US President Donald Trump is in Beijing on Thursday for high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as both sides attempt to preserve a fragile trade truce while navigating tensions over Iran, Taiwan and technology exports. The visit marks Trump’s first trip to China since 2017 and comes at a politically sensitive moment for the U.S. president, whose approval ratings have been hit by the ongoing Iran conflict.
Joining Trump on the trip is a heavyweight business delegation that includes Elon Musk and Jensen Huang.
At the centre of the summit is a trade understanding reached last October, when Trump suspended triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods and Beijing eased pressure on global rare earth exports. Moreover, Taiwan is expected to emerge as one of the most sensitive flashpoints during the summit. China reiterated this week that it strongly opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, including a proposed $14-billion package awaiting Trump’s approval.