President Trump and Xi Jinping, China’s leader, began their summit in Beijing on Thursday with a day of elaborate pageantry and high-stakes meetings that touched on trade, Taiwan and other points of contention between the two superpowers.
It was the start of the first visit to China by a U.S. president in about nine years. It could help determine whether strained relations between the two countries improve, and what it will take to do so.
Here is what to know about the first day of the two-day summit.
A welcoming ceremony
Mr. Xi greeted Mr. Trump outside the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing. They shook hands and walked together past an honor guard and rows of cheering children holding flowers and American and Chinese flags. A Chinese military band’s performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” sounded across an empty Tiananmen Square.
On the hall’s steps were several Trump administration officials — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and others.
Eric Trump, the president’s middle son, and business leaders including Tim Cook of Apple, Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX stood among them, along with chief executives from other major American companies.
A bilateral meeting
Inside the Great Hall, Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi met for more than two hours, opening with remarks about the importance of the bilateral relationship. Mr. Trump also emphasized their personal relationship. Mr. Xi called on the two countries to be “partners rather than adversaries.”
Mr. Xi did not shy away from their differences. He warned Mr. Trump that the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory, could bring them into conflict, according to a readout from Xinhua, China’s official news agency.
A White House summary of the meeting said the two leaders discussed fentanyl, market access issues for U.S. companies in China, China’s investments into the United States and Chinese purchases of U.S. farm products. The leaders also talked about Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. The Xinhua readout said the leaders had also discussed Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula, without providing details.
As the leaders met, Beijing approved licenses for several hundred American slaughterhouses to export beef to China, according to data on the website of China’s customs authority. China had let the licenses expire after Mr. Trump imposed his initial tariffs.
The broader trade relationship remains uncertain, but members of the American business delegation appeared upbeat after their first meeting. Asked what was accomplished, Mr. Musk said, “Many good things.”
A tour of the Temple of Heaven
After their meeting, Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi toured the Temple of Heaven, a sacred compound that had been used by emperors since the 12th century to pray for good harvests and favorable weather. The temple later became a public park and a UNESCO heritage site.
The temple was part of a carefully choreographed itinerary. Mr. Xi, who has an inclination to extol the grandeur of Chinese history to foreign leaders, used the visit to tell Mr. Trump about Chinese history and how the temple represents the “people-centered philosophy of Chinese civilization,” according to an official Chinese readout.
Mr. Trump made brief comments to reporters about how his meeting with Mr. Xi went. “Great. Great place. Incredible. China’s beautiful,” Mr. Trump said, according to a pool report. He declined to answer questions about Taiwan.
The state banquet
Mr. Xi hosted a lavish dinner for Mr. Trump and his delegation in an ornate room at the Great Hall of the People. They each gave speeches, during which Mr. Trump invited Mr. Xi to the White House on Sept. 24.
The leaders dined next to each other at a round table with elaborate place settings amid tall red and gold pillars. The menu had a mix of Chinese and international dishes: roast duck and pork buns featured, as did lobster in tomato soup, and salmon in mustard sauce. There was tiramisu, fruit and ice cream for dessert.
Mr. Trump is expected to meet Mr. Xi again on Friday before departing Beijing that afternoon.
John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news.
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