Trump welcomes Xi Jinping in Washington as US and China extend trade truce to January

Tarmac arrival and official reception

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews near Washington. The visit represents the Chinese leader's first trip to the American capital in more than a decade, following Trump's state visit to Beijing in May. The administration prepared an official reception including an honor guard, national anthems, and a flyover by one B-2 bomber alongside four F-22 fighter jets. A state dinner at the White House on Thursday brings together cabinet members and prominent technology executives, including Apple board chairman Tim Cook, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, and OpenAI head Sam Altman. On Friday, the Chinese delegation will attend a private tea at the presidential residence before touring the National Archives to review historical records on bilateral ties.

They have a very good relationship. He is coming to our territory and we have to welcome them with the greatest respect.

Trade truce extended through January

Negotiations led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng produced an agreement to extend the bilateral trade truce until at least 10 January, postponing the previous November expiration. The tariff arrangement, originally established in October 2025 following a round of US duties and Chinese export curbs on rare earth minerals, maintains current levies while officials seek wider terms. Bilateral trade between the two economies reached 350 billion euros during the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 5% compared with the same period in 2025. Chinese commerce officials also noted that working teams are examining mutual tariff reductions covering 30 billion dollars in goods for each side.

Core disputes and technology controls

The formal meetings at the White House address key economic, security, and technological disagreements between the two administrations. Washington is seeking increased Chinese purchases of American agricultural commodities, especially soybeans, alongside formal commitments to halt the copying of domestic artificial intelligence models. Chinese negotiators are pushing for expanded commercial access to advanced semiconductor chips and reductions in mineral export restrictions. Taiwan remains a central point of negotiation, with billions of dollars in congressionally approved US arms sales currently awaiting Trump's signature. Bilateral discussions also cover Chinese purchases of Iranian crude oil and Russian petroleum imports connected to the war in Ukraine.

Political reactions in Washington and Beijing

Xi issued a statement through Chinese state media indicating that Beijing and Washington should act as partners rather than rivals, stating that China's revival and the revitalization of the United States can proceed in parallel. In Washington, the arrival ceremony drew contrasting reactions from Republican officials regarding high-level engagement with Beijing. Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the scale of the ceremonial welcome.

Our commander-in-chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal dictator whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the summit during remarks in New York, describing direct communication between the two largest economies as an absolute necessity.

The idea that we wouldn't engage with them at the highest level is irresponsible. It is outrageous. We have to do it.