US President Donald Trump descended the steps of Air Force One in Beijing on Wednesday evening, greeted with pomp and pageantry ahead of a high-stakes meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
During his two-day visit, the global superpowers are expected to discuss tariffs, competition over tech, the Iran war and the US’s relationship with Taiwan.
Trump returns to a more assertive China since his last visit in 2017, as he faces growing scrutiny of his military campaign in the Middle East.
Trump was originally scheduled to make the trip in March, but it was delayed because of the US and Israel’s war in Iran, which continues to roil the global economy.
When Trump exited the plane on Wednesday evening, he was greeted by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, one of China’s top leaders.
The move is being read as a show of respect for the US president from Beijing, after a lower-level leader received Trump on his last visit.
Also spotted at the welcome – as a red carpet was unravelled across the tarmac – was Trump’s son Eric Trump, and a slew of US tech industry titans, with Tesla’s Elon Musk and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang among them.
“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level,” Trump said in a post on social media ahead of his landing.
Trump said that will be his “very first request” when he meets the Chinese leader.
The war in Iran is expected to dominate the agenda as Trump meets Xi Jinping.
China relies a considerable amount on Iran for oil exports, which have effectively been cut off as ships are unable to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. The country also faces growing pressure from the US to use its economic and political influence over Iran.
China and Iran have an alliance dating back decades, and Beijing is Tehran’s biggest trading partner.
The meeting will also be marked by tensions over Taiwan in the backdrop. The Trump administration has take a mixed approach with Taipei, approving a massive arms deal while downplaying its willingness to defend the island from Chinese aggression.
As for trade, Trump is expected push to increase Chinese purchase of US agricultural products, while Beijing looks to pressure the US to reduce its tariffs on Chinese goods.
By BBC News
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