Trump praises strong Xi ties as Beijing trip wraps up
What you need to know
- Trump is meeting with Xi Jinping at his official residence on Friday
- Trump says Xi is 'all business' but they 'have a very good relationship'
- Two leaders held a lengthy meeting on Thursday
- Trump says Xi agreed privately that the Strait of Hormuz should be open
- Xi warned of 'clashes and even conflicts' with the US if the Taiwan issue is mishandled
Welcome to DW's coverage of the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing from May 13-15.
Skip next section Trump-Xi discussions criticized for absence of women05/15/2026May 15, 2026Trump-Xi discussions criticized for absence of women
The carefully choreographed photo of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping seated across from each other inside the Great Hall of the People on Thursday was designed to impress.
But the photo was criticized for a conspicuous lack of women at the table, with a post on social media by Gita Gopinath, an economics professor at Harvard, having garnered many thousand likes and views.
Similarly, Trump and Xi are holding a second round of talks today with a small coterie of people who are all men.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DmMGSkip next section Trump and Xi begin working lunch at Zhongnanhai05/15/2026May 15, 2026Trump and Xi begin working lunch at Zhongnanhai
Trump and Xi are now at a working lunch at Zhongnanhai, the leadership compound of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. This is the last event on the schedule before Trump returns to Washington.
The leaders earlier took a stroll through the gardens and paused for a "friendship photo." Trump told reporters that they had made "fantastic trade deals."
Xi also said he was going to send Trump some rose seeds after the US president remarked that the roses there were the most beautiful he had ever seen.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DmJRSkip next section Trump says China, US struck 'fantastic deals' ahead of Friday's meeting05/15/2026May 15, 2026Trump says China, US struck 'fantastic deals' ahead of Friday's meeting
Before heading Friday's meeting, China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump spent about 10 minutes walking the gardens of the Zhongnanhai compound, a former imperial garden that houses the offices of Chinese leaders.
"These are the most beautiful roses anyone has ever seen," Trump remarked while walking past green columns and archways.
Trump said the two leaders had struck "fantastic trade deals" without providing details.
Friday's meeting is expected to focus more on trade.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who is attending Friday's meeting, told Bloomberg TV on Friday it had not yet been decided whether to extend the US-China trade truce beyond its expiry later this year.
Towards the end of 2025, the US suspended steep tariff increases on Chinese goods while China eased export restrictions on rare earth.
Deals on Chinese purchases of farm goods, beef and Boeing aircraft have been firmed up, Greer added, according to the Reuters new agency.
He also said progress was made on establishing mechanisms to manage future trade, with both sides expected to identify $30 billion (€26 billion) of non-sensitive goods.
Xi and Trump are being joined by smaller delegations on Friday.
China's delegation includes Xie Feng, China's ambassador to the United States; Cai Qi, a director of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China; Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi; Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ma Zhaoxu and He Lifeng, vice premier of the State Council.
As well as US Trade Representative Greer, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and the US Ambassador to China, David Perdue have joined Trump.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DmGNSkip next section Xi and Trump meeting for private meeting and lunch05/15/2026May 15, 2026Xi and Trump meeting for private meeting and lunch
Dmytro Hubenko EditorChinese President Xi Jinping has received US President Donald Trump on Friday for a second and final day of talks.
Xi greeted Trump with a handshake at the gardens of the Zhongnanhai, the central leadership compound next to Beijing's Forbidden City.
The two are to take tea and have a working lunch.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DmCcSkip next section Trump says Xi is 'all business'05/15/2026May 15, 2026Trump says Xi is 'all business'
In an interview broadcast late on Thursday in the US, Donald Trump said he had a very "very good relationship" with China's President Xi Jinping.
"We have a very good relationship, a friendship really," Trump said in an interview conducted in China by Fox News host Sean Hannity.
"I think he’s a warm person, actually," Trump added. "But he’s all business. There’s no games. There's no talking about how the weather is."
China's role in smoothing Iran conflict still unclear
Earlier on Thursday, Trump said that Xi told him China wants to help negotiate an end to the war and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, there was no mention of whether China would continue to purchase Iranian oil.
China buys some 90% of Iran's oil exports, "providing tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue that supports Iran’s government budget and military activities," according to the US government's US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
In the Thursday evening Fox News interview, Trump also spoke of Iran, suggesting that hunting down Iran's enriched uranium was primarily for political optics.
"I just feel better if I got it, actually, but it's … I think, it's more for public relations than it is for anything else," Trump said.
