World Watches as the Superpowers Meet

US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday evening for one of the most closely watched diplomatic visits in recent years, as he prepares for high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping against the backdrop of a deepening global crisis involving Iran, rising trade uncertainty and growing tensions over Taiwan. The summit, Trump’s first visit to China since 2017, comes at a time when relations between the world’s two biggest economies remain fragile despite efforts on both sides to stabilise ties. While trade and business agreements remain central to the visit, the ongoing US-Iran conflict, global energy concerns and the strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing are expected to dominate much of the conversation.