President Donald Trump formally invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the White House this September during a state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, underscoring the administration’s effort to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Speaking during the banquet, Trump thanked Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan for hosting the American delegation before extending a public invitation for a return visit to Washington.
“Thank you again, President Xi, for this beautiful welcome,” Trump said. “Tonight, it is my honor to extend an invitation to you and Madam Peng to visit us at the White House this September 24, and we look forward to it.”
Xi, in turn, stressed the importance of maintaining strong ties between Washington and Beijing, calling the U.S.-China relationship the “most important bilateral relationship in the world.”
“We must make it work and not mess it up,” Xi said during remarks at the banquet.
Trump’s trip marks his first visit to China in nearly nine years and comes at a critical moment in U.S.-China relations, with both nations navigating disputes over trade, military influence in the Indo-Pacific, and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Earlier Thursday, Trump and Xi held a bilateral meeting in Beijing that lasted more than two hours. According to a White House readout, the two leaders discussed trade and business relations, the Iran war, and concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Chinese officials later said Xi also warned Trump about the U.S. position on Taiwan, the self-governing island Beijing claims as its own territory.
The invitation for a White House visit signals both leaders are seeking to maintain direct communication despite growing friction between the two global powers.
