Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Trump and Xi Prepare for High-Stakes Washington Talks
Xi Jinping is visiting the United States to meet President Donald Trump.
The visit will last three days, from September 23 to 25.
The leaders will talk about trade, technology and artificial intelligence.
They will also discuss Taiwan, Iran, military communication and rare-earth minerals.
The United States and China disagree about several of these issues.
Xi is expected to object to American weapons sales to Taiwan and technology restrictions.
Trump is expected to seek better trade terms and help with some people detained in China.
The leaders may make smaller agreements, but a huge deal is not expected.
The visit will also include formal ceremonies, a dinner and a tour of important American documents.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is traveling to Washington for a three-day summit with Donald Trump from September 23 to 25.
The itinerary includes an airport welcome, White House talks, a military ceremony, a state dinner and a National Archives visit.
Trade, tariffs, artificial intelligence, technology, Taiwan, Iran, rare-earth minerals and military ties are expected on the agenda.
The United States and China remain divided over Taiwan, export controls, Iran, narcotics and the future of their trade truce.
Analysts expect limited agreements on tariffs, drug trafficking, military dialogue or AI discussions, but consider a major breakthrough unlikely.
- Who
- Chinese President Xi Jinping and United States President Donald Trump, accompanied by their delegations.
- What
- A three-day US state visit and summit covering trade, technology, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, Iran, military ties and other disputes.
- When
- September 23-25; Xi is scheduled to arrive Wednesday evening, with formal talks planned for Thursday.
- Where
- Washington, including Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the White House and the National Archives.
- Why
- The two governments are seeking to ease tensions and manage disagreements despite low expectations for a major breakthrough.
United States Position
China Position
Trade and technology
United States Position
Washington is expected to maintain technology export controls while pursuing tariff reductions in selected sectors.
China Position
Beijing is expected to object to the export controls and seek favorable terms in negotiations over tariffs and trade.
Taiwan and arms sales
United States Position
Trump has described US arms sales to Taiwan as a negotiating tool and is expected to maintain Washington’s relationship with Taipei.
China Position
Xi is expected to press Trump to reduce arms sales and reiterate Beijing’s claim to Taiwan.
Iran
United States Position
Washington believes China could use its influence with Tehran, although Trump has said he does not need China’s help.
China Position
China maintains close ties with Iran and has helped stabilize oil prices, but its willingness to assist Washington remains unclear.
Artificial intelligence
United States Position
The United States is competing with China for technological leadership while considering discussions about AI risks.
China Position
China is also competing for AI leadership, and the two countries could explore limited cooperation despite broader technology tensions.
- Visit dates
- September 23-25
- Arrival
- Xi and Peng Liyuan are scheduled to arrive at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening.
- Main ceremony
- A White House arrival ceremony is expected to include a military review and jet flyover.
- State dinner
- The Thursday dinner is expected to include Apple CEO Tim Cook, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
- Trade truce
- The 11-month US-China trade truce is scheduled to expire in November.
- Taiwan arms sales
- The United States approved an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, while a proposed $14 billion package remains on hold.
- Possible outcomes
- The countries could discuss sector-specific tariff reductions, drug-trafficking cooperation, military dialogue and AI risks.
