President Trump on Thursday invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the White House on September 24, wrapping up the first day of a two-day summit with a state banquet that drew some of the largest names in American business.
Trump extended the invitation during remarks at the banquet hosted in his honor at the Great Hall of the People. “Thank you again, President Xi, for this beautiful welcome, and tonight, it is my honor to extend an invitation to you, Madam Peng, to visit us at the White House this September 24, and we look forward to it,” Trump said.
Xi accepted the spirit of the invitation. The Chinese president said during his own toast that the U.S.-China relationship is “the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never mess it up.”
The day’s formal talks covered trade and tariffs, the ongoing Iran war, and Taiwan. In the closed session, Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan question could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” that would put the “entire relationship in great jeopardy,” according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency. He added that if the issue is handled properly, ties between the two countries will “enjoy overall stability.”
Trump’s opening remarks at the summit were warmer in tone. “You’re a great leader,” he told Xi. “Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it anyway, because it’s true.”
Trump also praised the business delegation he brought to Beijing, calling it the largest and most senior American private-sector group ever to accompany a president on a foreign trip. “I asked the top 30 business executives to join and every single one of them said yes,” Trump said. “And I didn’t want the second or third in the company, I wanted only the top.”
Among those seated at the banquet were Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman. Musk was photographed taking selfies with several guests, including Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, a Chinese billionaire whose electric vehicle company has emerged as a direct competitor to Tesla in the Chinese market.
Xi drew a pointed connection between his own political agenda and Trump’s signature campaign promise. “Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and Making America Great Again can go hand in hand,” the Chinese president said during his toast.
The summit is scheduled to continue Friday with a second round of talks. Trade, including tariff negotiations, is expected to dominate. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also part of the delegation.
Xi’s last visit to the United States was in November 2023, when he met then-President Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. His most recent White House visit came in 2015 during a state visit hosted by President Obama.
Trump arrived in Beijing Wednesday for what both governments described as a comprehensive diplomatic engagement covering economic competition, the Iran conflict, and the future of U.S.-China relations ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
