BEIJING — President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping began their highly anticipated two-day summit Thursday in Beijing, focusing on five major agendas that could shape U.S.-China relations for years. The meeting, the first U.S. presidential visit to China since 2017, occurs against a backdrop of strategic competition, economic interdependence and urgent global crises.

1. Trade and Tariffs: Seeking Balance After Years of Tension Trade remains the cornerstone of discussions. Trump is pushing for increased Chinese purchases of American agricultural products, Boeing aircraft, energy exports and manufactured goods to reduce the bilateral trade deficit. Beijing is expected to announce several billion dollars in commitments, but analysts say these will fall short of past unfulfilled promises. The U.S. side wants meaningful progress on market access, intellectual property protections and reduction of industrial subsidies. In return, China seeks partial rollback of existing tariffs that still average 26-34% on many goods. Both leaders recognize that a full-blown trade war would harm global growth, but deep structural differences make comprehensive agreement unlikely in one summit.

2. Taiwan and Regional Security: Managing a Dangerous Flashpoint Taiwan is expected to feature prominently in private talks. China views the island as a core interest and wants the U.S. to reduce arms sales and military support. Trump's team sees Taiwan as leverage and a vital democratic partner. Any movement here carries enormous stakes for regional stability. Sources say the discussions will focus on maintaining the........

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