U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for a high-profile state visit aimed at managing heightened tensions between the world's two largest economies over bilateral trade, artificial intelligence, and regional security.
The three-day state visit, running from Sept. 23 to 25, marks Xi’s first official state visit to the American capital in over a decade. The gathering follows reciprocal diplomatic momentum initiated after Trump’s trip to Beijing earlier this year, setting the stage for direct talks on the future of economic relations and emerging technology governance.
Trump extended an unusual personal welcome upon Xi’s arrival Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews, greeting the Chinese leader directly on the tarmac alongside First Lady Melania Trump. The White House greeted Xi on Thursday with an official ceremony at the South Portico and a military review before closed-door discussions and a scheduled formal state dinner in the East Room.
Speaking to delegates at the White House, Xi stressed the need for steady bilateral ties and urged against confrontation. "We should coexist in peace," Xi said. "As I have said many times, China and the United States as two major countries stand to gain from cooperation and will both lose in confrontation". Addressing global competition between the two nations, Xi added that "our competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds. It should be a race of catching up with one another, not a wrestle in which one either wins or loses".
Economic negotiators entered the summit navigating agricultural purchase pledges and a temporary bilateral tariff ceasefire. According to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Washington and Beijing have initiated a joint trade body aimed at granting tariff reductions covering $30 billion in goods for each side. U.S. officials, however, continue to press Beijing on compliance issues, citing shortfalls regarding China's commitments to purchase U.S. agricultural commodities.
Technological rivalry also featured heavily on the agenda, with discussions focusing on security risks and parameters surrounding artificial intelligence development. Xi remarked that both nations carry "both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good, and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people".
The bilateral itinerary concludes Friday with a joint cultural visit to the National Archives to view foundational American legal charters, including the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
