Xi Jinping to visit US September 23-25, Trump to greet him at military base

September 23, 2026 at 12:45 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25, his first in nearly three years. President Donald Trump will personally greet Xi at Andrews Air Force Base, a rare gesture. Talks will cover artificial intelligence, trade, and Taiwan.

Key Facts

Xi Jinping's state visit to the US runs from September 23 to 25, his first in nearly three years.
Trump will personally greet Xi at Andrews Air Force Base, a gesture David Sacks called unprecedented.
Main talks are scheduled for September 24 in Washington, with a morning reception at the White House.
The US trade deficit with China exceeds $91 billion, according to the US Census Bureau.
Senator Bernie Sanders called for Trump and Xi to agree on a temporary pause in AI development and a ban on superintelligence.

Visit Schedule

Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States runs from September 23 to 25. President Donald Trump will greet Xi personally at Andrews Air Force Base, a rare move for a foreign leader. David Sacks of the Council on Foreign Relations described the reception as unprecedented, noting that no US ally has received such honors. Main negotiations are set for September 24 in Washington, beginning with a morning reception at the White House by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The official welcoming ceremony will take place on the first floor of the presidential residence, followed by a Rose Garden event with an honor guard.

Trade Disputes

Ahead of the talks, several trade and economic disagreements remain unresolved. Trump has long criticized the US trade deficit with China, which exceeds $91 billion according to the US Census Bureau. Despite an agreement last October, China's exports of rare earth elements to the US have declined. US and Chinese officials held trade talks on September 22 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly but made no significant progress before Xi's visit.

AI Agenda

Artificial intelligence has risen to the top of the agenda before the visit, according to David Firestein of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations. China and the US are competing in an AI race, and the Trump administration faces pressure to regulate AI and slow its development after security incidents. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon and some congressional Republicans have warned of AI risks. Senator Bernie Sanders said Trump and Xi should agree now to pause AI development and ban superintelligence for the good of humanity. Trump has opposed such calls, viewing technology as central to the US economy and global power competition.