Trump Lands in Beijing for a Landmark Three-Day State Visit

For the first time in nearly a decade, a sitting U.S. president has touched down in China and the world is watching every move.

Air Force One Touches Down in the Chinese Capital

Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday evening local time marking the first visit by an American president to China in nine years. His plane landed at Capital Airport as China Central Television broadcast the arrival live to millions of viewers across the country.

The visit runs from May 13 to 15, and Trump will remain exclusively in Beijing throughout his stay. No travel to other Chinese cities has been announced.

According to the White House schedule released ahead of the trip, Wednesday carries no formal events for the president. The day’s landing appears designed purely for arrival and settling in.

Xi Jinping to Welcome Trump at the Great Hall of the People

Thursday marks the heart of the diplomatic agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping will receive Trump at the Great Hall of the People one of Beijing’s most iconic and symbolically charged venues for a formal bilateral meeting between the two leaders. The talks will be followed by an official state banquet.On Friday, the two heads of state will pose together for a joint photo session. A shared tea ceremony and a bilateral lunch will follow before Trump departs for Washington.

America’s Business Elite Joins the Delegation

Trump did not travel to Beijing alone, he brought some of America’s most powerful corporate leaders with him. The U.S. delegation includes Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Boeing President Kelly Ortberg, and BlackRock chairman Larry Fink.The presence of these major business figures signals that trade and economic ties are likely to sit at the very center of the discussions between Washington and Beijing.