Awkward Moment For US Treasury Chief As Chinese Guards Block Scott Bessent At State Banquet | WATCH

Beijing: Donald Trump’s state visit to China last week was overshadowed by a series of awkward confrontations and diplomatic stumbles, including an incident involving his Treasury secretary Scott Bessent outside one of Beijing’s most important government buildings. A purported video footage that has since circulated on social media reportedly appeared to capture Scott Bessent being held up at the entrance to the Great Hall of the People ahead of a state banquet held in US President Trump’s honour on Thursday.

In the viral video, the Chinese security personnel seemed to notice that Bessent was not wearing a clearance pin on his suit, and briefly prevented him from entering. After a short exchange, an aide handed him an item and he was subsequently allowed inside.

However, the US Treasury has not commented on the episode. Meanwhile, the awkward moment for Scott Bessent added to a trip already marked by friction between US and Chinese officials.

Security Standoff Delays Temple Of Heaven Meeting

Earlier the same day, a separate dispute erupted at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven complex, where Trump was due to meet President Xi Jinping. The Chinese guards stopped an armed US Secret Service agent from entering the religious site, leading to an “intense” half-hour delay.

In another purported incident, the White House reporters travelling with the delegation said that security teams from both sides initially refused to back down. A compromise was eventually reached, though any specifics on how the impasse was resolved were not provided.

Trump's 2 day visit, which had originally been planned for April but was postponed over regional security concerns linked to the US conflict with Iran, was notable for several other reasons. The president arrived on Wednesday evening to be greeted on the tarmac not by Xi Jinping, but by Vice President Han Zheng. He also travelled without First Lady Melania Trump, who had joined him on his previous trip to China in 2017.

Reports also suggested that the closed-door talks between the two leaders were reportedly strained. According to a local media report, Xi Jinping delivered a “stinging rebuke regarding American arms sales to Taiwan", warning that the US and China could “collide or even enter into conflict” over the island. Later, on board Air Force One, Trump stated that he had not approved a pending $14 billion arms shipment to Taiwan, calling it a “negotiating chip”. He also claimed to have told Xi that Chinese espionage was acceptable because “we spy like hell on them too”.

The presence of Eric Trump alongside prominent business figures, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Apple’s Tim Cook and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, fuelled conflict-of-interest allegations. Tesla CEO Musk drew additional criticism for pulling faces while taking selfies during Thursday’s state banquet. Though Bessent’s altercation with the Chinese security officials capped a visit that observers viewed as turbulent from start to finish.