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NEWSCMP China Series

Trump’s 2026 trip to China

Ahead of the first trip by a US president to China in nearly a decade, the South China Morning Post reports on the preparations for President Trump’s visit and examines the issues at stake in his landmark summit with President Xi.

Updated: 13 Mar, 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a grand ceremony to welcome US President Donald Trump at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on November 9, 2017. Photo: Xinhua

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[1]

Exclusive | China confirms talks with US about Trump visit as trade truce stays on the cards

US president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping may roll back tariffs for up to a year as officials seek short-term economic wins.

12 Feb, 2026

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump are expected to meet in Beijing in early April as officials work to stabilise economic ties and manage strategic tensions. Photo: Getty Images

[2]

Xi-Trump talk plans rattled by chaotic US team: ‘the worst I’ve ever seen’

Analysts warn thin US coordination and rushed timelines risk weak deliverables and surprises ahead of high-stakes Beijing meeting.

26 Feb, 2026

Illustration: Brian Wang

[3]

China mulls US manufacturing fund ahead of Xi-Trump summit, business leader says

Leaders to secure ‘very positive’ outcomes but no ‘grand bargain’ during talks in Beijing, AmCham China chair predicts.

13 Feb, 2026

Beijing has confirmed that talks are under way for a visit to China by US President Donald Trump (left), seen here with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, on October 30. Photo: AP

[4]

Exclusive | China scours for Trump bargaining chips ahead of Beijing summit with Xi: sources

Government departments are tasked with researching and assessing likely demands by the US leader as well as formulating possible concessions.

27 Feb, 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes US President Donald Trump outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during the American leader’s 2017 visit. Photo: Xinhua

[5]

Will Iran attack derail Trump’s high-stakes China visit to meet Xi Jinping?

China has condemned killing of Iranian leader as a grave violation of sovereignty and called US incitement of regime change ‘unacceptable’.

02 Mar, 2026

US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping when he travels to Beijing later this month, the first such visit by an American leader since his own trip in 2017. Photo: AP

[6]

Exclusive | US, China discuss investment revival ahead of Trump’s trip: sources

Both sides exploring structured joint ventures and licensing deals, with Beijing seeking protection and Washington eyeing better market access amid declining capital flows.

03 Mar, 2026

US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping shake hands at an October meeting in South Korea. The two are expected to meet again in four weeks. Photo: Reuters

[7]

Exclusive | Trump’s China visit confined to Beijing due to schedule, security needs: sources

‘Given the situation [in the Middle East], the visit’s security arrangements must be extremely careful’.

09 Mar, 2026

US President Donald Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the Forbidden City in Beijing on November 8, 2017, the last time Trump – or any US president – visited China. Photo: AFP

[8]

Exclusive | Could China’s rare earth supplies dictate how long US strikes on Iran go on?

The American military’s dependence on Chinese sources gives Beijing leverage in the lead-up to Trump’s trip, sources say.

10 Mar, 2026

China accounted for 71 per cent of US rare earth element imports from 2021 to 2024, according to the US Geological Survey. Photo: Reuters

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[9]

Exclusive | Sanctioned Rubio to visit China with Trump despite earlier missed opportunities

The formerly hawkish US secretary of state has been sanctioned by Beijing and sources say he has previously appeared reluctant to visit.

13 Mar, 2026

As a senator, Marco Rubio had cultivated a reputation as a China hawk. Photo: AP