Trump and Xi met Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People, marking the first visit to China by a sitting U.S. president in nearly a decade. According to official broadcast footage, Trump said the U.S.-China relationship was going to be \u201cbetter than ever before\u201d and noted that the two leaders have known each other personally for longer than any other U.S. or Chinese president.<\/p>\n
Xi highlighted the global attention on the summit and framed a key question as whether the two countries could avoid the so-called \u201cThucydides Trap,\u201d a reference to historical tensions between a rising power and an established one that have often ended in war. In remarks carried by CCTV\u2019s official English translation, Xi also asked whether the U.S. and China could meet major challenges together for global stability and work toward \u201ca brighter future\u201d for humanity.<\/p>\n
The summit agenda is expected to include trade, tariffs, Taiwan and Iran, with multiple discussions scheduled through midday Friday. Trump\u2019s program also includes a visit to Beijing\u2019s Temple of Heaven and a state banquet.<\/p>\n
Harvard professor Graham Allison, who popularized the Thucydides Trap concept, told CNBC\u2019s \u201cSquawk Box Asia\u201d he expects the trade truce reached by Trump and Xi at their meeting in South Korea last fall to become a formal agreement. The current talks take place after an escalation in trade tensions and U.S. restrictions on Chinese technology.<\/p>\n
Scott Kennedy, senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said China enters this meeting \u201cfar more confident than in 2017,\u201d noting that Xi has \u201cpushed back and neutralized much of Trump\u2019s actions\u201d over the last year. China was the first major economy to retaliate against Trump\u2019s \u201cLiberation Day\u201d tariffs in April 2025. Kennedy added that, although expectations for a \u201cgrand bargain\u201d are low, the opening ceremony and remarks underscore how consequential the relationship is for global commerce and security.<\/p>\n
Xi described Taiwan as the most important issue for U.S.-China relations, warning that mishandling it could push ties to a \u201cdangerous\u201d place, according to state media. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, while the island\u2019s ruling party rejects that claim.<\/p>\n
Xi is expected to reciprocate with a visit to the U.S., and the leaders could also meet on the sidelines of APEC and G20 events later in the year. The U.S. delegation in Beijing includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and business leaders such as Tesla\u2019s Elon Musk, Apple\u2019s Tim Cook and Nvidia\u2019s Jensen Huang.<\/p>\n
What are the main topics on the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing?<\/strong> Why is the concept of the Thucydides Trap relevant to this meeting?<\/strong> How has China responded to recent U.S. trade actions?<\/strong> Who is part of the U.S. delegation accompanying Trump?<\/strong>
The summit is expected to focus on trade, tariffs, Taiwan, Iran and broader issues of commerce and security between the U.S. and China.<\/p>\n
Xi referenced the Thucydides Trap to frame the challenge of managing tensions between a rising and an established power, and whether the U.S. and China can avoid conflict while addressing global stability.<\/p>\n
China was the first major economy to retaliate against Trump\u2019s \u201cLiberation Day\u201d tariffs in April 2025, and analysts say Beijing now approaches the relationship with more confidence than in 2017.<\/p>\n
The U.S. contingent includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and business executives such as Elon Musk of Tesla, Tim Cook of Apple and Jensen Huang of Nvidia.<\/p>\n