President Trump warmly welcomes meeting with President Xi in Beijing
President Donald Trump’s two-day visit to Beijing began at Tianmen Square with a grand welcome from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump received a grand welcome from Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tiananmen Square, including a red carpet arrival, a lively entrance of flower- and flag-waving schoolchildren, and a 21-gun salute as he officially began his two-day visit to Beijing.
“This was an honor like very few I’ve ever seen,” President Trump marveled at the opening remarks of his meeting with Xi on May 14.
Hours later, Trump was still in good spirits when he toasted at the Great Hall of the People as the guest of honor at a state dinner. “It was a really great welcome,” he said. “It’s like no other.”
Standing under a tower-like roof in front of a welcome sign written in English and Chinese, President Trump formally invited Mr. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to come to the White House for a mutual visit on September 24.
Guests at the VIP dinner dined on a menu that included lobster in tomato soup, crispy beef ribs, Peking roast duck, slow-cooked salmon with mustard sauce, fried pork buns and trumpet shell-shaped pastries, tiramisu and ice cream for dessert.
Here are the key moments of President Trump’s visit to Beijing so far:
VIP list
First Lady Melania Trump did not visit China with her husband. Instead, he was joined by his younger son Eric, daughter-in-law Lara, several cabinet members, and about a dozen of the country’s most powerful CEOs.
The list included Tesla’s Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and other top executives from major Chinese companies.
During the public portion of the meeting, President Trump said he had asked CEOs from the world’s top 30 countries to participate, and all had agreed. President Trump said, “I didn’t want the second or third person in the company. I just wanted the top person.” “And they are here today to pay their respects to you and to China.”
After reporters were kicked out, business leaders remained silent about what was discussed.
“There are a lot of good things,” Musk said. Mr. Cook gave a peace sign and a thumbs up. “The meeting went well,” Huang declared. “Mr. Xi and President Trump were great.”
Pageantry on display
After the meeting, President Xi took President Trump to the Temple of Heaven, one of China’s most elaborate religious sites.
The cultural visit was not as lavish as Trump and Xi’s first visit to China as presidents in 2017. At the time, President Xi gave the president and first lady a private tour of the Forbidden City, one of China’s most famous sites, and delighted them with a special Peking Opera performance during the visit.
President Trump was furious about a massive military parade that Xi hosted in Beijing last year with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of collusion against the United States.
However, he said he was satisfied with the viewing ceremony and other sights he witnessed upon arrival. “I was particularly impressed by the children,” President Trump said during his official meeting with President Xi. “It’s normal for the military, but those kids were amazing.”
The obvious symbolism was not lost on President Trump, who said the happy children “represent a lot” about China’s future.
“Some say this is probably the greatest summit in history. They will never remember anything like this,” Trump asserted. “I can tell you that in the United States, people don’t talk about anything else.”
Tense talks over Taiwan
President Trump publicly praised Xi, saying, “You are a great leader,” and “It’s an honor to be your friend.” The two sides held what appeared to be tense talks behind the scenes about Taiwan, an independently administered territory that China considers its own territory.
According to Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency, President Xi told President Trump that Taiwan is the “most important issue” in U.S.-China relations. The newspaper added that Mr. Xi told Mr. Trump that “if he responds appropriately, bilateral relations will be stabilized overall.”
What you need to know about President Trump’s visit to China
President Donald Trump’s visit to China will be overshadowed by the Iran war and the continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Otherwise, the two countries will cause clashes and conflicts, which will put the entire relationship at great risk,” Xi said, stressing that “Taiwan independence” and cross-strait peace are as incompatible as fire and water, according to Xinhua news agency.
The stark warning came after Taiwan passed a $25 billion bill that would allow it to buy missiles and other weapons from the United States. The Trump administration has already approved $11 billion worth of weapons, but has not shipped them. President Trump signaled this week that he was prepared to block future sales.
“I’m going to have that discussion with President Xi. President Xi would prefer that we don’t do that,” Trump said on May 11. “That’s one of the many things I’m going to discuss with President Xi.”
President Trump declined to discuss what he personally discussed with Xi during his May 14 visit to the Temple of Heaven.
White House communications director Stephen Chan presented reporters accompanying the president with an official reading of the meeting, which did not mention Taiwan at all. A White House statement said they discussed Iran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that Taiwan has become a hot topic in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show. However, he said that arms sales “did not come up as a prominent topic” during the meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping.
“The U.S. policy on the Taiwan issue remains unchanged at this point,” Rubio said.
In his toast at the dinner, President Trump said the overall discussion was “very positive and productive,” and said he would continue the discussion over dinner.
“We’ve had a great relationship. We’ve had some challenges and we’ve worked through them,” Trump said. “We will build a great future together.”
Kind words and encrypted messages
During the toast, Mr. Xi said it was a “great honor” to welcome Mr. Trump. “This is a historic visit,” the Chinese leader said through an interpreter, noting that it marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
“The people of China and the United States are both great peoples,” Xi said. “Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand. We can help each other succeed and promote the happiness of the whole world.”
In his remarks, President Trump referred to the “new people,” a nickname given to American traders by Chinese merchants two centuries ago, and said that “two and a half centuries later, that initial connection has grown into one of the most important relationships in the history of the world.”
It was an unusually subtle touch for the typically talkative Trump, who often reads from prepared notes, no ad libs, and a departure from the hostile tone he took during last year’s messy trade war with China.
President Trump said in Beijing that China has adopted “basketballs and blue jeans,” but that the U.S. has more Chinese restaurants than the five largest fast-food chains, preferring to rely on the two countries’ cultural ties.
“I want to raise a glass here and toast to the rich and enduring ties between the United States and China. This is a very special relationship,” Trump said, evoking a certain fondness the United States typically has for its closest allies. I would like to thank you again. This was a great period. ”
Contributor: Joey Garrison
