Le président américain Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet in Beijing on Friday to conclude a two-day state visit marked by both trade progress and geopolitical tensions around Taiwan.
This visit, the first by a US president to China since 2017, comes amid growing strategic rivalry between the world's two largest economies. Trump is also seeking concrete economic results to bolster his political standing ahead of the US midterm elections.
In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump said he hoped relations between Washington and Beijing would become "stronger and better than ever." In an interview with Fox News, he described Xi Jinping as a "warm" person, but also "entirely focused on business".
The discussions between the two leaders were, however, marked by a strong warning from Xi regarding Taiwan. According to Beijing, the Chinese president stated that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to conflict and severely damage bilateral relations.
Despite these tensions, US officials highlight several economic advances, including agreements on agricultural products, beef exports and Boeing aircraft.
Washington also wants to obtain Beijing's help to promote the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely disrupted since the start of the conflict involving Iran, a point considered crucial for global energy markets.
Before Trump's departure, the two leaders are to share a lunch and a tea ceremony at the Zhongnanhai complex, the seat of Chinese power in Beijing.
Community
Comments
Comments are open, but protected against spam. Initial posts and comments containing links undergo manual review.
Be the first to comment on this article.