Trump-Xi summit could shape superpower relations for years to come

Security around Beijing's Tiananmen Square was heightened for days, with social media rumours of a special parade or major event as the Trump-Xi summit approached. The visit was described as including talks, a banquet, and a visit to the Temple of Heaven.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a call with Senator Marco Rubio that he hoped the US would make the right choices, reflecting Beijing’s messaging ahead of the talks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Beijing in the run-up to the summit, illustrating China’s influence in Middle East diplomacy amid regional tensions.

Beijing and Islamabad presented a five-point plan aimed at ceasing hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, signaling China’s growing role as a mediator in the Iran conflict and signaling behind-the-scenes diplomacy with Iranian counterparts.

A February Supreme Court decision curtailed the president's unilateral tariff power, helping to tamp down Trump’s more volatile tariff actions and shaping the trade backdrop for the summit.

The United States announced an $11 billion arms deal with Taiwan last December, which angered Beijing and raised tensions ahead of the Beijing talks.

Trump and Xi met face-to-face in South Korea in October 2025. The article notes that relations had cooled since that encounter, setting the stage for the Beijing summit.

The article describes a year in which the US and China appeared to be on the verge of a new trade war. Trump repeatedly raised and lowered tariffs, while China responded by curtailing exports of rare earth minerals and purchases of American agricultural exports, impacting farmers in key states that voted for Trump.