President Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to begin a three-day state visit aimed at stabilizing diplomatic relations with China. The main focus of the summit is to discuss China's role in the ongoing Iran conflict, as well as finding common ground on tariffs and competition in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Although the visit is full of official protocol, political observers expect no major breakthroughs. Washington's main goal at the moment is simply to manage the stability of relations and avoid any open conflict with Beijing while the US remains focused on the war in Iran.
On the economic front, Trump is expected to sign several important trade agreements involving the aerospace, agriculture, and energy sectors. The purchase of Boeing (BA) aircraft by a Chinese company is predicted to be a major highlight, along with the announcement of the establishment of a new US-China Trade and Investment Board to formally resolve trade disputes.
AI is a critical agenda item on the visit, given concerns about cyber espionage and a digital arms race. Washington hopes to establish formal channels of communication to reduce the risk of cyber conflict, despite low confidence in China’s commitment to cybersecurity, which lacks enforcement mechanisms.
However, the visit was overshadowed by a US Court of International Trade ruling last week that struck down Trump’s 10% global tariffs. The loss of this tariff “weapon” is seen as weakening Trump’s negotiating position in Beijing, especially as China continues to actively buy oil from Iran despite US economic sanctions.
