US President Donald Trump said he would ask Xi Jinping to “open up” China to American firms as he headed to Beijing on Wednesday for a superpower summit covering trade, Taiwan and the Iran war.

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang and Tesla’s Elon Musk both traveled aboard Air Force One, signaling the trip’s strong business focus.

What does Trump want from the China summit?

Trump wants Xi to open China’s markets to American companies, telling social media followers he would ask the Chinese leader to let US firms “work their magic” and lift China to an even higher level.

He is also pushing for progress on trade, Taiwan arms sales and China’s role in ending the Iran war, which already delayed the trip from March.

Which US business leaders are traveling to Beijing?

Apple’s Tim Cook joins Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Elon Musk among the top CEOs attending the Beijing visit. Huang boarded Air Force One during an Alaska stopover, a visible sign of how heavily Trump has framed the trip around commercial opportunity.

The presence of major tech and auto executives reflects the administration’s expectation that trade and market access will dominate the agenda.

What political tensions could complicate the summit?

Trump’s trade ambitions face friction over Taiwan and the Middle East conflict. Before departing Washington, Trump told reporters he expected a “long talk” with Xi about Iran, which sells most of its US-sanctioned oil to China, though he also said he did not think Washington needed Beijing’s help on the issue.

China’s foreign ministry said it “welcomes” the visit and is ready to expand cooperation and manage differences.

What issues are on the table in Beijing?

The talks are expected to cover China’s rare earth export controls, AI rivalry and a possible extension of the one-year tariff truce Trump and Xi reached at their South Korea meeting in October.

Trump said Monday he would also raise US arms sales to Taiwan, breaking with the long-standing US position of not consulting Beijing on support for the island. A state banquet at the Great Hall of the People and a tea reception are among the scheduled events.

How are Beijing residents reacting to Trump’s visit?

Security was visible across Beijing ahead of the summit, with police monitoring major intersections and checking ID cards on the metro. Wen Wen, a 24-year-old traveler from Nanjing, called the visit “definitely a big deal” and said she expected progress, expressing hope for lasting peace despite what she described as recent global instability.

How has the US-China relationship changed since Trump’s last visit?

Trump last visited Beijing in 2017, and China has grown more confident and assertive in the years since.

The US president arrives seeking a path out of the Iran war from a position of relative weakness, while China’s own economy has struggled with sluggish domestic spending and a prolonged debt crisis in the property sector.

Trump has repeatedly argued that his personal rapport with Xi will be enough to prevent flashpoints, including a Chinese move on Taiwan, from escalating into conflict.