Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in the United States for talks with President Donald Trump, highlighting the importance both leaders place on managing a complex relationship.

Discussions are expected to focus on trade, tariffs, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and China's ties with Iran.

Xi's arrival was marked by a rare personal airport greeting from Trump, while a boycott by several major US news outlets over White House media restrictions underscored domestic tensions surrounding the summit.

The meeting comes at a time of growing global scrutiny of US-China relations and their impact on international security and the world economy.