Trump and Xi to Meet in Beijing for May Trade Summit
President Trump will visit Beijing in May for a summit with Xi Jinping. The meeting follows a year of trade volatility and recent constructive talks in Paris.
The President of the United States is scheduled to meet with the leader of China in May, marking his first visit to the country in eight years. This upcoming summit follows a year of intense trade confrontations that have seen both nations implement significant tariffs and export restrictions. Recent Trade Developments In March 2026, the Washington administration launched new Section 301 investigations into Chinese industrial practices, leading to reciprocal actions from Beijing. Despite these tensions, high-level talks took place in Paris between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Both sides described these discussions as constructive, although the presidential visit was delayed to mid-May due to other global conflicts. Earlier in February, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the administration's global tariff regime, yet the President maintained that tariffs would remain a key part of his economic strategy. This legal shift occurred as China ended 2025 with a record trade surplus, having successfully shifted its export focus toward markets in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Technology and Resource Competition The conflict has increasingly focused on critical technology and raw materials. In late 2025, China expanded export controls on rare earth elements, while the U.S. imposed 100% duties on certain imports and restricted software exports. During this period, the U.S. government began granting licenses to NVIDIA CORP for the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips. In the agricultural sector, the two nations reached a truce in Busan, where China agreed to resume purchases of Soybeans and cooperate on fentanyl enforcement in exchange for tariff relief. Origins of the Trade Escalation The current friction dates back to April 2025, when the U.S. introduced a 10% punitive tariff, followed by broader 'Liberation Day' tariffs on all imports. China responded with retaliatory levies that eventually exceeded 100%. While a 90-day truce was established in Geneva in May 2025, it was short-lived, with both nations accusing each other of violating the terms and implementing further restrictive measures.
