Armed Standoff, Taiwan Warning Mark Opening of Trump-Xi Beijing Summit
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated Xi and Trump visited the Temple of Heaven on May 14 as part of the state visit program.
ASIA-PACIFIC —Chinese security personnel blocked an armed United States Secret Service agent from entering the Temple of Heaven compound in Beijing on May 14, producing a half-hour standoff that delayed the White House press pool’s entry into the site.
The incident occurred on the second day of President Donald Trump’s state visit to China, as Trump and President Xi Jinping conducted ceremonies at the compound.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated Xi and Trump visited the Temple of Heaven on May 14 as part of the state visit program.
White House press pool reporters documented the standoff, describing a prolonged and heated discussion between American and Chinese security officials after Chinese security refused to allow a Secret Service agent accompanying the pool to enter the compound carrying a firearm.
A compromise was eventually reached. Reporters also documented a separate physical altercation between American and Chinese camera crews at the site.
