US President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing for his first visit to China since 2017. He is set to hold two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, originally scheduled for March but postponed after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

The main focus of the talks is expected to be the tense trade relationship between the two superpowers. Trump said he would ask Xi to 'open up' China's economy to major tech companies. He also expects a 'long talk' about Iran, though he insisted he does not need China's help to end the conflict, adding that Xi has been 'relatively good' on Iran.

Xi is expected to press for an end to US arms sales to Taiwan and an extension of the trade truce agreed in October. Chinese media commentary suggests Beijing is seeking a 'better future' with the US and a relationship that would 'add more stability and certainty' to a turbulent world.

The visit includes an arrival ceremony with Xi at the Great Hall of the People, bilateral talks, and a state banquet. On Friday, Trump will visit Zhongnanhai, the leadership compound, for a 'friendship photo' and handshake with Xi, followed by another bilateral meeting and a working lunch before his departure.

Trump is accompanied by CEOs of major US businesses, including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Apple's Tim Cook, Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, BlackRock's Larry Fink, and executives from Meta, Visa, JP Morgan, Boeing, Cargill, and others. Huang's late addition is notable as Nvidia's advanced AI chips are a major focus of US-China rivalry.

Key issues on the agenda include Taiwan, the Iran conflict, and artificial intelligence. China comes from a position of strength with record exports but still needs the US consumer market. A potential deal could involve China offering rare earths in exchange for high-end computer chips.

Source: www.bbc.com