He warned that he wouldn't be "much more patient" with Iran.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DmBQSkip next section Trump invested heavily in Apple, Nvidia shares earlier this year05/15/2026May 15, 2026Trump invested heavily in Apple, Nvidia shares earlier this year
The CEOs of tech giants Apple and Nvidia are part of the business delegation accompanying US President Donald Trump in Beijing.
Trump made large investments in both companies in the first quarter of 2026, newly released financial transactions reports show.
He invested up to $7.2 million (around €6.2 million) in Apple during the first three months of 2026, according to data from the US Office of Government Ethics published on Thursday.
The exact amounts are not available as the mandatory reporting only shows approximate ranges.
The largest Apple purchase was made at the beginning of February and was valued between $1 million and $5 million.
He also made a similarly large purchase of between $1 million and $5 million in Nvidia.
Conversely, large sales, ranging from $5 million to $25 million each, involved Microsoft, Amazon and Meta.
The trades also included shares of Oracle, Bank of America, Broadcom and Goldman Sachs.
In total, the data show 3,642 reportable trades valued at between $220 million and around $750 million.
The data doesn't consistently clarify the type of security, such as whether it was a stock or a corporate bond.
Unclear who placed the trades
The filings don't make clear in what accounts the transactions took place or who placed the trades.
The president's assets are held in a trust controlled by his children, while some of the transactions in the new filings indicate that a broker acted as an agent.
The White House press office referred questions about the trades from Reuters news agency to the Trump Organization.
An attorney for the Trump Organization did not immediately respond to the news agency's request for comment.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Dm88Skip next section Presence of Donald Trump's son Eric in China raises eyebrows05/15/2026May 15, 2026Presence of Donald Trump's son Eric in China raises eyebrows
Donald Trump's son Eric Trump is having a front-seat view of power during the US president's visit to China.
Eric Trump, along with his wife, Lara, posed for photos with Chinese President Xi Jinping before attending a state banquet on Thursday evening.
He was also seen chatting to Xi during a sunny afternoon visit to the Temple of Heaven.
But the younger Trump isn't a government official. Neither is he running a top US company, like Apple, Boeing or chipmaker Nvidia, whose executives have accompanied President Trump to Beijing.
Rather, as the Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization, Eric runs the Trump family business alongside his brother Donald Trump Jr.
The Trump Organization has stressed that Eric is in China "in a personal capacity" in statements to several US media outlets, including The New York Times.
But as the US newspaper writes, the Trump Organization "has flirted with Chinese business deals over the years, raising the question of whether [Eric's] presence could blur the lines between government business and private enterprise."
Then there's the fact that Donald Trump lambasted Joe Biden for taking his son Hunter with him on his official plane during a trip to China in 2013 when Biden was vice president.
During his first term, Trump even called on the Chinese government to investigate the Bidens.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Dlw2Skip next section Trump defends Beijing's assessment of US as 'declining nation'05/15/2026May 15, 2026Trump defends Beijing's assessment of US as 'declining nation'
After a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, US President Donald Trump defended his Chinese counterpart's earlier assessment of the US as a "declining nation," saying it was an accurate description of the state of affairs under his predecessor, Joe Biden.
"Two years ago, we were, in fact, a Nation in decline. On that, I fully agree with President Xi!" Trump wrote Thursday on his Truth Social Platform.
Trump then proceeded to list what he regards as the achievements of his nearly year-and-a-half in office, saying that Xi congratulated him on the policies he has implemented.
Xi hosted Trump to a warm greeting ceremony early on Thursday ahead of a private meeting to address the war in Iran as well as tensions over Taiwan.
Trump expressed hopes that the US "relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before!"
https://p.dw.com/p/5DlraSkip next section Trump says China will buy 200 Boeing jets05/14/2026May 14, 2026Trump says China will buy 200 Boeing jets
China has agreed to purchase 200 "big" Boeing jets, US President Donald Trump told Fox News after a day of summitry with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"It was sort of like a statement but I think it was a commitment," Trump said, describing talks with Xi.
Ahead of the summit, US media reported on the potential for a Boeing deal. Bloomberg and other outlets reported that China was considering a deal for about 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, plus discussions for roughly 100 wide‑body jets (787 Dreamliner and 777X).
It was unclear from Trump's statement what aircraft the deal would entail. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg is part of the business entourage accompanying the US president in Beijing.
The US aviation giant's last China order was $37 million (€31.5 million) for 300 single and dual isle aircraft in 2017 after Trump met Xi for the first time in Beijing.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Dlo5Skip next section Key moments on the first day of Donald Trump's visit to Beijing05/14/2026May 14, 2026Key moments on the first day of Donald Trump's visit to Beijing
Despite tensions, the visit featured ceremonial warmth, including a state banquet and statements highlighting the importance of bilateral ties.
