Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for China and the United States to become “partners, not rivals” as he opened high-stakes talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing, amid mounting tensions over trade, Taiwan, technology and the ongoing Iran conflict.
The closely watched summit, which lasted nearly two hours at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, marked Trump’s first official visit to China since 2017 and comes at a time when both countries are attempting to stabilise strained relations while protecting their own strategic interests.
During the opening remarks, Xi said China-U.S. economic and trade relations are “mutually beneficial and win-win in nature,” adding that trade wars have no winners and consultation remains the only way to resolve disputes. Chinese state media later quoted Xi as warning that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to “conflict and confrontation” between the two global powers.
Trump, in response, praised Xi as a “great leader” and expressed optimism about future ties between the two countries. “The relationship between the United States and China will be better than ever before,” Trump said during the meeting, while also describing the summit as one of the most important diplomatic engagements of his presidency.
The summit agenda covered several sensitive issues including tariffs, artificial intelligence, semiconductor restrictions, Taiwan, rare earth supply chains and the war involving Iran. Washington is reportedly pushing for greater market access for American businesses, while Beijing seeks relief from U.S. technology restrictions and export controls affecting advanced chips and AI-related industries.
Trump arrived in Beijing accompanied by senior officials and leading American business executives, including Elon Musk and Jensen Huang. Ahead of the talks, Trump said he would urge China to “open up” further to U.S. industry and investment opportunities.
Taiwan emerged as one of the most delicate topics during the discussions. Beijing reiterated its opposition to U.S. arms sales and political support for Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory. Analysts say Taiwan remains the single biggest flashpoint capable of destabilising China-U.S. relations despite efforts to preserve economic cooperation.
The Iran war also cast a shadow over the summit, with Washington reportedly encouraging Beijing to play a more active diplomatic role in reducing regional tensions and maintaining energy stability. China, meanwhile, appeared focused on presenting itself as a stable global power amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of a fragile trade truce reached after months of tariff disputes and supply-chain tensions. Chinese officials said recent negotiations between trade teams from both countries produced “balanced and positive outcomes,” raising hopes for further economic cooperation.
Despite the warm public messaging and ceremonial welcome in Beijing, analysts believe major breakthroughs remain uncertain due to deep divisions over technology, security and regional influence. Still, both governments appear eager to avoid another full-scale economic confrontation that could damage already fragile global markets.