Trump, Xi set for Beijing talks on trade truce, Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump is heading to a series of meetings in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping to secure economic gains, maintain a fragile trade truce and resolve thorny issues like the Iran war and arms sales to Taiwan.
With his approval ratings having fallen badly due to the war in Iran, Trump’s eagerly anticipated visit to China – the first trip by a US president to America’s main strategic rival since his last visit in 2017 – has taken on added significance.
He is joined on this trip by a group of senior executives, including Elon Musk and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, who, at Trump’s request, boarded Air Force One while refueling in Alaska on its way to the Chinese capital.
Many of those executives, including Huang and Musk, are trying to resolve issues with China, and Trump has said he would encourage Xi to “open up” China to U.S. business.
However, Ali Wyne, senior advisor on US-China relations at the International Crisis Group, said that the power dynamic has changed since Trump’s last visit in 2017, and that China is doing its best to spend money on Trump and buy billions of US goods.
“China was trying to persuade the United States of its growing status… This time the United States was accepting that status, unasked for, of its own volition,” Wyne said at the time, noting that Trump revived the term ‘G2’ in reference to the superpower duo when he last met with Xi on the sidelines of an APEC meeting in South Korea in October.
This week’s meetings will provide plenty of face-to-face time between the leaders: They are scheduled to hold talks in the Great Hall of the People, tour the UNESCO heritage Temple of Heaven and attend a state banquet on Thursday, followed by tea and lunch together on Friday, according to the White House.
But Trump enters the talks with a weak hand. U.S. courts have restricted its ability to voluntarily impose tariffs on exports from China and other countries.
The Iran war has also increased inflation at home and increased the risk that Trump’s Republican Party will lose control of one or both legislatures in November’s midterm elections.
Although China’s economy has faltered, Xi does not face similar economic or political pressure.
Both sides, however, are eager to maintain the trade truce struck last October, when Trump suspended triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods and Xi backed away from choking global supplies of rare earth elements vital to making products from electric cars to weapons.
They are also expected to discuss forums that will support mutual trade, investment and dialogue on AI issues.
Officials involved in the planning said Washington plans to sell Boeing planes, agricultural products and energy to China to close the trade deficit that has long plagued Trump, while Beijing wants the United States to ease restrictions on exports of chip-making equipment and advanced semiconductors.
Aside from trade issues, Trump is expected to encourage China to persuade Tehran to strike a deal with Washington to end the conflict.
But analysts doubt that Xi will be willing to push hard on Tehran or end support for its military, given Iran’s value to Beijing as a strategic counterweight to the United States.
But for Xi, US arms sales to Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by China, will be a top priority.
China reiterated its strong opposition to the sales on Wednesday; The status of the US$14 billion ($19 billion) package, awaiting Trump’s approval, is still unclear.
The United States is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.
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