US President Donald Trump departed for Beijing ahead of a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping after weeks of US efforts to persuade China to return Iran to negotiations and ease tensions around the Strait of Hormuz failed.
The leaders of the world’s two largest economies are scheduled to meet on Thursday and Friday during Trump’s first visit to China since 2017, with talks expected to focus on trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the war involving Iran.
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Here’s what we know about the upcoming summit and the key issues expected to dominate the agenda.
Why is the meeting between President Trump and President Xi important?
The Trump-Xi summit is a high-level meeting between President Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, as the world’s two largest economies face rising tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan, and the war with Iran.
This summit meeting is particularly significant as President Trump will be the first US leader to visit China in about 10 years, and the meeting will take place amid heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Originally scheduled for early this year, the conference was postponed due to the war with Iran.
Before leaving for Beijing, Trump said he would have a “long conversation” with Xi about Iran, but stressed that trade would remain a central focus of the visit.
“Trade remains politically powerful, especially for President Trump, because it gives rivalries a language that voters can easily understand,” said Salvador Santino Legirme, associate professor and chair of the international relations program at Leiden University. “But the deeper conflicts have to do with hierarchy, legitimacy, and the future structure of world order.”
Legilm added that the two countries remain locked in a relationship shaped by strategic rivalry and deep economic dependence.
“The United States remains heavily dependent on China’s manufacturing capacity and low-cost production, while China relies on American consumers, technology, access to capital markets, and the broader stability of the dollar-centered global economy.”
“This is the paradox of the U.S.-China conflict. Both sides want greater autonomy, but both remain tied to structures of interdependence that neither can easily dismantle without harming themselves,” Legilum added.
What are the biggest issues at the summit between President Trump and President Xi?
Analysts say the United States and China are approaching the summit with different priorities.
President Trump is expected to focus on trade as he aims to secure an economic victory heading into November’s midterm elections. The U.S. government has called on China to increase its purchases of American products such as Boeing aircraft, beef and soybeans, while also pushing for closer investment and trade cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government is expected to press the United States to ease export controls on advanced semiconductors and reverse measures restricting China’s access to critical semiconductor manufacturing technology. Taiwan is also likely to remain one of the most sensitive and contentious issues at the summit.
Trump also said he would pursue the case against Hong Kong media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, who was convicted and imprisoned earlier this year under China’s national security law.
Beyond the bilateral conflict, the two leaders will also discuss the war with Iran, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, and the growing risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Some of the biggest flashpoints include:
Technology vs rare earths
Technology and supply chains are expected to be among the key topics at the summit, with Washington and Beijing still embroiled in a growing dispute over semiconductors and critical minerals.
The United States has tightened restrictions on advanced chips and chip-making equipment exported to China, saying the measures are necessary to slow Beijing’s military and AI development.
Meanwhile, China, which controls about 90% of the world’s rare earth refining, materials essential to semiconductors, electric vehicles, military equipment and electronics, has responded by tightening export controls on some critical minerals.
Beijing is expected to seek easing of U.S. technology regulations, while the U.S. government wants China to resume shipments of rare earths and critical minerals after export restrictions have disrupted parts of the U.S. auto and aerospace industries.
Iran War and the Strait of Hormuz
The Iran war is expected to be one of the most-watched topics at the summit.
Analysts expect Washington to pressure Beijing to exercise its influence over Tehran, especially since China remains the largest buyer of Iranian oil, purchasing more than 80% of Iran’s crude oil exports. U.S. officials also urged China to support efforts to reopen and secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies.
The conflict has also increased pressure on China’s economy and energy security. About half of China’s oil imports come from the Middle East, but turmoil in the Gulf has left merchant ships vulnerable to attacks and delays.
“There is no question that President Trump intends to at least work with President Xi Jinping to pressure Iran to come back to the table and agree to a settlement,” said Dan Glazier, a senior fellow and director of the National Security Reform Program at the Stimson Center.
Experts say Iran may be one of the few areas where U.S. and Chinese interests overlap, as both countries benefit from a steady flow of energy through the Gulf.
Gregory Pauling, director and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that while “both sides want the straits to be open,” Beijing is unlikely to align too closely with the U.S. approach toward Iran.
While China hopes to restore ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Poling argued that the diplomatic and strategic pressures created by the disruption are falling far more heavily on the United States.
“It is not China that is being humiliated in the Strait…it is the United States.”
Taiwan: A question of survival
Beijing has repeatedly warned that Taiwan remains the biggest source of tension in U.S.-China relations, and Taiwan is expected to become one of the most sensitive issues.
China claims the autonomous island as part of its territory and has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years through regular air and naval operations around the island.
Tensions have further escalated under Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-de, who has been harshly criticized by the Chinese government because his party already considers the island sovereign.
Although the United States officially recognizes the communist mainland as China, it is legally required to support Taiwan’s self-defense under the Taiwan Relations Act, a policy that has long angered China. The U.S. government has approved tens of billions of dollars in military sales to Taiwan over the years, including an $11 billion package announced last year, and President Trump recently said he discussed the issue with Mr. Xi ahead of the summit.
Analysts expect Taiwan to pay close attention to what President Trump and President Xi say publicly after their summit, especially regarding defense and arms sales.
“The important thing is accurate representation,” Legilum says. “Whether President Trump reaffirms his support for Taiwan’s defense, whether he takes an ambiguous stance on arms sales, and whether he gives Mr. Xi rhetorical space to claim that Washington is keeping Taipei in check.”
Legilm said Beijing would likely seek to limit U.S. arms sales and tighten political controls on Taiwan, while also blocking any moves toward formal independence. At the same time, Taipei is concerned that Taipei could become part of a broader geopolitical deal between the United States and China.
“In the politics of great powers, small words often have big consequences, especially for countries whose survival depends on the trust of others,” Legilm added.
customs duty
Trade is also expected to be a challenge after years of friction between the United States and China over tariffs and economic competition.
The latest trade dispute escalated last year when President Trump imposed new tariffs on Chinese goods. China responded with its own tariffs.
At the height of the conflict, tariffs on some products exceeded 100%, raising concerns about the impact on global trade and supply chains.
The two countries then agreed to temporarily ease tensions through a trade ceasefire agreed at talks in South Korea. As part of the deal, China agreed to increase its purchases of U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans, while the U.S. reduced some tariffs.
What counts as a success for Trump and Xi?
Analysts say Trump’s success will likely require him to be both tangible and politically marketable at home. That could include China’s purchases of U.S. goods, moves on tariffs, cooperation with Iran, and progress on rare earth exports.
“Trump’s foreign policy style places so much value on a public record of consensus-building that the prospects for success could be just as important as substance,” Legilum said.
For Mr. Xi, success means ensuring greater economic predictability and China’s recognition as a world power while maintaining stability without appearing to bow to the United States.
“A comprehensive trade agreement seems unlikely as the structural causes of the conflict remain unresolved,” Legilm added.
Instead, he said, a limited agreement is likely to be reached, including a tariff moratorium, purchase commitments, a rare earths agreement, or a framework for future negotiations.
“Such an agreement would temporarily manage the rivalry while leaving deeper issues unaddressed. The two economies remain interdependent, but both governments increasingly treat that dependency as a strategic risk.”
