ieExplains: Trump and Xi meeting in China — five key issues on the table

It is nearly 10 years since the US president made a state visit to China, and Iran, Taiwan, trade, AI and drugs look set to dominate

US president Donald Trump, right, and Chinese president Xi Jinping are greeted by children waving flowers and flags during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Nov. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

Donald Trump’s state visit to China this week – the first by the US president in nearly a decade – comes amid a time of geopolitical upheaval, a new and intractable conflict in the Middle East, and a sometimes rocky relationship between the world’s two major superpowers.

There is much for Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss, but a few key issues are likely to dominate the agenda.