Speaking aboard Air Force One during a stop in Alaska, Trump confirmed that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had joined a delegation of leading American business executives accompanying him on the trip. The visit marks the first trip by a US president to China in nearly a decade.
Trump said he intended to ask Xi to provide greater access for American businesses in China.
“I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to the business delegation.
The delegation mainly includes executives from firms seeking improved market access and regulatory approvals in China. Nvidia, for example, has faced challenges obtaining permission to sell its advanced H200 artificial intelligence chips in the Chinese market.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Trump personally invited Huang to join the visit at the last minute.
The US president is expected to arrive in Beijing later Wednesday for meetings with Xi that will include formal talks, a state banquet, and a visit to the historic Temple of Heaven.
Beyond trade, discussions are expected to cover several sensitive geopolitical issues, including the Iran conflict and US arms sales to Taiwan.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held parallel discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in South Korea in an effort to maintain a fragile trade truce reached last year.
Under that agreement, Washington suspended steep tariffs on Chinese imports while Beijing eased pressure on exports of rare earth materials critical for industries such as electric vehicles, electronics, and defence manufacturing.
US officials say Washington is seeking expanded Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft, American agricultural products, and energy supplies to help reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries.
China, meanwhile, wants the US to relax restrictions on exports of semiconductor technology and advanced chipmaking equipment.
Analysts say Trump enters the talks under growing domestic political pressure amid concerns over inflation and economic uncertainty linked to the Iran conflict. Chinese President Xi, however, is seen as facing comparatively less political pressure at home.
Public reaction in China appeared mixed, with some expressing cautious optimism while others questioned Washington’s intentions.
“I just hope some good policies can come out of this,” said Lou Huilian, a Beijing-based worker in the oil trade sector.
