U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Beijing's Temple of Heaven Park together on Friday.
According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, the two leaders reunited at the Temple of Heaven after concluding a 135-minute summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi welcomed Trump at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the park's centerpiece.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed for bountiful harvests. It is renowned for its distinctive architectural style — round in the north and square in the south — reflecting the ancient Chinese cosmological concept of "tianyuan difang," meaning "heaven is round and earth is square." The two leaders posed for commemorative photos before touring the hall.
Xi's decision to invite Trump to the site during this summit is seen as an effort to showcase China's long history and emphasize its standing as a great power on par with the United States. Analysts also noted that by choosing a site historically associated with prayers for good harvests, Xi signaled his intent to deliver meaningful results through the negotiations.
Reuters noted that "Chinese emperors affirmed the legitimacy of their rule at this site." The Associated Press highlighted the Temple of Heaven visit as an unusual and special diplomatic gesture, pointing out that Xi had not accompanied the leaders of Britain and Spain on their cultural heritage tours earlier this year.
