Trump and Xi meet in Beijing for key summit, with trade, Iran and AI on table

The US president, Donald Trump, has met China’s leader, Xi Jinping, for a momentous summit that will pack negotiations on global conflict, international trade and the future of artificial intelligence into just over 24 hours. Trump arrived at the Great Hall of the People, an imposing Mao-era building that borders the western edge of Tiananmen Square, on Thursday morning for an opening ceremony followed by an hour of face to face talks with Xi. Rows of uniformed officers flanked the red carpet laid out in front of the Great Hall of the People as Xi and Trump walked side by side on to a lectern to listen to a welcome salute before being cheered by rows of primary schoolchildren waving US and Chinese flags. The children received a double thumbs up from Trump and a wave from Xi. The ceremony concluded with a tightly choreographed performance from the Chinese military’s marching band, before Trump and Xi walked up the stairs into China’s national legislature for their first round of bilateral talks. In opening remarks, Xi noted that 2026 marks 250 years of US independence and said that stability in the US-China relationship was necessary for the world. Donald Trump walks with Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters Trump said he and Xi had “known each other for a long time” and that Xi was a “great leader”. “I say to everybody you’re a great leader. …