Trump, Xi discuss trade, Taiwan, and Iran in high-stakes Beijing summit

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping opened a two-day summit in Beijing May 14 with talks on trade, Taiwan, fentanyl trafficking, Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements from both countries.

This is the first visit a U.S. president has made to China in nearly nine years, according to The New York Times, and comes as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilize a relationship strained by tariffs, military tensions, and competing geopolitical interests. 

The White House described the meeting as “good” in an X post and said Trump and Xi discussed efforts to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., expand market access for U.S. businesses in China, boost Chinese investment in American industries, and increase Chinese purchases of U.S. farm products. 

Trump later told FOX News’ Sean Hannity that China will order 200 Boeing planes, which he said would support American manufacturing jobs.

On security matters, both sides agreed the Strait of Hormuz “must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” and “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” according to the White House. 

Xi opposed militarizing the waterway or imposing tolls for its use and expressed interest in buying more American oil to reduce China’s dependence on the strait — where roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply is caught in the crosshairs of the conflict. 

Trump later told Hannity that Xi offered to help encourage a deal involving Iran and the strait and said Xi told him China would not provide military equipment to Tehran.

“That’s a big statement,” Trump said during the interview. “He said that today. That’s a big statement. He said that strongly. But at the same time, he said, you know, they buy a lot of their oil there, and they’d like to keep doing that.”

Taiwan emerged as a flashpoint in China’s account of the meeting. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Xi told Trump “the Taiwan question is the most important issue” in U.S.-China relations. 

“If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability,” Ning said. “Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.”

Taiwan is a self-governing island that Beijing claims is part of China. The U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as independent but provides the island with defensive arms. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview after the meeting that U.S. policy on Taiwan “is unchanged as of today, and as of the meeting we had here today.” 

Trump had also said before departing for Beijing that he planned to raise the case of jailed Hong Kong publisher and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, though neither the White House nor China’s initial readouts indicated whether the case came up during the first day of talks.

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In brief remarks to reporters about how his meeting with Xi went, Trump said, “Great. Great place. Incredible. China is beautiful.”

The summit opened with a formal welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, where Xi greeted Trump, and the U.S. national anthem played. They later toured the historic Temple of Heaven, a 600-year-old site where Chinese rulers held sacrificial ceremonies to pray for national prosperity, the Times reported. 

Trump then attended a state banquet Xi hosted. In toasts at the banquet, Trump described U.S.-China ties as “one of the most consequential relationships in world history” and said the “bond of commerce and respect that stretches back 250 years is the foundation for a future that benefits both of our nations.”

During his speech, Trump invited Xi to the White House on Sept. 24. According to FOX News, Xi last visited the White House in September 2015 during a state visit hosted by former President Barack Obama. 

Xi similarly hailed the countries’ relationship as the “most important” in the world and urged the nations to act as “partners rather than rivals.” He said he and Trump have agreed to build a China-U.S. relationship “of strategic stability” to bring “more peace, prosperity and progress to the world.”

“The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand,” Xi said.

Several senior Trump administration officials attended the summit, including Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Business leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, were also part of the delegation. 

Trump is expected to meet with Xi again on May 15 before leaving Beijing.