US-China relationship will be ‘better than ever', Trump says in meeting with Xi

US President Donald Trump said China and the US will have a “fantastic future” in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, kicking off the first visit by a sitting US president to Beijing in nearly a decade. The two leaders met in the Great Hall of the People off Tiananmen Square on Thursday morning after a welcome ceremony featuring honour guards and children waving flowers and flags. “The relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before,” Mr Trump said in his opening remarks. Chinese troops goose-stepped to revolutionary anthems in front of the visiting US president, while ⁠schoolchildren waving American and Chinese flags cheered as the two leaders strolled past, Mr Trump occasionally patting Mr Xi on the back. "You're a great leader, sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say ​it anyway," Mr ⁠Trump told his host as they sat across from each other, flanked by ‌their delegations. "There are those who say this may be the biggest summit ever ... It's an honour to be with you. It's an honour to be your friend and the relationship between China ​and the USA is going to be better than ever before," Mr Trump said. Mr Xi told the US leader: "Each country's success represents an opportunity for the other, and a stable China–U.S. relationship benefits the entire world. When we cooperate, both sides benefit; when we confront each other, both sides suffer." Mr Trump has sought to describe the visit as a chance to deepen economic ties and secure business deals, while highlighting his personal relationship with Mr Xi, who he has repeatedly described as a “great” leader. “I will be asking President Xi, a leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level,” he wrote on Truth Social. A foreign diplomat in Washington said Mr Trump was likely to focus more heavily on trade because “on Iran , he doesn’t have the upper hand”. BEIJING, CHINA - MAY 14: U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China. President Trump is meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing to address the Iran conflict, trade imbalances, and the Taiwan situation while establishing new bilateral boards for economic and AI oversight. (Photo by Alex Wong / Getty Images) Info The official said Beijing is expected to continue portraying itself as a “cautious mediator” in the conflict, while pushing for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran effectively shut the key shipping route. Mr Trump was given a red-carpet welcome on arrival and greeted by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, while hundreds of youths waved Chinese and American flags and chanted “welcome”. He has promoted this idea of “rebalancing” trade with China through tariffs, as a way of benefitting American workers and farmers as part of his “America First” agenda. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth are travelling with Mr Trump, along with Elon Musk , a former Trump adviser. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang also joined Air Force One during a refuelling stop on its way to Beijing. President Donald Trump is greeted by Vice President of China Han Zheng. Getty Images Info Mr Trump is also hoping to secure trade agreements centred on what aides have described as “the three Bs” – beef, soybeans and Boeing aircraft. The White House said deals are expected on industry, aerospace, agriculture and energy. “I have a great relationship with President Xi, and I think it’s going to remain that way,” Mr Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn’t say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control. “I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other." The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has rattled global energy markets, including in both the US and China, increasing pressure on world leaders to find a path towards de-escalation. Analysts say Mr Trump is expected to press China to reduce purchases of Iranian oil as part of Washington’s broader effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran. China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, has diverse sources of energy imports with large reserves, helping to cushion it against the economic fallout from the conflict. For weeks, Mr Trump has sought to end the war he started alongside Israel in late February. The conflict has pushed up fuel prices in the US and lowered Mr Trump’s approval ratings before crucial midterm elections. He has repeatedly claimed that the US has already achieved military victory in the conflict and insisted Washington does not require outside assistance. On Thursday, he is scheduled to hold formal bilateral talks with Mr Xi, visit the Temple of Heaven and later attend a state banquet. On Friday, Mr Trump will meet once more with Mr Xi, before heading back to Washington.