Trump’s China return: what’s changed since his ‘friendly’ 2017 visit

Nearly a decade after his first-term visit, Trump returns to Beijing amid tensions over tariffs, Taiwan and tech rivalry

Don’t look for a historic breakthrough. The focus is expected to be on extending the trade truce, locking in fresh Chinese purchases of American goods, and keeping tensions from boiling over.

Watch for announcements on Boeing jets, agricultural products, energy deals, rare earth supply stability, and cooperation on fentanyl.

Through sanctions and public calls, the US is pressing China to use its influence on Iran to end the crisis in the Middle East. However, Beijing blames the US and Israel for the conflict and is resisting the sanctions. This mutual mistrust risks turning the Iran issue into a fresh source of friction during the summit. Other thorny geopolitical issues might include North Korea and the South China Sea.

Short-term wins for US exporters are likely, but deeper structural problems, such as AI and other technological competition, supply chain security, and the Taiwan issue, are unlikely to be solved in one visit.

Anticipate the full red-carpet treatment, grand banquets and plenty of Trump handshakes with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump is likely to highlight his “great relationship” with Xi, again.

Melania Trump's fashion diplomacy during her China visit

In the second half of 2018, less than a year after the visit, Trump slapped tariffs on hundreds of billions of US dollars of Chinese goods. Beijing hit back with tariffs of its own. The goodwill of 2017 quickly evaporated.

In his second term, Trump launched his aggressive “America first” approach, imposing steep tariffs on Chinese goods, while citing trade imbalances, fentanyl flows and national security concerns. China retaliated with its own duties, and the tit-for-tat spiral pushed US tariffs to a peak of 145 per cent in April 2025.

These flashpoints – along with tech export bans and supply chain decoupling – shifted the US-China relationship from wary engagement to open strategic rivalry.

Source: News - South China Morning Post