The red carpet ran the length of the North Portico, lined with U.S. service members. On Thursday, September 24, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping stepped onto it for his first state visit to the White House in more than a decade. His last was in 2015, under Barack Obama.
“Melania and I are honored to host you in Washington as President Xi becomes the first ever Chinese leader to make a second formal state visit to America,” President Donald Trump said, according to ABC News.
Warm words, pointed remarks
The morning began with an arrival ceremony that included a military review in the Rose Garden and a flyover. Trump spoke of a “truly great friendship” with Xi, built, he said, on mutual respect since his first election in 2016. He pointed to work on a more balanced trading relationship, including new market access for American farmers and ranchers, and said the two sides would also discuss security, technology and super intelligence. ABC noted that he made no explicit mention of Iran, even though China continues to offer support to Iran during its conflict with the United States.
Xi thanked his host for the hospitality and said there was plenty of room to work together. Then he drew some lines. Competition between the two countries, he said, “should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds,” a race of catching up rather than a wrestling match with one winner. He asked that Chinese companies be treated fairly in the U.S., a notable request after the tit-for-tat trade war. On artificial intelligence, he said both countries have the capability and the responsibility to keep it under human control.
He closed on a lighter note. Two giant pandas, Ping-Ping and Fu Shuang, would arrive in a few days at their new home in Zoo Atlanta. Trump smiled.
Ninety minutes behind closed doors
The two leaders then met privately for about 90 minutes. Topics expected to come up included AI safety, Taiwan, trade, the Iran war and critical minerals, ABC reported.
Evening brought a state dinner in the East Room, with Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, as guests of honor. Gulf News, citing details from the Office of the First Lady, said the evening opened with a toast of Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, the sparkling wine served during Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to Beijing. The first course was a yellow squash veloute, followed by sesame-crusted sea bass with braised baby bok choy. Dessert was vanilla cremeux with ice cream made from honey from the White House’s own hives. Red linens and flowers filled the room, a nod to the colour’s significance in China. Tenor Christopher Macchio headlined the entertainment, joined by the Marine Band and the Army Chorus.
The guest list read like a tech conference, ABC said. Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Michael Dell, Jensen Huang, Sam Altman, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser and Tim Cook, who recently stepped down as Apple’s CEO, were all expected.
Outside, protesters at the gates of Lafayette Park chanted “Free Hong Kong,” “Free Tibet” and “Free Jimmy Lai.” On Friday, the Xis were due to join the Trumps for a private tea and a tour of the National Archives, before Xi left the country.
Sources
- Trump to Host Xi Jinping at White House State Dinner Showcasing Chinese-Inspired Menu and US-China Ties
- Trump welcomes Xi to White House for state dinner – ABC News
