US President Donald Trump has extended an invite to Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Madame Peng to visit the White House this September, specifically September 24, 2026.
Trump said this as he proposed a toast at the state banquet dinner held in his honour in Beijing. “To the rich and enduring ties between the American and Chinese people,” he said, “It’s a very special relationship.”
He expressed anticipation to Xi honouring the invitation. He also thanked Xi for his hospitality. “This has been an amazing period of time,” Trump said.
Trump’s invitation, which signals an effort to maintain direct communication and high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries, comes at a time when relations between the United States and China remain closely watched by governments, investors, and international observers.
Issues ranging from trade and technology competition to geopolitical tensions and global security have continued to shape interactions between Washington and Beijing in recent years.
Speaking at the Chinese state banquet in his honor, Trump hailed his visit to the country.
“This is a great honor. It was a fantastic day. It really was a magnificent welcome like none other.
“It was a fantastic day, and in particular, I want to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome… and for so graciously hosting us on this very historic state visit.”
Donald Trump
He described his talks with Xi as “extremely positive conversations” and said that everything that they discussed was “all good for the United States and China.”
Referring to his Chinese counterpart, the US President said, “And it was a great honor to be with you.”
During Trump’s toast at the state banquet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he said that citizens of the United States and China have long shared a “deep sense of mutual respect” and used history to illustrate the point, saying that Benjamin Franklin published the sayings of the philosopher Confucius.
He added that Chinese admirers of President George Washington gifted a stone tablet honoring his memory to adorn the Washington Monument. The tablet was inscribed with the words of a Chinese official who called Washington a great General and Statesman.
He said that Chinese workers helped lay the railroad tracks that connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States while American travelers to China helped spread literacy and modern medicine. Trump also noted President Theodore Roosevelt, acting on a request from China’s Ambassador, provided money to establish Xi’s alma mater, Tsinghua University.
Xi Calls For Cooperation Between China, US
On his part, Xi Jinping called for the China and the U.S. to work together as partners rather than rivals in an opening toast ahead of the state banquet that was largely positive though measured.
“We both believe that China and the U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never mess it up.”
Xi Jinping
Xi noted that it was the 250th anniversary of American independence. He pointed out that the people of China and the U.S. are both great people. “Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America Great Again can go hand in hand,” he said.
“Both China and U.S. stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, should be partners rather than rivals. We can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the world. President Trump and I agreed to build a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S relations, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world.”
Xi Jinping
He also asserted that China-U.S. relations concern the well-being of the over 1.7 billion people of both countries, and affect the interests of over 8 billion people of the world. “Both sides should rise up to this historic responsibility and steer the giant ship of China-U.S. relations forward steadily and in the right direction,” Xi urged.
The banquet’s menu, according to the White House, included some Chinese elements.Lobster in Tomato Soup, Crispy Beef Ribs, Beijing Roast Duck, Stewed Seasonal Vegetables and Slow-Cooked Salmon in Mustard Sauce. Guests also dined on Pan-Fried Pork Bun, Trumpet Shell-Shaped Pastry and Tiramisu, as well as fruits and ice cream.
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