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Beijing is ready to “expand cooperation and manage disputes”, he said, repeating Beijing’s mantra in the run-up to the summit: the search for “more stability and certainty in a world beset by change and turbulence”.
Trump and Xi are expected to seek to extend the truce in the tariff war reached in October.
