President Donald Trump will travel to Beijing on May 14–15 for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping after Washington postponed the trip in March amid combat operations with Iran. Xi is also expected to make a reciprocal visit to the U.S. later this year.
The visit includes a welcome ceremony, bilateral meeting, tour of China's historic Temple of Heaven, and a state banquet, reported CNBC. Several U.S. business leaders are expected to join the trip, including Tesla Inc. (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, Apple Inc. (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook, and Boeing Co. (BA) CEO Kelly Ortberg.
Here's what could be on the table:
US To Push Energy Deal With China
U.S. LNG and crude oil exports to China took a hit when Beijing and Washington got entangled in a trade war in 2024. By 2025, the rhetoric escalated with Trump back in office, and the U.S.'s LNG exports to China fell to negligible levels, and crude oil shipments had stopped altogether.
China made up for the shortfall in U.S. oil supply by increasing imports from other countries, such as Canada and Brazil. Chinese companies also redirected U.S. LNG cargoes contracted for domestic use to Europe.
A deal for Beijing to boost U.S. energy purchases may be on the table, Reuters reported, citing U.S. officials.
Farm Trade Deal In Focus
China and the U.S. could announce a farm trade agreement during the summit that boosts Chinese purchases of U.S. grains and meat, though analysts do not expect significant new soybean buying beyond commitments made last October.
The White House is reportedly pushing Beijing for larger soybean and agricultural import commitments, while several major agribusiness executives, including Brian Sikes of Cargill, are expected to accompany Trump on the trip.
Trump To Raise Taiwan Issue
Trump told reporters on Monday that he plans to discuss U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and the case of jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai with Xi Jinping during his Beijing visit. Trump acknowledged that Xi opposes U.S. military support for Taiwan, while reiterating Washington's longstanding backing of the island's defense under the "one-China policy."
"President Xi would like us not to, and I'll have that discussion. That's one of the many things I'll be talking about," Trump said.
Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims, though Beijing views the self-governed island as part of its territory. Trump added that he does not expect tensions over the island to escalate during his presidency, citing his strong relationship with the Chinese President.
The upcoming Trump-Xi meeting comes amid a stalemate in the US-Iran war. This conflict led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and LNG shipments, triggering a worldwide fuel crisis.
First Official AI Dialogue
The U.S. and China are reportedly considering launching official talks on artificial intelligence during the summit. According to the Wall Street Journal, the discussions would mark the first formal U.S.-China AI engagement under the Trump administration and focus on risks from advanced AI systems, including unpredictable models, autonomous weapons, and misuse by nonstate actors. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to lead the U.S. side, while China has not yet named its representative.
The Hormuz Factor
Trump and Xi Jinping are expected to discuss the Iran war, while urging China to support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.
China called for a full ceasefire after Iran's foreign minister visited Beijing and reiterated support for Iran's peaceful nuclear energy rights, even as the U.S. pushed Tehran to halt uranium enrichment and surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Bessent Sets The Stage For Trump
China said Vice Premier He Lifeng will visit South Korea from Tuesday to Wednesday for trade talks with the U.S., though the announcement did not mention other meetings beyond referencing the Trump-Xi summit in Busan last year. Separately, Scott Bessent said he would meet He in Seoul on Wednesday, though it was unclear whether he was accounting for U.S.–Asia time zone differences.
Bessent arrived in Japan on Monday and met Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. During her March U.S. visit, Trump and Takaichi reaffirmed support for "peace and stability" in the Taiwan Strait. Japan is now closely watching how Taiwan is addressed after the Trump-Xi meeting.
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