What to Expect From the Trump-Xi Summit in Beijing
IEA Revises 2026 Forecast: Oil Deficit Widens as Iran War Cuts Production RFE/RL journalists report the news in 21 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established.
We provide what many… US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to open a closely watched summit in Beijing as Washington and Beijing seek a fragile economic truce while maneuvering over Iran, Taiwan, and control of critical supply chains.
Trump, who last visited China in 2017, will arrive on the evening of May 13 and engage in two days of talks and public appearances with Xi on May 14-15.
The trip marks the two leaders' first face-to-face talks in more than six months as they try to stabilize ties strained by tariffs, mineral export controls, and other areas of disagreement.
While the highly anticipated meeting will cover a range of economic and geopolitical issues -- from US soybean exports to China's relationship with Russia -- the Iran war is also expected to feature on the summit's agenda, senior US officials told reporters during a May 10 briefing.
"The [US] president has spoken multiple times with General Secretary Xi Jinping about the topic of Iran," an official said, adding they expect Trump to "apply pressure" on Beijing, which relies on Iran for low-cost oil in their transactional relationship, to help broker an agreement to end the war that's now in its third month.
While the implications of the war in Iran, including the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, will loom over the meeting, US officials and analysts say trade tensions are set to be the focus of talks when Trump and Xi sit down together in the Great Hall.
"President Xi wants to reduce US support for Taiwan, particularly by pressing for delays or limitations on US arms sales," Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for Asia-Pacific at Natixis, a French financial firm, told RFE/RL.
"Beijing is also keen to secure some relief on US export controls for advanced technology and to protect its position in global supply chains." The two sides are also expected to sign a flurry of deals ranging from purchases of agricultural products like soybeans to Boeing planes and also hold talks over establishing new forums to facilitate mutual trade and investment.
The Trump administration hit China hard with high tariffs in early 2024 as his second term began, but trade frictions have since been ratcheted down after the US Supreme Court restricted some of the levies and found others illegalin recent months.
Xi and Trump alsoreacheda deal in October 2025 during a meeting in South Korea that dialed down tensions by rolling back export controls, including shipments of some rare earth minerals to the United States.
Beijing will look to use its control overthe supply of critical minerals and rare earths, a set of 17 elements that are vital for the manufacturing of everything from smartphones to fighter jets,to improve its negotiating position, analysts say.
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