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US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump received Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, First Lady Peng Liyuan, at the White House on Thursday (local time).
Addressing the Chinese delegation at the White House, Trump praised the "truly great friendship" built between the two leaders while signalling a heavy focus on trade, technology, and advanced computing. Trump highlighted the historical significance of the visit and underscored the momentum generated by ongoing bilateral engagements. "President Xi, Madam Peng, and the members of the Chinese delegation, I am delighted to welcome you to the beautiful White House. Such a great honor. In May, we had the great privilege of visiting you in Beijing, where you received our delegation with spectacular and very beautiful hospitality," Trump said during his opening remarks. "Now, 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. From the time of my first election in 2016, President Xi and I have forged a truly great friendship built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people," he added. Highlighting that the arrival of the Chinese delegation coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US, Trump revealed that the itinerary includes a visit to historic American founding documents alongside President Xi. "As President Xi has already seen, a lot has changed since he was last here. President Xi and Madam Peng arrive at an important moment for America, the 250th anniversary of our founding. Tomorrow, we will visit the National Archives to see some of the greatest treasures of that proud history, including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights," Trump stated. Turning to the substantive agenda, Trump pointed to the success of newly established economic mechanisms, specifically citing the Board of Trade created during his previous visit to Beijing in May. He outlined plans to address long-standing economic disputes alongside emerging technological frameworks. "Working together, President Xi and I have made tremendous strides on the issues facing our two countries. During my last visit last May, we created the Board of Trade, and through that, it is a brand new mechanism and was something that has been unbelievably successful. Our teams have been working to encourage a more balanced trading relationship, including the new market access for American farmers and ranchers," Trump said. Looking ahead to the formal summit talks, the President framed the agenda around long-term global stability and technological governance "During this visit, we will also discuss pressing issues concerning security, technology, and Super Intelligence (SI). The decisions we make in these areas today can promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come. If we focus on our common interests, I am confident there is much we can achieve," Trump added. Xi Jinpings state visit to the United States will include a series of engagements with Trump at the White House, including bilateral and expanded bilateral meetings, remarks and a state dinner, according to the White House schedule. Talks with Trump are expected to cover trade, technology, critical minerals, and broader US-China relations. Notably, the current US-China tariff truce, agreed at the Busan summit last October, is due to expire in November, and officials said its future, along with existing chip export licences, would be discussed, though no outcome has been pre-decided. Washington has ruled out trading away its export controls on rare earth flows in exchange for concessions, officials said, while confirming discussions are under way about reducing tariffs on a narrow band of non-strategic goods that could benefit both economies. Artificial intelligence is also expected to be a central topic, building on ideas not yet agreed upon, such as previewing new AI models between the two countries or extending oversight to Chinese open-source systems. US officials declined to detail a firm negotiating position ahead of the leaders meeting. On other contentious fronts, officials said Washington continues to press Beijing over the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals to cartels in Mexico and that Trump is expected, based on past patterns, to again raise the cases of Americans held in Chinese prisons. (ANI)
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