Trump kicks off Beijing visit, meets with Xi Jinping

At long last – the moment we’ve been waiting for.

On May 14, Xi Jinping met US President Donald Trump in the Great Hall of the People.

The vibes were good.

Xi said that the US and China’s common interests outweigh their differences and that the two countries “should be partners, not rivals” (Al Jazeera, CNN, Xinhua 1).

• He also said he hoped to make 2026 “a historic, landmark year that opens up a new chapter in China-US relations.”

For his part, Trump hailed his “fantastic relationship” and the two leaders’ history of working out problems “very quickly” (AP 1).

• Trump also expressed his respect for China and said that he expected the two sides to have a “fantastic future together."

The pair then began the closed-door portion of the meeting, which lasted about two hours and 15 minutes (NBC).

• As we write, information is still emerging, but Xinhua kicked things off with a meaty readout.

A brand-new relationship: Xi said that he and Trump had agreed to establish a "Constructive Strategic Stability Relationship" to serve as the “new positioning” for China-US relations.

• As far as we can tell, this is a new formulation in Chinese diplomacy, specially crafted for its China-US ties.

Xi characterized the relationship as centered on:

• “Positive stability centered on cooperation"
• "Benign stability characterized by measured competition"
• "Normative stability where differences are manageable"
• "Enduring stability where peace is attainable”

Xi also said the “[the relationship] will provide strategic guidance for bilateral ties over the next three years and beyond.”

• That curiously specific timeline suggests that the US and China may be preparing to extend their trade truce through the end of Trump’s term in office in January 2029.

The big man also had encouraging words for the US business leaders who joined the end of the meeting:

• “The essence of China-US economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.”
• “US enterprises are already deeply involved in China’s reform and opening-up process, and China welcomes the United States to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with the country.”

But it wasn’t all ponies and sunshine. In no uncertain terms, Xi warned Trump that:

• “The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations”
• “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into an extremely perilous situation”
• “The US side must exercise the utmost prudence in handling the Taiwan question”

As of writing, we're still waiting for an official US readout, but when asked by journalists about the talks, Trump responded:

• “It’s great. Great place, incredible. China is beautiful.”

Alrighty then.

Get smart: There’s still a lot we don’t know about the meeting, including the specifics of discussions on Iran or any commercial deals China may have agreed to.

• But the atmospherics, the business-friendly message, and the indication of a three-year trade truce all point to a successful meeting.

But, but, but: For a real thaw in ties, positive rhetoric will need to be anchored by robust guardrails and aligned expectations, both of which have frequently eluded Trump and Xi’s working-level subordinates.

What we’re watching: Will Xi announce plans to accept Trump’s standing invitation to visit the US?

• A follow-up summit on American soil would go even further toward stabilizing the relationship.

Stay tuned: We’ll have lots more to say about the nitty-gritty of Trump’s visit in the coming days.