Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump were meeting on Thursday in Beijing for a where few breakthroughs are expected on ranging from the Iran war, trade, technology and Taiwan.
Trump hopes to focus talks on trade and agricultural products and passenger planes, setting up a board to address their differences and avoid a repeat of the trade war after Trump鈥檚 tariff hikes.
Xi will likely bring up America鈥檚 decision to sell weapons to Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory. Trump in December authorized , but has not yet moved forward with delivery.
Stability in is the main goal of the two-day summit. Trump is expected to leave just after midday Friday after a final private meeting with Xi.
The war with Iran is also likely to be a key topic. Ahead of the meetings, Trump hoped China would use its to prod Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the two-month old war or reopen the critical , but he has tempered those calls ahead of the summit.
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A pomp-filled ceremony marks the start of the summit
Trump and Xi stood side by side for the playing of their countries鈥� national anthems on Thursday as their summit got underway.
The leaders than walked the red carpet, accompanied by a goose stepping Chinese service member, to inspect the military honor guard.
Trump and Xi also paused for a moment in front of dozens of flower-waiving children gathered for the ceremony.
Democratic lawmaker urges Trump not to be 鈥榙riven by improvisation, personal flattery鈥� in talks
Trump has talked up his personal rapport with Xi despite deep differences on a slew of issues.
Sen. Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that Trump would be misguided to put too much stock in his personal dynamic with the Chinese leader.
鈥淲e cannot afford to trade lasting American strength for a short-term political win or to mistake a photo op for real strategic progress,鈥� Warner said. 鈥淎ny agreement reached with Beijing during this summit must deliver tangible results for American workers, our security, and our long-term competitiveness.鈥�
Rubio says Trump will make the case to China to take a 鈥榤ore active role鈥� on Iran
The secretary of state, who is with Trump in Beijing, said administration officials will underscore that 鈥渆conomies are melting down because of this crisis鈥� and that will result in consumers 鈥渂uying less Chinese product.鈥�
鈥淪o it鈥檚 in their interest to resolve this,鈥� Rubio said in an interview with Fox 草莓传媒鈥� Sean Hannity. 鈥淲e hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they鈥檙e doing now and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf.鈥�
The message contrasts with comments by Trump, who downplayed differences with Xi over Iran before departing from Washington.
鈥淲e have a lot of things to discuss,鈥� Trump told reporters. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say Iran is one of them, to be honest with you, because we have Iran very much under control.鈥�
Trump kicks off the busiest part of his China trip
The president arrived in Beijing . On Thursday, the summit begins in earnest.
China’s Xi will officially welcome Trump during a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, followed by bilateral talks.
Then there鈥檚 some cultural programming 鈥� a visit to the Temple of Heaven 鈥� before a state banquet capping the day.
This trip is expected to be long on pageantry and symbolism but neither side has yet offered concrete details on what Trump will come away with.
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Xi and Trump will be meeting at the Great Hall of the People
The Great Hall of the People was built in 1959 for the tenth anniversary of the founding of the People鈥檚 Republic of China. It鈥檚 a massive structure, some 171,800 square meters or 42.5 acres, on the western side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
This is where China hosts most of its foreign dignitaries, as well as key events like the annual meeting of its ceremonial legislature. The hall covers an area bigger than the Forbidden Palace.
Construction of the building was completed in a quick 10 months, and mostly with manpower. China was not heavily industrialized and the chief engineer for the project at the time, Yang Sixin, told state media that 鈥渢he bricks that needed to go up were all transported by hand, carried in baskets with a pole. I鈥檝e also carried the bricks up myself.鈥�
While the structure鈥檚 size and towering structure is similar to buildings found in the Soviet style, its decorations inside were designed by referencing Chinese history, such as floral designs from the Tang dynasty.
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