Trump-Xi Summit Focuses on Trade and Deportations

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for his first visit to China in eight years, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14-15. The summit comes amid escalating trade tensions and disagreements over deportation of illegal migrants.

The U.S. has threatened visa sanctions against China due to its slow efforts to repatriate Chinese nationals living illegally in the United States, according to a senior Trump administration official. This issue is expected to be raised during the meetings between Trump and Xi Jinping. The trip is crucial for Trump as he seeks trade concessions from Beijing ahead of November's midterm elections.

Since returning to the White House early last year, Trump has imposed tariffs and sanctions on countries failing to accept deportees, a central pillar of his hardline immigration policies. China has resisted U.S. requests to take back tens of thousands of its citizens who have overstayed or illegally entered the country.

The trade relationship between the two nations remains strained. In 2025, China invoked anti-sanctions laws and imposed countermeasures against foreign countries exercising extraterritorial jurisdiction. The U.S. has launched new unfair-trade investigations into Chinese industries and sanctioned some refineries in China for buying Iranian oil.

Despite these tensions, both nations have shown interest in resolving issues through negotiations. Recent talks between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese officials were described as constructive. However, the outcome of the upcoming summit remains uncertain, with downside risks potentially outweighing any benefits from the negotiations.