BEIJING — US President Donald Trump arrived in China on Wednesday for a three-day state visit overshadowed by the ongoing conflict with Iran and mounting tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade, technology and regional security issues.
Trump was welcomed with a guard of honor after Air Force One landed at Beijing Capital International Airport, where Chinese Vice President Han Zheng received the US president alongside a military band and groups of young performers.
The trip marks the first visit by a sitting US president to China in nine years.
The reception was notably higher in rank than Trump’s 2017 visit, when he was welcomed by then-State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
Trump later arrived at his hotel in Beijing and is not scheduled to hold official engagements until Thursday morning.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to host Trump for summit talks at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, with discussions set to focus on the Middle East conflict, Taiwan, trade disputes and tariffs.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he planned to raise the issue of US arms sales to Taiwan as well as the case of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
Beijing, meanwhile, said the talks would cover “major issues concerning China-US relations, world peace and development.”
Trump is accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as a large delegation of American business leaders.
The executives traveling with the president include Jensen Huang of Nvidia, Elon Musk of Tesla, Tim Cook of Apple, Larry Fink of BlackRock, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone, Kelly Ortberg of Boeing, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs and Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, among others.
Trump’s son Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump also accompanied the president on the visit.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to join the delegation later in Beijing after concluding trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in South Korea.
First Lady Melania Trump is not accompanying the president on the trip, unlike Trump’s 2017 state visit when both were hosted by Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan.
The visit comes amid continued fallout from the conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, which prompted attacks against Israel and Gulf countries, as well as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Although a prolonged ceasefire is currently in effect, tensions remain high.
China has repeatedly called for dialogue and de-escalation in the region, while Washington has accused Beijing of supporting Iran’s military and economic capabilities.
Trump’s visit was originally scheduled for March 31-April 2 but was postponed because of the US-Iran conflict.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have also grown increasingly strained during Trump’s second term amid disputes over tariffs, technology restrictions and China’s tightening control over rare earth exports.
Bilateral trade between the two countries totaled an estimated $414.7 billion in 2025.
Source: Saudi Gazette