US President Donald Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport during his visit, May 13, 2026, in Beijing, China.
Evan Vucci | Reuters
US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing for a long-awaited presidential meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
President Trump’s visit included Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia Boss Jensen Huang.
The president was greeted on the tarmac by a brass band and waving flags, then descended the steps of Air Force One as they played.
On Thursday, President Trump is scheduled to participate in a welcoming ceremony, hold bilateral talks with President Xi, tour the historic Temple of Heaven, and attend a state dinner.
He is scheduled to leave China on Friday after having tea and a working lunch with President Xi.
The high-stakes talks between the two leaders are expected to cover issues such as tariffs, rare earths, AI, the Iran war, and Taiwan. Experts predict that Trump and Xi may announce large orders from China for American aircraft and soybeans after their meeting concludes.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, President Trump said he expected “great things” to come out of the summit.
“It’s in the interests of both leaders to stabilize the relationship and reduce tensions rather than divide them,” Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who just visited China with a congressional delegation, said Wednesday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
“We’re hopeful that we’ll get some kind of trade deal, and I think it’s going to be Boeing, beef and beans,” Daines said.
—CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.
