By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
United States President Donald Trump arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Wednesday morning to begin a pivotal two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This visit marks the first by a U.S. president in nine years. Trump has consistently framed his relationship with Xi in personal and warm terms. In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump said he expected “great things” to come out of the summit. However, this trip carries more pressure than either side will publicly acknowledge. Trump promised earlier this year that the visit would be “a wild one.” He recounted telling Xi “to put on the biggest display you’ve ever had in the history of China.” The president was greeted on the tarmac by a brass band and flag wavers, who performed as he descended the steps of Air Force One.
Economic Giants Seek Stability
The world’s two biggest economies look to stabilize a trade truce against the backdrop of a simmering U.S. conflict with Iran. Trade remains at the forefront of the discussions. Trump is accompanied by more than a dozen chief executives. This group includes Apple’s Tim Cook and Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla who ran Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also joined Trump on the tarmac in Alaska for the second leg of the flight to China. The goal this week is to return to Washington with positive economic headlines and a reinforced personal relationship. Both governments regard this as the most consequential bilateral tie in the world.
Domestic Pressures and Global Conflicts
Expectations for the summit’s outcomes remain muted. Both leaders face setbacks that limit their room to maneuver. Trump’s approval ratings are at their lowest point in his
second term. U.S. courts have struck down much of his global tariff regime. He is also engaged in an unpopular war with Iran that has stretched past its initial timeline and sent gas prices soaring. Xi faces his own economic problems. These include high youth unemployment, weak consumer demand, and a crumbling property sector. China is also concerned about how long it can withstand energy shocks from the Iran war.
Establishing New Ground Rules
Experts hope the summit will establish rules that give Trump room to advance domestic priorities. Alexander Gray, CEO of American Global Strategies, noted that the economic relationship needs an equilibrium. “The bottom line, beyond the pageantry, is that the economic relationship needs to be placed on an equilibrium that would give the United States sufficient time to harden our resilience and our supply chains, for this president later in his term and for future presidents,” Gray said. He emphasized that while soybean sales are positive, the priority is establishing “left and right bounds of the relationship.”
The Battle for Critical Minerals
A key objective for the U.S. is securing an understanding regarding rare-earth materials. China controls the dominant share of extraction and refining for these materials. They are critical to modern technology and weaponry. Gray warned that China will use this as a weapon as long as they have the ability. “Soybean sales, that stuff is great, but the important thing is establishing the ground rules, establishing the left and right bounds of the relationship, establishing what is acceptable to both parties and what would constitute an unacceptable break in the economic equilibrium,” Gray stated. He added, “One of the things we know is that the Chinese are going to use that as a weapon as long as they have the ability to do so.” Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that last year China agreed to restart rare-earth exports, but questioned if they have followed through.
Managing Trade and Investment
The leaders are expected to discuss creating a U.S.-China Board of Trade and a U.S.-China Board of Investment. These bodies would allow both governments to manage the exchange of nonsensitive goods. White House principal deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly said deals regarding aerospace, agriculture, and energy are on the agenda. “These agreements will further rebalance trade with China, while putting American workers, farmers and families first and safeguarding U.S. economic strength and national security,” Kelly said. At a previous meeting in Busan, China committed to buying 12 million tons of soybeans in 2025 and 25 million tons annually for the next three years.
Seeking Small Wins on the World Stage
With modest developments expected, both sides are looking for narrow victories. Allen Carlson, an associate professor at Cornell University, suggested the summit itself is a win for China’s reputation. “The summit itself, I think, is a win for China in terms of enhancing and burnishing China’s reputation as a great power, potentially as some sort of broker of peace in the Middle East,” Carlson said. He noted that Trump “also, I think, is in need of a win on the world stage just in general.”
The Shadow of the Iran War
Trump told reporters he expected to have “a long talk” with Xi about the Iran war, though it is not a formal agenda item. He insisted the talks would primarily be about trade. “I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other,” Trump said. Despite this, a senior administration official said the two have spoken about the war multiple times. Trump is expected to press Xi about the revenue and goods China provides to the Iranian government as well as “potential weapons exports.” China has criticized U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies doing business with Iran as illegal.
Taiwan and the Core Interests
Xi Jinping is eager to keep the focus on the U.S.-China relationship and Washington’s stance on Taiwan. Beijing claims the self-ruling democracy as its territory. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described Taiwan as being “at the very core of China’s core interests.” China wants the U.S. to revise its policy to favor “peaceful reunification” rather than “peaceful resolution.” Henrietta Levin, a senior fellow at CSIS, noted, “They’re keeping their eye on the prize, which they hope will be U.S. concessions on Taiwan, and they don’t want to allow either side to be distracted from that conversation because of events in the Middle East.”
Arms Sales and Policy Friction
Trump has alarmed supporters of Taiwan by suggesting he is discussing U.S. arms sales with Xi. Asked about these sales, Trump said, “President Xi would like us not to, and I’ll have that discussion. That’s one of the many things I’ll be talking about.” Meanwhile, a senior administration official stated that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed. They stressed that arms sales to Taiwan in Trump’s second term have outpaced the previous administration. Trump suggested that Taiwan benefits from regional partners, drawing a parallel with Ukraine.
Personal Diplomacy Unbound
The schedule for the summit includes a welcome ceremony, a tour of the Temple of Heaven, and a state banquet. On Friday, the leaders will hold a working lunch before Trump departs. There is hope that this leader-to-leader diplomacy can bypass bureaucratic constraints. Kurt Campbell, a former deputy secretary of state, said, “I can’t imagine a meeting, probably not since Nixon and Mao met now decades ago, in which the two leaders have so much latitude with which to make decisions.” Senator Steve Daines added that it is “in both leaders’ interest to keep the relationship stable, and to de-escalate, not decouple.” He predicted deals involving “Boeing, beef and beans.”
The African Pivot: Zero Tariffs and Trade Anxiety
The geopolitical friction between Washington and Beijing is sparking a rapid realignment across the African continent. On May 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark zero-tariff policy for 53 African nations, including Ghana. This move provides duty-free access to 98% of exports to the Chinese market. It stands in stark contrast to the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which effectively suspended the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). While Beijing offers a $50 billion (approx. GH₵750 billion) investment pledge from the 2024 FOCAC summit, African leaders remain wary of the $102 billion (approx. GH₵1.53 trillion) trade deficit. Ghana and its neighbors are now accelerating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to shield their economies from these external shocks. As the U.S. focuses on Middle East conflicts and domestic manufacturing, Africa is increasingly viewing Beijing as its primary, albeit complex, economic anchor.
Ultimately, this summit serves as a critical test for whether personal rapport between two powerful heads of state can bridge the widening chasm of global conflict and economic rivalry. While comprehensive deals remain elusive, the meeting provides a necessary vent for regional pressures, seeking a precarious balance between competition and the shared necessity of global stability.
