Trump and Xi to Meet at High-Stakes Summit

President Trump arrived in Beijing for a two-day summit with Xi Jinping, the first such presidential visit in nearly a decade. Amid ceremonial events like tea and a Temple of Heaven tour, the talks aim to build personal rapport—key to Trump's view of leader relationships—and manage rivalry between the world's two superpowers through "transactional detente," or small, practical agreements to avoid escalation.

Summit Setup and Trade Priorities

Preparations in Beijing signal high symbolism, with hundreds of officials coordinating for bilateral talks starting Thursday at the Great Hall of the People. Trump prioritizes economic wins ahead of U.S. midterms, seeking Chinese purchases of soybeans, beef, and Boeing aircraft to shrink the trade deficit and aid the heartland. Boeing's CEO joins a delegation including Elon Musk (Tesla), Tim Cook (Apple), and Jensen Huang (Nvidia), underscoring business focus.

The backdrop is last year's tariff war: U.S. duties hit China hardest, prompting retaliation that shook global markets. A Busan truce in October lowered tariffs and eased export controls; expectations here center on extending that for stability. Trump views tariffs as leverage, but outcomes will likely be modest deals signaling the trade war's wind-down, benefiting U.S. exporters without upending relations.