BEIJING (AP) 鈥� President began his trip to Beijing on Thursday by telling Xi Jinping 鈥渋t鈥檚 an honor to be your friend,鈥� even as his Chinese counterpart offered a cautionary warning about avoiding a possible clash between the two nations.
The stark contrast in tone underscored just how far apart the leaders remain on thorny issues including the war in Iran, trade disputes and Washington鈥檚 relationship with Taiwan 鈥� and suggested that Trump and Xi鈥檚 highly anticipated meetings are likely to be than major breakthroughs.
In remarks before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People moved behind closed doors, Trump was full of platitudes, saying of Xi, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a great leader. Sometimes people don鈥檛 like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it鈥檚 true.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to be with you. It鈥檚 an honor to be your friend,鈥� Trump said before promising that 鈥渢he relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.鈥�
Xi was darker, expressing hope that the U.S. and China can avoid conflict while saying that history, and the world were asking 鈥渨hether the two countries can transcend the 鈥楾hucydides Trap鈥� and forge a new model for relations between major powers.鈥�
China’s leader used a term popular in foreign policy studies, referring to the idea that when a rising power an established power, the result is often war.
鈥淐ooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both,鈥� Xi said. 鈥淭he two countries should be partners rather than rivals, achieve success together and pursue common prosperity, and chart a correct path for major-country relations in the new era.鈥�
Xi has mentioned 鈥淭hucydides Trap鈥� before with regards to U.S.-China relations, dating back to as early as 2014. China’s leader included it in his messages to Trump鈥檚 predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden, in 2022 and 2024. Still, his evoking the term as Trump began his visit with optimism was noteworthy.
Comments follow elaborate welcome ceremony
The remarks from each followed a sweeping greeting for Trump outside the Great Hall of the People, an imposing building on Tiananmen Square that houses China鈥檚 legislature. Cannons boomed a welcome salute and a band played 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥� and China’s national anthem.
The hall featured giant, red-carpeted steps and huge expanses of marble, where soldiers hung large American and Chinese flags. School children in bright colors offered a welcome routine, jumping as the girls waved flowers and the boys hoisted American and Chinese flags while the two leaders walked past them.
Later, the Republican U.S. president is set to visit 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.
The White House has insisted that Trump wouldn’t be making the trip without an eye toward securing results before he leaves 鈥� suggesting there could be , 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 could complicate matters.
Economic questions still loom
Trump’s trip comes as his domestic agenda and stoke fears about the prospect of a as the election season ahead of 鈥� when 鈥� begins heating up.
The U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran has led to the effective closure of the , stranding oil and natural gas tankers and causing energy prices to spike, threatening global economic growth.
Spending so much time with Xi will afford ample time for potentially tricky discussions, on Iran and trade, but also Taiwan and a possible three-way nuclear arms deal featuring Washington, Beijing and Russia.
Progress beyond pleasantries might prove elusive.
Back in Washington, the politics of the war got more complicated. Senate Republicans again blocked Democratic legislation to halt hostilities in Iran 鈥� but bucked her party, becoming the third Republican in the chamber to vote against continuing the war.
China is the largest , and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with Fox 草莓传媒鈥� Sean Hannity that Trump will make the case for Beijing to exert its influence on Iran, noting that administration officials will underscore that 鈥渆conomies are melting down because of this crisis鈥� which means consumers are 鈥渂uying less Chinese product.鈥�
鈥淪o it鈥檚 in their interest to resolve this,鈥� Rubio said of Chinese officials. 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�
That contradicted Trump, who has downplayed suggestions that he’ll press Xi to do more to pressure Iran to open the strait. The president also says pressure on the U.S. economy won’t compromise U.S. demands as he negotiates with Iran in the midst of a . Asked as he left the White House if the financial stability of ordinary Americans factors into Iranian negotiations, Trump responded, 鈥淣ot even a little bit.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think about Americans鈥� financial situation. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,鈥� Trump said, before going on to suggest that 鈥渆very American understands鈥� such a position.
Mixed messaging was also evident on inflation and the war, however, as Vice President JD Vance denied Trump’s own words that the U.S. economy wasn’t a major factor in seeking a resolution with Tehran.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think the president said that,鈥� Vance said after being asked about Trump’s comments. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a misrepresentation of what the president said.鈥�
Trade and Taiwan discussions also could be intense
Looming large is the status of Taiwan, given that China is displeased with U.S. plans to sell weapons to the self-governing island that the Chinese government claims as part of its territory.
The Trump administration has approved an for Taiwan, but has yet to begin fulfilling it. Trump has also 鈥� an approach that鈥檚 raising questions about whether he might be open to dialing back support for the island democracy.
Taiwan is the world鈥檚 leading chipmaker, producing components essential to the development of artificial intelligence. Trump has sought to bolster trade deals with Taiwan that can stimulate chip production in the U.S.
Trump to invite him to hop on Air Force One during a refueling stop in Alaska on the way to Beijing. He’s one of a from the tech, defense, finance and agriculture sectors who are part of the delegation.
The U.S. and China reached a last year that calmed each side鈥檚 threats to impose steep tariffs on the other. The White House says there have been ongoing discussions and mutual interest in extending the agreement, though it is unclear whether any such announcement could come during Trump鈥檚 visit.
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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Darlene Superville in Washington, and Simina Mistreanu in Bangkok, contributed to this report.
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