Donald Trump has been treated to the full red-carpet treatment by China’s president Xi Jinping, lavished with imperial pomp rarely afforded a US leader as goose-stepping troops, thundering cannons and flag-waving children greeted him in Beijing.
Trump hailed Xi as they took their seats inside the Great Hall of the People, calling it ‘an honor like few have ever seen before’, and singling out the chanting children for special praise.
‘I was particularly impressed by those children. They were happy. They were beautiful,’ the President said.
Sitting opposite Xi, Trump was effusive: ‘It’s an honor to be with you, it’s an honor to be your friend, and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before.’
Xi, also struck a warm tone, telling Trump: ‘China and the United States both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. We should be partners, not rivals.’
‘We should help each other succeed, and prosper together, and find the right way for major countries to get along well with each other in the new era,’ Xi added.
It is Trump’s first face-to-face with Xi since the Iran war erupted on February 28.
The President’s motorcade swept into Tiananmen Square at 10.01am Thursday almost exactly on schedule, with Trump emerging moments later in his signature dark suit and red tie to a blaring military fanfare.
Trump walked over to Xi, who was waiting by the steps, and the pair shook hands, with Trump warmly patting the Chinese leader’s hand as they exchanged a few words
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Beijing
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Beijing
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14
Xi Jinping speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14
U.S. President Donald Trump participates in an expanded bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, stands with U.S. President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing
He walked over to Xi, who was waiting by the steps, and the pair shook hands, with Trump affectionately patting the Chinese leader’s hand as they exchanged a few words.
Xi, accompanied by Trump, then worked the front row of the heavyweight US delegation lined up on the steps, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The two leaders then mounted a red and gold dais as a military band struck up the Star Spangled Banner and troops in full ceremonial dress marched past.
Thundering cannon salutes boomed across Tiananmen Square round after round as Trump stood beside Xi, before the President broke into a broad smile as he saluted the troops.
A crowd of brightly dressed Chinese schoolchildren waved flowers and US and Chinese flags while chanting ‘welcome, welcome, welcome to China’.
The pair finally swept into the Great Hall after around 20 minutes of pageantry, US cabinet secretaries, officials and American business executives filing in behind them.
US President Donald Trump (R) and China’s President Xi Jinping (L) greet children waving Chinese and US national flags and flowers during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14
U.S. President Donald Trump participates in an welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Thursday, May 14
U.S. President Donald Trump is welcomed by children during a ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China
Trump is traveling with a delegation that includes his son Eric and daughter-in-law Lara, and Silicon Valley bosses Elon Musk of Tesla and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang.
The two leaders will now buckle down for a roughly two-hour bilateral behind closed doors.
The President is expected to press Xi to lean on Iran to accept a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Xi is widely expected to push for tariff relief and access to American-designed AI chips.
The summit was originally slated for March but was postponed when the war broke out.
The scene as U.S. President Donald Trump participates in events at the Great Hall of the People and does a greeting with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping May 14
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (bottom C), US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (bottom centre R), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (bottom R), Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (second row R),senior advisor Stephen Miller (bottom L), Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (centre R second row) and Apple CEO Tim Cook (centre L middle row) attend a welcome ceremony for US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14
Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People on May 14
US President Donald Trump (L) takes part in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14
Military members yell as President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People
US President Donald Trump (R) prepares to shakes hands with China’s President Xi Jinping
An honor guard stands at attention prior to a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14
Chinese President Xi Jinping stands with US President Donald Trump
Trump walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People
Members of the U.S. delegation including (front 2L-R) Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ambassador to China David Perdue, and CEOs from various industries stand prior to a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14
Trump salutes next to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14
Xi Jinping (L) greets US President Donald Trump (C) during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping greets U.S. President Donald Trump during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing
A motorcade that is believed to be carrying U.S. President Donald Trump travels on Chang’an Avenue in Beijing
Trump participates in an welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14
Trump and Xi, leading the world’s two largest economies, have plenty to hammer out over their two days together.
Trump called on Xi to ‘open up’ his economy further to US businesses on Wednesday, with a 17-strong cohort of American CEOs flown in to the White House to act as economic negotiators and iron out roadblocks to further investment.
The President arrived late Wednesday evening local time in the Chinese capital before heading to his hotel for rest.
Trump was greeted on the tarmac by a military band, roughly 300 students waving US and Chinese flags and the nation’s Vice President Han Zheng.
