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President Donald Trump formally extended an invitation on Thursday to Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit to the White House on September 24, 2026, according to a post by the White House on its official X account.
The invitation, which also extends to Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, is framed as a reciprocal visit to the hospitality offered during the state visit of Trump to Beijing, taking place from May 13 to 15.
The American leader delivered his speech to the Chinese delegation during the official banquet held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
"It was a fantastic day, and in particular, I want to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome. And it truly was a welcome like no other, and for hosting us so generously on this historic state visit," declared Trump during the banquet.
The U.S. leader described the day's discussions as "extremely positive and productive," and characterized the day as "another valuable opportunity to talk among friends about some of the things we discussed today, all beneficial for the United States and China."
Thursday's agenda included a formal welcome ceremony with a 21-gun salute, a bilateral meeting lasting about two and a half hours, a cultural visit to the Temple of Heaven, and a state banquet.
After the bilateral meeting, Trump was even more emphatic: "The relationship between China and the U.S. is going to be better than ever."
Xi Jinping, for his part, urged Washington to "be partners and not rivals" and stated that "the common interests of China and the U.S. outweigh their differences."
However, the Chinese leader also issued a warning regarding Taiwan, indicating that tensions surrounding the island could lead to "an extremely dangerous situation."
Trump's visit to China is the first by a sitting U.S. president to the Asian country in nearly nine years, and the first for Trump himself since November 2017.
The U.S. delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, and executives Elon Musk (Tesla), Tim Cook (Apple), and Jensen Huang (Nvidia).
Regarding the composition of the business group, Trump was straightforward: "I didn't want the second or third in command; I wanted only the best, and they are here today to pay respect to you and China."
The summit is part of the détente process that began after the commercial truce agreed in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025, which suspended tariffs that had escalated to 145% by Washington and 125% by Beijing.
A working lunch is scheduled for this Friday between both leaders before Trump's return to the United States, which could lead to new agreements before the visit concludes.
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