Trump and Xi begin superpowers’ summit on trade and war

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.BEIJING—President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping reunited on Thursday morning in Beijing, kicking off a summit centered on improving their economic relationship, as the war in Iran and U.S. commitment to Taiwan loom.Speaking inside the Great Hall of the People, both leaders projected optimism for two days of talks.

Xi said he hoped both countries could be “partners, not rivals.” Trump responded by calling the meeting “the biggest summit ever,” promising the U.S.-China relationship would be “better than ever before.”Their remarks followed a red-carpet arrival ceremony featuring a military honor guard and flag-waving schoolchildren. Tiananmen Square was cleared out before the president’s armored car pulled up, with senior U.S.

officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent awaiting the president on the steps of the hall.A smiling Xi walked out by himself to greet Trump with a handshake, not the “big, fat hug” Trump earlier said he was expecting. Xi and Trump then acknowledged the line of officials before standing together under a red-and-yellow canopy for renditions of both countries’ national anthems and a short ceremonial procession by the Chinese military.Later Thursday, Trump will attend a state dinner with dignitaries and business leaders.

That will set the stage for a more personal tea ceremony and working lunch Friday before Trump returns to Washington.Trump and Xi have different goals for the summit. Xi aims to resolve trade disputes with the U.S.

while weakening Washington’s commitment to Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island China hopes to bring under Beijing’s control. Trump wants Xi’s help in brokering an end to the war in