Trump and Xi Hold First Summit in Nine Years as Business Titans Join High-Stakes Beijing Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday morning for a high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping — the first such meeting between the two leaders on Chinese soil in nearly a decade — flanked by a sweeping delegation of cabinet officials and some of the most powerful names in American business.

The two heads of state met at the Great Hall's East Plaza shortly after 10 a.m. local time, exchanging handshakes before greeting their respective delegations. One moment stood out: when Xi greeted the American side, he shook hands with Secretary of State Marco Rubio — a figure Beijing has formally sanctioned and barred from entering China due to his long record of hawkish positions toward the Chinese government. The handshake occurred, though it can be noted the expressions exchanged between the two were noticeably guarded.

The formal welcome ceremony that followed featured a military band performance and a 21-gun salute. A group of Chinese children holding flowers lined the route, jumping and calling out greetings as Trump passed; he paused briefly to smile at them. Toward the end of the military honors, Trump was seen turning to Xi at least twice, mouthing "thank you" and raising a fist in appreciation.

The American delegation arriving in Beijing represents an unusually broad convergence of government and private sector power. Senior officials present include Secretary of State Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — a lineup that signals the talks will span security, trade, and financial policy.

Accompanying the official party is a roster of prominent corporate leaders: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg. Senior executives from Blackstone, Citigroup, BlackRock, GE Aerospace, Goldman Sachs, Micron, and Qualcomm are also reported to be part of the business contingent — an indication that market access and supply chain questions are firmly on the agenda.

Following the ceremonial formalities, Trump and Xi are scheduled to hold formal bilateral talks in the Great Hall's East Chamber. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of contentious issues, including the future of Taiwan, U.S. policy toward Iran, and the trajectory of the two countries' deeply intertwined — and deeply strained — economic relationship.

The summit comes at a moment of significant geopolitical tension across the Indo-Pacific, and the composition of the U.S. delegation alone suggests Washington is approaching the meeting as more than symbolic. Whether the presence of sanctioned officials, tech executives navigating export restrictions, and defense leadership signals a genuine diplomatic opening — or a carefully managed exercise in competitive coexistence — remains to be seen as the talks unfold. （Related： Trump and Xi: Why Taiwan's Arms Sales Are Suddenly on the Table ｜ Latest ）