Trump’s meeting with Xi comes with much fanfare in China, but major breakthroughs may be elusive

President Donald Trump talks during an arrival ceremony Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, with Eric Trump, right. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) 2026-05-14T00:00:18Z Beijing (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday kicks off the busiest portion of his China visit, a summit expected to be long on pageantry and symbolism but unlikely to feature major breakthroughs on key issues like trade, U.S. relations with Taiwan or the war in Iran. He arrived at an elaborate welcome ceremony on Wednesday night, and his motorcade rolled past a series of American and Chinese flags, as well as skyscrapers lit with Chinese characters reading “Beijing Welcome.” The Republican president headed to his hotel afterward and had no public events. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to meet Trump during a ceremony on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People, a hub for legislative action by the communist government and a center for key cultural and social events on the Western side of Tiananmen Square. They will have a bilateral meeting before Trump visits the Temple of Heaven — a religious complex dating to the 15th century that symbolizes the relationship between heaven and earth. Trump and Xi will also attend a state banquet. On Friday, Trump and Xi are planning a working tea and lunch. The White House has insisted that Trump wouldn’t be making the trip without an eye toward securing results before he leaves — suggesting that there could be announcements coming on trade , including a Chinese commitment to buy U.S. soybeans, beef and aircraft. Trump administration officials also want to work toward establishing a Board of Trade with China to address commercial differences between the countries. But neither side has yet offered concrete details on what might come out of the three-day visit at a time when Beijing’s close economic ties to Iran could complicate matters. (