U.S. President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025. Photo by Reuters
Xi greeted Trump at the opulent Great Hall of the People at just past 10:00 a.m. (0200 GMT), a grand reception that belies the deep tensions between the world's biggest economies.
Accompanied by Trump, Xi shook hands with several U.S. officials, including Pentagon Peter Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was known throughout his career as a fierce opponent of Beijing.
Trump and Xi stood in the center as a Chinese military band played The Star-Spangled Banner and then the Chinese national anthem as cannons fired.
Jumping schoolchildren in brightly colored outfits waving U.S. and Chinese flags chanted "welcome, welcome" as Trump and Xi walked past them in the square.
