Trump lands in China for Xi summit with Nvidia CEO in tow

Former US President Donald Trump landed in Beijing on May 13, beginning a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first such visit by a US president in nearly a decade. Accompanying Trump were Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who were invited at the last minute to discuss business challenges in China, particularly Nvidia’s struggle to obtain regulatory approval for its H200 AI chips. Trump’s delegation was greeted with a ceremonial welcome, including a military honor guard and Chinese students waving US and Chinese flags. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated he would ask Xi to 'open up' China for US businesses, framing the request as a priority for the summit. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, responded by emphasizing Beijing’s readiness to expand cooperation and manage differences to bring stability to global relations. Trade negotiations led by Trump’s trade negotiator, Scott Bessent, concluded in South Korea ahead of the summit, with Chinese officials describing the talks as 'candid, in-depth, and constructive.' The discussions focused on maintaining a fragile trade truce struck last October, which suspended US tariffs on Chinese goods and prevented Beijing from restricting rare earth exports critical for industries like electric vehicles and defense. The summit agenda includes a state banquet, a tour of Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, and discussions on sensitive topics such as US arms sales to Taiwan, the Iran conflict, and AI collaboration. Trump has signaled he may encourage China to pressure Iran toward a deal with the US, though he has expressed skepticism about China’s influence. Meanwhile, China reiterated its opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan, where a $14 billion defense package remains pending Trump’s approval. Both sides are expected to explore forums for trade and investment, as well as potential deals for Boeing aircraft, farm goods, and energy exports. The visit aims to stabilize economic relations amid broader geopolitical tensions, though no specific agreements have been announced.