Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on Wednesday with Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, urging Islamabad to continue mediation between the United States and Iran. Wang encouraged Pakistan to “maintain confidence” and “step up mediation efforts” to help resolve tensions and support regional peace, particularly concerning the Strait of Hormuz. The discussion came just moments before President Donald Trump landed in Beijing for high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Dar has long served as a key intermediary between Tehran and Washington, even amid tensions over Pakistan allowing Iranian military aircraft to remain on its tarmacs. Pakistan has sought to persuade both sides to return to peace negotiations, although talks appeared largely stalled after Trump dismissed Iran’s response to the latest U.S. peace proposal as “totally unacceptable.” A Chinese Foreign Ministry official noted that Wang “commended Pakistan for encouraging dialogue and assisting in extending the provisional ceasefire,” emphasizing the country’s role in promoting stability.
Trump arrived in Beijing early Wednesday morning, accompanied by several business executives and media figures. Among those on Air Force One were Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Fox News host Sean Hannity. Trump confirmed on Truth Social that Huang joined as a last-minute addition, correcting reports that he was not part of the delegation. Other executives traveling with the president included Tim Cook, Larry Fink, Stephen Schwarzman, Kelly Ortberg, Brian Sikes, Jane Fraser, Larry Culp, David Solomon, Sanjay Mehrotra, and Cristiano Amon.
The president indicated that his first priority with President Xi will be to “open up” China to American businesses. The discussions are expected to cover trade, Taiwan, the Iran conflict, and artificial intelligence, reflecting months of detailed preparations. Beijing has signaled that Taiwan policy will be a key topic, while Trump is expected to focus on trade agreements and ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz.
Air Force One landed at Beijing Capital International Airport at 7:51 a.m. ET, taxiing for eight minutes before the doors opened for the red-carpet ceremony. Trump deplaned at 8:08 a.m. ET and was greeted by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng, and Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu. Approximately 300 Chinese youth, a military honor guard, and a military band welcomed the delegation, with children chanting “Welcome, welcome! Warm welcome!” in Chinese.