Trump and Xi Jinping Engage in Talks in Beijing
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have been conducting a series of talks in Beijing, China’s capital, with multiple meetings and events scheduled over Thursday and Friday.
The US President was welcomed with a gun salute, enthusiastic children, and a visit to the historic 15th Century Temple of Heaven.
Trump was accompanied by prominent technology executives, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and his son Eric Trump.
Upon arriving on Air Force One Wednesday evening, Trump was greeted by youths waving American and Chinese flags as he walked the red carpet alongside China’s Vice President Han Zheng.
Arrival Ceremony and Official Welcome
On Thursday, Trump was officially welcomed at an arrival ceremony with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People.
Following a handshake, the two leaders walked the red carpet and inspected Chinese troops arranged in precise formation.
Along the red carpet, dozens of children waved miniature flags and held bouquets.
US Business Leaders Join the Delegation
Joining Trump on his visit to China were top US business figures including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, a key player in the US-China technology competition, reportedly joined the delegation at the last minute.
Bilateral Talks at the Great Hall of the People
The leaders then engaged in highly anticipated bilateral discussions at the Great Hall of the People.
In his opening remarks, Xi Jinping stated:
"The whole world is watching our meeting. Currently transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe and the international situation is fluid and turbulent."
Trump responded by expressing his respect for the meeting, saying:
"It was an honour to be meeting Xi. We've gotten along, when there were difficulties we worked it out. I would call you and you would call me. People don't know, whenever we had a problem we worked it out very quickly."
Visit to the Temple of Heaven
After approximately two hours of talks, the two presidents visited the Temple of Heaven, an ancient temple complex in Beijing and a significant tourist attraction.
This historic site was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties performed sacrifices and prayed for abundant harvests.
Trump commented to Xi Jinping during their visit:
"Great place, incredible. China's beautiful."
