Trump Says Xi Will Attend State Dinner at White House on Sept. 24

Donald Trump says Xi Jinping will return to the White House on Sept. 24 for a state dinner, giving the Chinese leader his first visit to Washington in nearly a decade.

“President Xi is expected to come on the 24th, and we will hold a state dinner,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He added, “We’re going to do great things with China. We’ve maintained a very good relationship with China.”

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President Xi is expected to come on the 24th, and we will hold a state dinner.

China has not officially announced Xi’s travel plans, although Trump has mentioned the date several times. Xi is expected to travel with his wife, Peng Liyuan. The two sides could discuss ways to manage trade tensions, artificial intelligence regulation and the war in Iran, but Trump did not identify specific topics.

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We’re going to do great things with China. We’ve maintained a very good relationship with China.

Xi last visited the United States in November 2023, while his last trip to Washington came in April 2016 for a nuclear security summit. His upcoming state dinner would be only his second. Barack Obama hosted Xi at a state dinner in September 2015.

Trump has repeatedly emphasized his good relationship with Xi and has avoided direct criticism of China. “China took advantage of us for many years,” he said, adding, “I don’t blame them. There were people sitting behind this desk who were not very smart.” On China’s involvement in Iran, Trump said he had told Beijing not to get involved and that it had largely stayed out, despite importing half of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

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China took advantage of us for many years, but I don’t blame them. There were people sitting behind this desk who were not very smart.