1st visit by a U.S. president to America’s main strategic rival since his last visit there in 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump received a grand welcome at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Thursday ahead of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on their fragile trade truce, the Iran war and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
With his approval ratings badly hurt by the war in Iran, Trump’s hotly anticipated trip to China — the first by a U.S. president to America’s main strategic rival since his last visit there in 2017 — has taken on added significance. Joining him on the trip is a group of CEOs, including Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, a late addition who boarded Air Force One during a refuelling stop in Alaska en route to the Chinese capital at Trump’s request. Many of those executives, including Huang and Musk, are seeking to resolve issues with China, and Trump has said he will urge Xi to “open up” China to U.S. business. The hall featured giant, red-carpeted steps and huge expanses of marble, where soldiers hung large American and Chinese flags.Hundreds of primary school children wearing bright colours offered a welcome routine, jumping up and down as the girls waved flowers and the boys hoisted American and Chinese flags as the two leaders walked past them…
Source: cbc.ca/news