- China's President Xi Jinping called US-China relations the world's most important. 'Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America Great Again can go hand in hand,' he said during a state welcome dinner for US President Donald Trump. 'We must make it work and never mess it up,' he added. According to China's state media, Xi earlier warned Trump that disagreements over Taiwan could push relations toward conflict.
- Trump described the first day of the two-day visit as a 'fantastic day.' He also invited Xi and his wife, Madame Peng, to visit the White House in September. The US downplayed Taiwan in its summary of the talks between Trump and Xi, focusing instead on trade, energy cooperation, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
- 'China is currently the only risk to regional peace and stability,' Taiwan's Ministry of Affairs said in response to Xi's warning on Thursday. The self-governed island also said nothing surprising had emerged from the talks between Xi and Trump. 'So at this point, all we can say is that there has been no surprising information so far and we will continue to maintain close communication with the American side,' Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Head and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh said.
- Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged stronger US-China ties through friendship and cooperation while speaking with US business leaders, including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Jensen Huang, during Trump's Beijing visit. 'China and the United States have been able to maintain frank and smooth dialogue and communication and actively safeguard a stable and healthy bilateral relationship' despite international turbulence, Li said.
- Friday will feature more talks between the two leaders, followed by a tea reception before Trump departs for Washington on Air Force One.
Trump, Xi hold high-stakes US-China summit in Beijing
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https://p.dw.com/p/5DlRNSkip next section Trump says Xi offered to help open up Strait of Hormuz05/14/2026May 14, 2026Trump says Xi offered to help open up Strait of Hormuz
China's President Xi Jinping has promised to help the US open the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has kept largely shuttered since the US and Israel first attacked it on February 28, according to US President Donald Trump.
Speaking to Fox News' "Hannity" show from Beijing on Thursday, shortly after a meeting with Xi, Trump said of his Chinese counterpart: "He'd like to see the Hormuz Strait open, and said 'if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help.'"
Trump also said that Xi vowed not to arm Iran in its conflict against the US and Israel.
"He said he's not going to give military equipment... he said that strongly," Trump said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DlctSkip next section US officials downplay shelving Taiwan in Xi-Trump summit05/14/2026May 14, 2026US officials downplay shelving Taiwan in Xi-Trump summit
US officials traveling with President Donald Trump to China have sought to downplay what appeared to be casting aside the question of Taiwan in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who directly warned Washington over the self-governed island.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told US business news network CNBC that Trump would say more on Taiwan "in the coming days."
"It wouldn't be a US-China summit without the Taiwan issue coming up," Bessent said. "President Trump understands the issues here and understands the sensitivities around all this. Anyone who has been saying otherwise does not understand the negotiating style of Donald Trump."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio meanwhile stressed Washington's policy toward Taiwan remained "unchanged."
"US policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today and as of the meeting that we had here today. It was raised. They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics," Rubio told NBC news.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DlU0Skip next section IN PICTURES: Off-the-cuff moments05/14/2026May 14, 2026IN PICTURES: Off-the-cuff moments
State visits are typically highly stage-managed, particularly in China, however, this does not preclude unscripted moments, like these:
US believes China will help to reopen Strait of Hormuz
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC he believes China will act to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it firmly in China’s own interest.
It comes after President Donald Trump discussed the war with Iran with China's President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Beijing.
In response to the US-Israeli strikes, Iran has effectively closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz to Gulf oil and gas exports, sending prices soaring and forcing countries around the world to scramble for alternative supplies.
The White House says both leaders agreed the Strait of Hormuz must be open, and that Iran should never acquire nuclear weapons.
China is Iran’s closest major partner and its biggest oil customer, giving Beijing significant leverage.
A new chapter in US-China rivalry
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https://p.dw.com/p/5Dl5ySkip next section Trump invites Xi to Washington05/14/2026May 14, 2026Trump invites Xi to Washington
President Donald Trump invited his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to visit the United States in September.
Speaking at a state banquet in Chinas Great Hall of the People, Trump invited Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to visit the White House on 24 September.
He also described the relationship between the US and China as one of the "most consequential in world history."
Speaking before Trump, Xi described China-US relations as the most important bilateral relationship in the world.
The two leaders avoided controversial topics in their public speeches.
DW China analyst Clifford Connan said it was likely the Trump administration was "not trying to rock the boat."
"Trump is thinking ahead to when Xi is coming to Washington in terms of any big moves," he said.
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