In pictures: Trump hosted by Xi Jinping in Beijing on two-day summit

Matthew Tucker
News imageGetty Images U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have been holding talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, with a raft of meetings and events taking place on Thursday and Friday.

The US leader was greeted with a gun salute, cheering children and a tour of the stunning 15th Century Temple of Heaven.

Trump is also joined in Beijing by tech bosses, including Tesla's Elon Musk and Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Trump's son Eric.

On Thursday evening, a lavish banuquet at the Great Hall of the People was held in honour of the occasion.

News imageAFP via Getty Images The table setting for China's President Xi Jinping is seen ahead of the state banquet for US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.AFP via Getty Images
News imageAFP via Getty Images China's President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump arrive to attend a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.AFP via Getty Images

BBC reporters were able to see the banquet menu, with the main course including lobster in tomato soup, Beijing roast duck and pan-fried pork bun.

Dessert options included trumpet shell-shaped pastry and tiramisu.

News imageGetty Images Staff members prepare for a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
News imageAFP via Getty Images China's President Xi Jinping (L) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026. AFP via Getty Images
News imageGetty Images Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks as he hosts a state banquet for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images

In a banquet speech, President Xi called it a "historic visit", adding "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" and "Make America great again" can go hand in hand.

China-US relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world, Xi says.

Their relations concern the well-being of the two countries of 1.7 billion population, and the interests of over 8 billion people in the world, he added.

News imageAFP via Getty Images China's President Xi Jinping makes a toast during a state banquet for US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.AFP via Getty Images

Trump spoke, saying he received a "magnificent welcome like no other".

He then invited Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to visit the White House on 24 September.

News imageReuters U.S. President Donald Trump raises a glass with a drink as he speaks at a state banquet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026.Reuters

Among those spotted at Thurday's banquet were Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Eric and Lara Trump.

Musk was accompanied by his son X Æ A-12.

News imageEPA Tesla CEO Elon Musk (C) and his son X Æ A-12 (L) walk ahead of a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang (not pictured) and American CEOs, in Beijing, China, 14 May 2026.EPA
News imageGetty Images Tesla CEO Elon Musk attends a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
News imageGetty Images Apple CEO Tim Cook attends a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, ChinaGetty Images
News imageGetty Images U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attends a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
News imageGetty Images Lara and Eric Trump attend a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China. Getty Images

Trump landed in Beijing on Wednesday evening, where he was greeted by youths waving American and Chinese flags as he walked the red carpet with Vice President of China Han Zheng.

News imageGetty Images SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Eric Trump and Lara Trump depart Air Force One as U.S. President Donald Trump greets a local official upon arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport on May 13, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
News imageGetty Images U.S. President Donald Trump (C) is joined by Chinese Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, Vice President of China Han Zheng and Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng as he arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport on May 13, 2026 in Beijing, China. Getty Images

On Thursday, Trump was welcomed at an arrival ceremony with Xi at China's Great Hall of the People.

News imageAFP via Getty Images US President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.AFP via Getty Images
News imageGetty Images U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China. Getty Images

After shaking hands, Trump and Xi walked the red carpet and inspected Chinese troops who lined up in impeccably neat rows.

News imageReuters U.S. President Donald Trump inspects an honour guard during a welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026Reuters

Dozens of children also lined up along the red carpet and waved mini flags and bouquets.

News imageReuters Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China May 14, 2026Reuters
News imageReuters The scene as U.S. President Donald Trump participates in events at the Great Hall of the People and does a greeting with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping May 14, 2026Reuters
News imageGetty Images U.S. President Donald Trump trailed by Chinese President Xi Jinping greets other officials at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, ChinaGetty Images

Joining Trump on his trip to China are some of the US's top business leaders, including Tim Cook of Apple, Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, and Larry Fink of BlackRock.

News imageGetty Images Members of the U.S. delegation including (front L-R) White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ambassador to China David Perdue, and CEOs from various industries including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, stand prior to a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
News imageEPA Apple CEO Tim Cook (L), Tesla CEO Elon Musk (C), U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (3-R) and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (R) attend the welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump by Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, 14 May 2026. EPA

Jensen Huang, the boss of Nvidia, a company which has been central to the US-China technology rivalry, was reportedly a last-minute addition.

News imageReuters Jensen Huang, Founder, President and CEO of Nvidia gestures as he leaves after attending a welcome ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026. Reuters

The leaders then held highly anticipated bilateral talks in the Great Hall of the People.

News imageAFP via Getty Images China's President Xi Jinping (R) receives US President Donald Trump after a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.AFP via Getty Images
News imageReuters The scene as U.S. President Donald Trump participates in events at the Great Hall of the People and does a greeting with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping May 14, 2026, in Beijing China Reuters
News imageReuters U.S. President Donald Trump participates in an expanded bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026. Reuters

In his opening remarks, Xi noted that "the whole world is watching our meeting.

"Currently transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe and the international situation is fluid and turbulent".

News imageReuters Chinese President Xi Jinping, seated next to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, attends a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China May 14, 2026.Reuters

Trump added that it was "an honour" to be meeting Xi.

"We've gotten along, when there were difficulties we worked it out. I would call you and you would call me," Trump said.

"People don't know, whenever we had a problem we worked it out very quickly."

News imageGetty Images U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026 in Beijing, ChinaGetty Images

After two hours of talks, the leaders then visited the Temple of Heaven, an ancient complex of temples in Beijing and a major tourist attraction.

The historic site is where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices and pray for bountiful harvests.

News imageReuters China's President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump (C) visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on May 14, 2026.Reuters
News imageReuters U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping stand together as they tour the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026.Reuters

"Great place, incredible," Trump said to Xi as the two presidents posed for a photo at the Temple of Heaven, in front of the iconic main hall. "China's beautiful."

News imageAFP via Getty Images China's President Xi Jinping (L) and US President Donald Trump visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on May 14, 2026. Xi warned Trump that the issue of Taiwan could push their two countries into "conflict" if mishandled, a stark opening salvo as a superpower summit set to tackle numerous thorny issues began in Beijing on May 14 2026AFP via Getty Images