Trump and Xi to Hold Beijing Summit on May 14... Key Issues Include Iran, Taiwan, and Rare Earths

Trump to Visit China from May 13 to 15
Pushing for Trade and Investment Commissions
Agreements Expected in Aerospace, Agriculture, and Energy Sectors

U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, on May 14. The two countries are expected to discuss geopolitical issues such as Iran, Russia, and Taiwan, as well as trade-related matters. There is growing confidence within China that rare earth export controls could be used as a key bargaining chip, leading to predictions that President Trump’s negotiations may not proceed smoothly.

According to the White House on May 10 (local time), President Trump will arrive in Beijing on the evening of the 13th, attend a welcoming ceremony on the 14th, and then begin bilateral talks. Afterward, the two leaders will tour Beijing’s famous Temple of Heaven and sit down for dinner. The following day, President Trump will have a luncheon with President Xi before returning to the United States.

Last October, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were talking after concluding a summit in Busan. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that President Trump is scheduled to make a state visit to China from May 13 to 15.

This meeting between President Trump and President Xi comes about six months after their summit in Busan at the end of October last year, which was held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. President Trump’s visit to China will be his first in about eight years and six months since November 2017, during the first Trump administration.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated that the agenda for this summit is expected to include the promotion of the U.S.-China Trade Commission and Investment Commission, as well as additional agreements between the two countries in the aerospace, agriculture, and energy sectors. The two sides have been discussing U.S. exports such as Boeing aircraft and agricultural products like soybeans. Deputy Press Secretary Kelly also explained that President Trump plans to invite President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to Washington, D.C., later this year.

President Trump is expected to call for China to mediate an end to the war in Iran at this summit. A senior U.S. official told AFP, "President Trump has discussed the issues of Iran and Russia with President Xi multiple times," adding, "I expect the President to put pressure on President Xi."

However, regarding the Taiwan issue, which China considers a core interest, this official said that while dialogue is taking place between the two leaders, there are no expectations of any changes in U.S. policy. China is demanding that the United States officially oppose Taiwan’s independence.

The one-year truce agreement between the United States and China to pause their tariff war, reached in November last year, is expected to be extended. Another senior official commented, "It is not yet certain whether it will be extended immediately," but added, "There may be a need for an extension in the future, and I am confident that a potential extension will be announced at the appropriate time."

With the U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations making little progress and President Trump facing midterm elections, analysts believe that the United States’ negotiating position with China has weakened compared to before. In a column, the UK daily The Guardian observed that, ahead of the U.S.-China summit, President Trump’s political standing has diminished, and President Xi is likely to demand a reduction in U.S. support for Taiwan in exchange for a more conciliatory attitude toward the United States. Rana Mitter of Harvard Kennedy School told the South China Morning Post (SCMP), "It was not China that requested the summit," and added, "China will view the fact that the U.S. side is coming to China as an advantage."

SCMP, citing sources, reported that ahead of the summit, confidence is growing within China that it can retaliate against U.S. pressure, with rare earth export controls emerging as a key bargaining chip.

Meanwhile, on the same day, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that he will accompany President Trump to China and will visit Tokyo on the 12th and Seoul on the 13th. The purpose of the visit to Korea is to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for pre-summit coordination between the U.S. and China. According to China's Ministry of Commerce, this information has also been confirmed. There is also interest in whether Secretary Bessent will meet with South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yooncheol during his stay in Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.