BEIJING: US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday evening for a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two sides are expected to discuss tariffs, technology competition, the Iran war and Taiwan.

Trump was greeted by Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng and other officials as he stepped off Air Force One.

The two-day visit comes as Trump faces scrutiny over his military campaign in the Middle East and returns to a more assertive China than during his 2017 visit.

The trip had originally been scheduled for March but was delayed because of the ongoing US and Israeli war in Iran, which continues to affect the global economy.

Han Zheng’s presence at the airport is being viewed as a sign of respect from Beijing after Trump was received by a lower-level official during his previous visit.

Trump’s son Eric Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia chief Jensen Huang were also present at the welcome ceremony.

Ahead of landing, Trump said on social media he would ask Xi to “open up” China so American technology leaders could expand opportunities there, calling it his “very first request”.

The Iran war is expected to dominate talks, as China heavily relies on Iranian oil exports disrupted by tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. Washington is also pressuring Beijing to use its influence over Tehran.

Taiwan tensions and trade issues are also expected to feature prominently.

Trump is likely to push for increased Chinese purchases of US agricultural products, while Beijing is expected to seek lower US tariffs on Chinese goods.