BEIJING: US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing for a high-profile two-day state visit, where he is scheduled to hold discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The US president’s first official event today will be a formal welcome ceremony hosted by Xi at the Great Hall of the People.
The two leaders are expected to engage in bilateral talks ahead of a state banquet planned for later this evening.
Key issues on the agenda include tariffs, technological competition, the Iran conflict, and tensions surrounding Taiwan, reflecting the broad strategic rivalry between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump is accompanied by several major technology executives, including Elon Musk of Tesla and Jensen Huang of Nvidia. Before departing for China, Trump said he would urge Beijing to “open up” further to American businesses and industries.
Having last visited China in 2017 during his previous presidency, Trump now returns to a more economically and politically assertive China that is increasingly positioning itself as a stable global force.
The visit had originally been planned for March but was postponed due to the conflict involving Iran.
(Inputs from BBC)
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