US President Donald Trump arrived in China on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking his first state visit to the country since 2017.
He was formally received on arrival by China’s Vice President Han Zheng, with US Ambassador to China David Perdue also present at the welcoming ceremony.
The visit underscores the significance of head-of-state diplomacy in shaping the trajectory of bilateral relations between Washington and Beijing at a time of heightened global uncertainty.
Earlier in the day, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasised the importance of the summit, noting that heads-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for China-US relations.
He stated that China welcomed President Trump’s state visit and highlighted that the two leaders would engage in in-depth exchanges on major issues concerning bilateral ties as well as world peace and development. Guo added that China was prepared to work with the United States to expand cooperation, manage differences in the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit, and provide greater stability and certainty in a transforming and volatile world.
The summit marks the first in-person meeting between Trump and Xi since their encounter in Busan last October. The timing of the visit is particularly significant given the ongoing tensions over trade, technology, and security issues, as well as the broader geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Both sides are expected to use the summit to reaffirm their positions and explore avenues for cooperation, while also addressing contentious matters that have strained relations in recent years.
China’s Embassy in the United States reiterated its position on sensitive issues in China-US relations, issuing a statement that identified “four red lines” which must not be challenged during Trump’s visit. In a post on X, the Embassy declared, “The four red lines in China-US relations must not be challenged.”
An accompanying image listed these red lines as the Taiwan Question, Democracy and Human Rights, Paths and Political Systems, and China’s Development Right. This explicit reiteration of Beijing’s stance signals the firmness with which China intends to defend its core interests during the summit, while also setting clear boundaries for the discussions.
The summit is expected to cover a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, strategic stability, and regional security. It comes against the backdrop of recent US sanctions targeting Iran’s financial and energy networks, which have implications for China’s commercial links with Tehran.
The meeting also follows ongoing conversations between Trump and Xi on Taiwan, with US officials reiterating that there has been no change in American policy despite the sensitivity of the issue. The summit therefore represents a critical juncture in the relationship, with both leaders seeking to balance competition and cooperation in a manner that could shape the future of global order.
Agencies
