US President Donald Trump on Monday expressed optimism about his upcoming visit to China and his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating that the talks would bring "great things" for both nations. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "I am very much looking forward to my trip to China, an amazing Country, with a Leader, President Xi, respected by all. Great things will happen for both Countries!"
According to a White House official, more than a dozen top business and technology leaders are set to accompany Trump on the visit. The list includes prominent executives such as Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Cargill CEO Brian Sikes, Citi CEO Jane Fraser, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, Coherent CEO Jim Anderson, GE Aerospace CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, Illumina CEO Jacob Thaysen, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach, Meta executive Dina Powell McCormick, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, and Visa CEO Ryan McInerney.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump emphasized his good relationship with Xi Jinping and noted that the United States is now benefiting from trade with China. "We are doing a lot of business but it is mostly smart business. We used to be taken advantage of for years with our previous presidents, but now we are doing great with China, we're making a lot of money with China," he said.
Beijing confirmed on Monday that Trump will visit China from May 13 to 15, following an invitation from Xi Jinping. The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues, including trade, Iran, tariffs, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. The visit aims to improve trade ties and strengthen US economic and national security interests. Both sides are also expected to discuss the establishment of a US-China Board of Trade and Board of Investment, along with cooperation in aerospace, agriculture, and energy.
The schedule for the visit includes a welcome ceremony and meeting with Xi on Thursday morning, followed by a visit to the Temple of Heaven in the afternoon and a state banquet in the evening. On Friday, the leaders will have a tea meeting and working lunch before Trump returns to Washington. According to Kelly, Xi Jinping and his wife are expected to visit Washington in 2026.
Iran will also be a significant topic of discussion. US officials stated that Trump will raise concerns about China's ties with Iran, including oil trade and dual-use exports linked to Russia and Iran. Trade tensions will also be addressed, including a possible extension of a one-year trade truce agreed upon last October. However, officials indicated that no final decision has been made yet.
