Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed his US counterpart Donald Trump to Beijing on Thursday morning for a summit to discuss a range of contentious issues and their global implications, from trade to Iran and Taiwan.
Xi greeted Trump at the Great Hall of the People shortly after 10:00 AM (02:00 GMT). The Chinese president also shook hands with several US officials, including Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been known throughout his career as a staunch critic of Beijing.
China warns US that mishandling Taiwan could trigger clashes and conflict
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) May 14, 2026
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According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement on 14 May, President Xi Jinping told the United States that the Taiwan issue is the most important and sensitive matter in China-US relations and will… pic.twitter.com/jthdQQtPLB
“Stable China-US relations are in the world’s interest.”
Upon receiving Trump, the Chinese president said that the world “has reached a new crossroads, witnessing rapid changes in a complex and volatile international landscape.”
He added that the common interests between China and the United States “outweigh their differences,” and that “each country’s successes are opportunities for the other.”
He emphasized that stable China-US relations “are in the world’s interest, as the two sides should be partners, not adversaries.”
He also stressed that “the US and China should achieve mutual success and common prosperity,” and “pave the right path for great power coexistence in the new era.”
He continued: “I look forward to exchanging views with President Trump on major issues of concern to both countries and the world, and to working together to steer bilateral relations in the right direction and make 2026 a historic and special year for our relations.”
Xi stated that “equal consultation is the only correct choice in the face of differences and frictions.”
“The Taiwan issue is paramount.”
Xi asserted that “the Taiwan issue is paramount in China-US relations,” adding that if this issue is handled properly, “relations between Beijing and Washington can maintain overall stability.”
However, if the Taiwan issue is mishandled, “it will lead to a clash and push the entire bilateral relationship into a very dangerous situation,” according to Xi.
Xi emphasized that “Taiwan independence” and peace across the Taiwan Strait are incompatible, considering the maintenance of peace and stability across the strait to be the most important common ground between China and the United States. He stressed the need for both sides to achieve “mutual success and common prosperity.”
“There are no winners in a trade war.”
He also pointed out that “facts have repeatedly proven that there are no winners in a trade war, as the essence of bilateral relations is mutual benefit.”
In this context, the Chinese president stated that “the economic and trade working groups from both sides reached a balanced and generally positive outcome yesterday.”
He added that “both sides should work together to maintain this hard-won positive momentum.”
For his part, Trump declared that the relationship between America and China “will be better than ever.”
Two-day visit
In addition, the Chinese president will host a state dinner in the same hall this evening, and Trump will visit the historic Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Chinese emperors used to pray for a bountiful harvest.
The US president arrived in China on Wednesday night for a two-day visit aboard Air Force One, accompanied by a group of influential business leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jen-Sun Huang and Elon Musk, indicating Trump’s focus on trade and business during his trip.
This is the first visit to Beijing by a US president in nearly a decade, since Trump’s 2017 trip to China, which, unlike this time, was accompanied by his wife Melania.
Both sides will seek to emerge from the summit with any possible gains, while simultaneously working to stabilize the strained relationship between Beijing and Washington, which has global repercussions.
Trump also hopes to leave with a date set for Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States later in 2026, to demonstrate his positive relationship with his Chinese counterpart.