Trump in Beijing: Why even limited success is remarkable

Very few bilateral meetings between heads of state would garner more global attention than the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing on 14-15 May 2026. By all indications, this was a pleasant visit, achieving moderate success and setting the stage for peaceful co-existence even as the two powers continue to compete with each other.

The Chinese are among the best hosts in diplomacy, with every detail of the visit meticulously planned and carefully choreographed. Few countries can outperform China when welcoming a foreign leader with such elaborate pomp and circumstance, aided by unmatched delicious food and rich cultural events. 

Before the trip, President Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping would give him “a big, fat hug”.  He did not get one from Xi since the Chinese are not avid huggers, but Beijing’s hospitality toward him was on full display, from the warm greetings by Vice-President Han Zheng and a cheering crowd at the airport to an exclusive tour of the Temple of Heaven accompanied by Xi himself. No wonder Trump thanked his host effusively and called Xi his friend.

The world has changed much since the last US presidential visit to China in 2017, also made by Trump when he was serving his first term. Since then, China has been sprinting forward in electric vehicles (EVs), robotics and artificial intelligence. For example, today China’s EV fleet is roughly equal in size to the rest of the world combined. Meanwhile, Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 after years of turbulence in the bilateral relationship. A pragmatic businessman, Trump has taken a more conciliatory approach toward China and even touted the idea of G2, claiming that the US and China together can solve the world’s problems.

Coming to this summit, Trump’s main concern was to end the crisis in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while China indicated that Trump must demonstrate goodwill towards China regarding Taiwan. In the end, neither Iran nor Taiwan was the focus of the meeting. The summit was overshadowed by the presence of over a dozen American business titans who travelled with Trump, from Tesla’s Elon Musk to Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, setting the tone of this visit.

Trump was also accompanied by his major cabinet members including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, but it was Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent who played a key role finalising the agenda for the summit.  In fact, on the eve of Trump’s arrival in Beijing, Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng were still busy ironing out the details of bilateral agreements at the Incheon airport, South Korea, before they flew to Beijing to join the summit.

Notably, Rubio, who was sanctioned by the Chinese government as a senator for his hawkish stance toward China, was treated with warmth and respect in Beijing. Though China has never officially lifted those sanctions, apparently it has moved on. Rubio has strongly defended Trump’s current China policy, making it easier for Beijing to work with him now. This is significant since Rubio may be a Republican hopeful for the 2028 US presidential election. Rubio, who never visited China before, was apparently awed by Chinese culture.  An image of him amazed by the ceiling decor of the Great Hall of the People went viral on social media.

There was no grand bargain in Beijing and the two sides focused on deliverables. 

As expected, China agreed to purchase US energy and agricultural products, including soybeans and beef, in addition to “a large Boeing order”. The US will welcome Chinese investment and Chinese businesses will return to invest in US manufacturing and infrastructure. However, it is likely that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) may continue to block some Chinese projects on “national security” grounds.

Despite talk of “decoupling” in the past few years, the two economies are still joined at the hip. For many American businesses, leaving China is not an option.  With its large pool of skilled labour, insatiable market, size of the economy and an innovation ecosystem, China remains an irreplaceable destination for many global businesses.

Probably nobody was watching the Trump-Xi summit with more anxiety than the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership in Taiwan. In his opening remarks during the summit, Xi warned that if the Taiwan issue was handled poorly, the US and China “will collide or even clash, putting the entire US-China relationship in an extremely dangerous situation”.  However, Trump apparently did not respond to this publicly. 

The DPP and its supporters may feel relieved now since Trump did not say anything to the DPP’s disliking.  Unfortunately, Taiwan lacks strategic autonomy, and its future is at the mercy of great powers. Regardless of whether US policy toward Taiwan will change or not, Taiwan’s government must face reality and engage in dialogue with Beijing to strive for a mutually acceptable outcome.

A fundamental challenge in US-China relations is how to define the nature of this relationship. Trump and Xi recast it under a new banner of “constructive strategic stability”. Trump invoked WWII history to predict a “fantastic future” for the bilateral relationship based on “rich and enduring ties”.  

Trump also invited Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan to visit the White House on 24 September, perhaps in conjunction with Xi’s planned trip to attend the 2026 UN General Assembly in New York. All sound good for both sides, but one should not underestimate the obstacles to improving relations. In particular, this visit did not address the fundamental differences between them.  

Trump’s approval ratings have been severely bruised by the unnecessary war with Iran and soaring gas prices. His Republican Party faces a formidable battle in the upcoming mid-term election. In addition, the US Congress remains firmly hostile to China.  Whether Trump can resist all domestic pressures and stay on track of keeping a steady US-China relationship remains to be seen.

The Beijing summit added a dose of optimism to the bilateral relationship but failed to eliminate any of the structural problems associated with the rise and fall of great powers. Still, it is remarkable that this summit achieved moderate success by continuing the current trend of pragmatic co-existence. Such high-level, face-to-face exchanges contribute to stabilising this complex relationship and give people hope that the two powers could manage this difficult relationship peacefully.

Related: Trump in Beijing: Why China may miss Trump after 2029 | Xi raises stakes over Taiwan, warns US of ‘clash or even conflict’