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US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a China trip from 13 to 15 May aimed to deliver "Great things" for both countries. Trump planned to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at Xi Jinping’s invitation. Washington and Beijing expected talks on trade, security, and technology, while each side guarded key national interests.
The White House said the agenda covered trade, Iran, tariffs, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. Trump presented the visit as a way to strengthen economic links. At the same time, Trump signalled that the US would press for terms seen as fairer than before.
On Truth Social, Trump praised China and Xi Jinping ahead of the meetings. Trump posted, "I am very much looking forward to my trip to China, an amazing Country, with a Leader, President Xi, respected by all. Great things will happen for both Countries!" The statement set an upbeat tone before sensitive negotiations.
From the Oval Office, Trump pointed to ongoing trade volumes with China. Trump also criticised past US approaches to trade terms. "We are doing a lot of business but it is mostly smart business. We used to be taken advantage of for years with our previous presidents, but now we are doing great with China, we're making a lot of money with China," he said.
According to a White House official, more than a dozen senior business and technology leaders planned to join the trip. The delegation spanned finance, defence, aerospace, manufacturing, agriculture, and digital payments. The line-up suggested that commercial ties stayed central, even as wider policy disputes remained active.
| Executive | Company | Tim Cook | Apple |
|---|---|
| Elon Musk | Tesla, SpaceX |
| Larry Fink | BlackRock |
| Stephen Schwarzman | Blackstone |
| Kelly Ortberg | Boeing |
| Brian Sikes | Cargill |
| Jane Fraser | Citi |
| Chuck Robbins | Cisco |
| Jim Anderson | Coherent |
| H. Lawrence Culp | GE Aerospace |
| David Solomon | Goldman Sachs |
| Jacob Thaysen | Illumina |
| Michael Miebach | Mastercard |
| Dina Powell McCormick | Meta |
| Sanjay Mehrotra | Micron |
| Cristiano Amon | Qualcomm |
| Ryan McInerney | Visa |
Trump visit to China: Iran, trade truce, and tariff questions
US officials said Iran would feature strongly during the meetings in China. Trump was expected to question Beijing on energy trade with Iran. Officials also cited dual-use exports that US agencies linked to Russia and Iran. These issues reflected broader concerns on sanctions compliance and regional security.
Trade tensions also remained part of the backdrop to the discussions. Officials said both sides may weigh extending the one-year trade truce agreed in October. However, officials stressed no final decision had been taken. They also said no decision was reached on any truce extension or tariff changes.
Trump visit to China: Schedule in Beijing and future exchanges
Beijing confirmed on Monday that Trump would visit China from 13 to 15 May. Plans included a welcome ceremony and formal talks with Xi Jinping on Thursday morning. Trump was then scheduled to visit the Temple of Heaven that afternoon. A state banquet was set for later that evening.
Friday’s programme included a tea meeting between the leaders and a working lunch. After these events, Trump was due to return to Washington. Officials said talks also aimed at a possible US-China Board of Trade and Board of Investment. They also cited cooperation in aerospace, agriculture, and energy.
Trump had described the relationship with Xi Jinping as positive, officials said. They viewed the visit as a chance to steady ties while protecting US economic interests. Officials also framed the talks around national security concerns. Kelly said Xi Jinping and Xi Jinping's spouse were expected to travel to Washington in 2026.
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