WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump should return from his trip to Beijing this week with new agreements that benefit the United States, White House officials said on May 10.
The planned May 14 to May 15 summit in Beijing between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to be a significant test of relations between the two countries. During the talks, Trump is set to raise several sensitive issues with Xi, including rare-earth exports, trade and purchase commitments, Taiwan, Iran, Russia, artificial intelligence, and cyberthreats.
“This will be a visit of tremendous symbolic significance,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told reporters during a call on May 10. “But of course, President Trump never travels for symbolism alone.
“The American people can expect the president to deliver more good deals on behalf of our country.”
Trump is set to sign new agreements with China in several industries, including aerospace, agriculture, and energy. The United States is seeking purchase commitments worth tens of billions of dollars, a senior administration official told reporters during the call.
Boeing will be part of the business delegation traveling with Trump, the official said. The company has been in talks with Beijing to sell up to 500 jets.
Beijing Itinerary
The White House announced Trump’s schedule for the two-day visit. He will arrive in Beijing on the evening of May 13. On May 14, Trump will attend a welcome ceremony and hold a bilateral meeting with Xi in the morning. In the afternoon, both leaders will tour the Temple of Heaven and attend a state banquet that evening.On the morning of May 15, Trump will meet with the Chinese leader for a bilateral tea and working lunch before departing China.
“During this visit, President Trump will continue doing what he has done over the past year, rebalancing the relationship with China and prioritizing reciprocity and fairness to restore American economic independence,” Kelly said.
Rare-Earth Exports
Rare-earth shipments have been one of the thornier issues between the two countries.In 2025, China imposed strict export controls on rare earths and magnets, disrupting U.S. automotive, electric vehicle, and defense supply chains.
In late October 2025, Trump and Xi met in Busan, South Korea, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. During that meeting, Xi agreed to pause export controls and licensing rules on rare-earth elements and critical minerals for one year, keeping supplies available for U.S. and global markets. That agreement is still active, a Trump administration official said during the call.
“It’s still in effect,” he said, noting that talks with the Chinese side are ongoing but that it remains unclear whether the agreement will be extended. “It doesn’t expire yet.
Taiwan
Taiwan is another contentious issue in U.S.–China relations.“There is an ongoing conversation between President Trump and General Secretary Xi Jinping about Taiwan,” another senior administration official said during the call. “We don’t expect to see any changes in U.S. policy going forward.”
Xi previously expressed opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
The U.S. position on Taiwan’s defense budget has not changed, the official said. He noted that in its first year, the Trump administration approved significantly more arms sales to Taiwan than the previous administration did over four years.
However, Washington is disappointed with recent defense spending cuts by Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament, the official said.
Iran and Russia
Washington has accused China of supporting Russia and Iran, helping Tehran carry out military strikes in the Middle East, and aiding the Kremlin in its war in Ukraine.“The president has spoken multiple times with General Secretary Xi Jinping about the topic of Iran and about the topic of Russia, to include the revenue that China provides to both those regimes,” the senior administration official said.
The Trump administration has urged the Chinese regime to support U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit corridor closed by Iran. However, Beijing has so far remained unresponsive.
The Iranian foreign minister met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week.
Concerns Raised Over Trip
As the U.S. president prepares for a trip to Beijing, some China hawks in Washington argue that it would be unsafe for him to travel there.“Nothing good is going to happen,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said during an interview on The Glenn Beck Program on May 8.
“[China] has elected to be our enemy. … Think of how many Americans they’ve killed with fentanyl. They’ve tried to destroy all of our companies, right? They’re threatening our allies.”
“They steal organs from their own citizens,” he added, calling the communist regime’s leaders “despicable.”
Trump previously postponed his trip to Beijing, which was initially scheduled for March 31 to April 2, because of the war in Iran.
There is no plan to postpone the trip again, an administration official said.
“Clearly six weeks ago, we were in a bit more of an active situation in Iran, and the president made the decision to push it back,” he said.