U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the war in Iran emerging as a central issue alongside trade, technology competition and Taiwan.
Trump is expected to urge China to use its economic and political influence over Iran to help stabilize the conflict, though analysts say Beijing is unlikely to fully align with Washington’s objectives.
The two-day visit comes as the United States faces mounting scrutiny over its military campaign in Iran and as global oil markets remain unsettled by instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump was greeted at the airport by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng in a reception marked by flag-waving crowds and ceremonial honors, a gesture viewed by analysts as a sign of Beijing’s intent to project stability and diplomatic confidence.
Trump traveled to China accompanied by senior U.S. business leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, as trade and technology disputes remain a key focus of the talks.
Before arriving in Beijing, Trump said he would ask Xi to “open up” China further to U.S. industry and technology firms.
The summit takes place against the backdrop of declining trade between the world’s two largest economies and continuing disputes over tariffs and technology restrictions.
China has also positioned itself as a major competitor in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, increasing demand for high-end computing chips while facing tighter U.S. export controls.
Beijing retains leverage through its dominance in rare earth mineral processing, a critical supply chain for global technology industries and an area that has previously become a flashpoint during trade disputes with Washington.
The discussions are also expected to include Taiwan, where tensions remain elevated after the United States approved a major arms package for Taipei last year.
The Iran conflict is expected to dominate much of the closed-door discussions between Trump and Xi.
U.S. officials view China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, as one of the few countries with sufficient influence to persuade Tehran to return to negotiations with Washington.
However, analysts say Beijing faces competing priorities.
China relies heavily on energy shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz and wants regional stability, but Iran also remains one of Beijing’s most important strategic partners in the Middle East and a counterweight to U.S. influence.
Chinese officials have opposed what they describe as unilateral U.S. sanctions and warned against escalating tensions during the ongoing conflict.
The Trump administration has considered additional sanctions against Chinese entities linked to Iranian trade, though experts say broader measures against major Chinese banks could trigger severe economic retaliation and revive trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Despite public pressure on China, Trump said before departing Washington that he did not believe U.S. negotiators ultimately needed Beijing’s help to resolve the conflict with Iran.