The US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a two-day summit in Beijing on 14-15 May. The meeting comes at a time when the world is riven by wars and trade disruptions. Mint looks at the possible outcomes and implications for India and other nations.
What is at stake at the summit?
A lot. The US-China relationship has sunk to a new low in recent years, with multiple flashpoints. China’s export-focused economic model has triggered a huge trade surplus, and the US under Trump has responded with significant tariffs. China’s exports to the US declined significantly in 2025. The Asian giant has responded by curtailing exports of critical minerals.
China’s keenness to annex Taiwan, the tech rivalry between the two nations involving AI and computer chips, China’s dominance in the South China Sea and the nation’s support to the US’s adversaries—Russia, North Korea and Iran—are other issues.
What is expected from the summit?
Expectations are low. Experts are of the opinion that the summit will be more transactional than an attempt to solve the long-standing issues plaguing the relationship between the two countries. The objective will be to maintain stability and instill greater predictability in the relationship. A major expectation is the setting up of a Board of Trade. It is a body that will manage the trade between the two countries better by identifying the right products without compromising national security or disrupting critical supply chains. The US is also expected to seek greater access to critical minerals.
Why does Trump need a victory here?
Trump’s approval ratings have taken a beating after his ill-thought-out war with Iran. He now desperately seeks some good press. He would like to secure a clear commitment from China on significant purchases of US goods and services. These include agricultural products and Boeing aircraft. Such purchases, if they happen, could possibly have a positive effect on his voters in time for the November mid-term elections.
What does China want?
First, China wants predictability in tariffs. In 2025, US tariffs swung wildly, reaching a high of 125%. Consequently, China’s exports to the US declined by 20% in 2025. Another area of focus for China would be to ease the US restrictions on investments. Like the Board of Trade that the US is pushing for, China is looking at a Board of Investments to reduce barriers for investment by Chinese companies. Apart from that, China is also pushing for a change in its language regarding the US's stance on Taiwan.
What is the rest of the world hoping for?
The rest of the world, including India, is hoping for a summit that eases the trade tensions between the two economic giants. The trade war has pushed China to export its wares into other markets at low rates. This has affected the economies of many nations. Also, there is a lot of hope that the summit will lead to an agreement on the West Asian crisis and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Its closure has created a significant supply and price shock for the Asian nations, including China.