Date: September 24, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for a lavish state summit that emphasized the two countries' relationship but produced no immediate breakthrough on some of their most difficult disputes, including trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and the war involving Iran.
The meeting marked Xi's first visit to Washington in more than a decade and the second meeting between the two leaders this year. Trump greeted Xi at the White House before the two leaders held talks covering trade, technology and security.
Trump highlighted what he described as his strong personal relationship with Xi, saying the United States and China had made progress on trade since his visit to China in May.
Xi, meanwhile, said the two countries had reached a common understanding on a number of issues and called for a new approach to relations between the world's two largest economies. He said China and the United States should act as responsible major powers and manage their differences while maintaining cooperation.
The summit followed an agreement by Washington and Beijing to extend their existing trade truce. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two sides had agreed to extend the arrangement until January 10, giving negotiators additional time to work through their trade disputes.
The truce had been scheduled to expire on November 10. Its extension is intended to prevent a return to the extremely high tariffs imposed during the previous U.S.-China trade confrontation.
Trade remained one of Trump's main objectives during the summit. The president has been seeking greater access for U.S. companies to the Chinese market as well as progress on issues involving tariffs, agricultural purchases and the supply of critical minerals.
But the talks also exposed continuing differences between Washington and Beijing.
Taiwan was among the most sensitive issues. During their bilateral discussions, Xi urged Trump to oppose what Beijing calls “Taiwan independence,” according to a readout carried by China's official news agency. The White House had not released its own detailed account of the conversation at the time of the Reuters report.
Taiwan is claimed by China but has been self-governed for decades. The United States maintains unofficial relations with Taipei and provides Taiwan with military equipment, while Beijing has repeatedly demanded that Washington reduce its support for the island.
Artificial intelligence was another subject on the agenda. Trump said the leaders would discuss security, technology and what he calls “super intelligence,” while Xi emphasized the need for the two countries to manage competition responsibly.
The leaders' discussions also took place against the backdrop of the war involving Iran. Trump has been seeking to maintain pressure on Tehran, while China has maintained close economic and diplomatic relations with Iran. The Reuters report said there was no sign that the summit produced a major breakthrough on the issue.
The contrast between the ceremonial nature of the visit and the limited substantive announcements was evident throughout the day.
Trump staged an elaborate welcome for Xi, including military ceremonies and a state dinner attended by prominent technology executives. The president also showed Xi parts of the White House complex, including a newly constructed helipad and the site of a new ballroom.
At the state dinner, Trump said the United States and China represented different political systems but that relations between their peoples remained important. Xi said the two sides had held in-depth discussions and found common ground on several issues.
Outside the White House, protesters demonstrated against China's policies, with their chants audible as the leaders posed for photographs.
The visit was closely watched because of the economic importance of the U.S.-China relationship. China has continued to record strong exports despite efforts by Washington to restrict Chinese goods and technology, while the United States remains an important market for Chinese manufacturers.
The two governments have also been competing over advanced technology, rare-earth minerals and artificial intelligence. Washington has maintained restrictions on some Chinese technology while Beijing has sought greater access to U.S. markets and technology.
For Trump, the summit provided an opportunity to demonstrate that the two countries could stabilize their relationship after years of trade tensions. For Xi, the visit offered an opportunity to reinforce China's position that Washington and Beijing should coexist while managing their strategic rivalry.
Despite the ceremonial display and statements about cooperation, however, the meeting did not resolve the major disputes separating the two governments.
The extension of the trade truce was the clearest immediate economic outcome, while disagreements over Taiwan, technology, artificial intelligence and Iran remained unresolved.