China · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Xi Jinping Arrives in Washington for First State Visit in 11 Years, Meets Trump
Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for his first state visit in 11 years President Trump greets Xi with a planeside welcome at Joint Base Andrews
25 outlets told this the same way.
8 of 9 outlets skipped it: a state dinner will include tech luminaries like Tim Cook and Sam Altman..
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Pomp at Joint Base Andrews
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Wednesday for his first state visit to the United States in 11 years, and President Donald Trump met him with a rare planeside welcome at Joint Base Andrews. Trump and first lady Melania Trump shook hands with Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan after Xi alighted from his plane at Joint Base Andrews, where a military band played the national anthems. Two B-1 bombers flew over during the arrival ceremony, and the flyover surprised Trump while Xi remained expressionless.
The arrival kicked off a three-day visit that included a State Dinner at the White House on Thursday, and the visit was set to conclude on Friday morning with tea at the White House and a trip to the National Archives. AFP reported that Xi was accompanied, among others, by Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and AFP also said two sources told it there was no Chinese executive in Xi’s delegation despite expectations that tech leaders would attend the State Banquet.
Trade truce and AI talks
Trump and Xi were set to meet on Thursday at the White House to address tensions including the tariff truce, the Iran war, the future of Taiwan, and the race to develop artificial intelligence (AI).
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an extension of the “economic détente” beyond its November 10 deadline to January 10, after preliminary Sunday talks between Bessent and Chinese counterpart He Lifeng included discussion on creating a communication channel to address AI-related concerns.
The DW reported that Xi would remain in the United States from September 23 to 25, 2026, and it said Xi’s agenda would likely include Taiwan, the trade truce that expires in November, rare earths, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
Chinese Ambassador to Washington Xie Feng said in an article published in the People’s Daily that “constructive strategic stability” “is not a slogan” but a call to act “in the same direction.”
DW also reported that Xie warned Taiwan, China’s political system, and the country’s “right to development” are “red lines” that Washington must not challenge, and it said he urged avoiding a new “Silk Curtain” or a “galaxy war” in artificial intelligence.
Stakes: Taiwan, Iran, and leverage
The Council on Foreign Relations said China continues to tacitly support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and remains the biggest customer for Iranian oil, while Taiwan remains “the likeliest catalyst of direct conflict between the U.S. and China.” The Council on Foreign Relations also said Xi would love to see Washington abandon the Taiwanese, but it warned that if not, China could exploit the U.S. preoccupation with Iran to move against Taiwan. El Periódico said the summit would likely maintain the cordial tone of previous meetings in which the leaders pledged to preserve channels of dialogue and highlighted their personal relationship despite deep disagreements.
The BBC said Xi arrived at 73 and that his visit comes as the relationship between the United States and China is defined by competition for global influence, reciprocal tariffs, tech controls, and military rivalry. AFP said Trump’s airport welcome was aimed at easing tensions between the two superpowers on issues ranging from artificial intelligence and trade to Iran, while ABC News said expectations for meaningful progress were sparse.