‘Nightly’ broadcasts live from Beijing’s Imperial Ancestral Hall

The Thursday, May 14, 2026, broadcast of “NBC Nightly News” marked a milestone.

The broadcast, which included anchor Tom Llamas live from the steps of the Imperial Ancestral Hall in Beijing, China, marked the first time an evening newscast originated from the location from either a U.S.-based or global broadcaster.

“Nightly” has been in China to cover Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

NBC was the first network to announce its plans to broadcast from Beijing, and Llamas was the first among the big-three anchors to arrive in town.

The network has also included a variety of other stories during its visit to China, including taking a hike on the Great Wall of China, discussions with college students, coverage of the country’s EV and humanoid robotics work and an interview with Marco Rubio.

Llamas has also been anchoring “Top Story” on the network’s FAST NBC News Now from China.

ABC’s David Muir has also been anchoring “ABC World News Tonight” from Beijing, while “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil has been covering the summit from Taiwan, reportedly due to a visa issue.

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