Summary: Trump and Xi’s remarks before bilateral talks
Here is brief recap of the remarks made by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping just now on the Chinese president’s landmark state visit to Washington.
Trump touted their “truly great friendship” and that they had made “tremendous strides on the issues facing our countries” as he welcomed Xi to the White House. He kept his remarks vague and focused on their personal relationship, of which he said he is “very proud”. Trump said the two leaders would focus on security, technology and artificial intelligence at their summit today, and are working towards “a more balanced trade relationship”.
Xi, meanwhile, struck a very different tone, acknowledging that he and Trump have built a “personal rapport” but concentrating his remarks on geopolitical concerns. Xi called for continued dialogue and the building of mutual trust, understanding and peaceful co-existence between the two countries and to avoid conflict. He stressed that Chinese and US interests are “deeply intertwined” and that they “stand to gain from co-operation and will both lose in conflict”. He also stated clearly his hope that Chinese companies would be “treated fairly” in the United States.
The Chinese leader also emphasised their joint, historic responsibility as leading nations in artificial intelligence. Both the US and China have the capability and responsibility to manage AI for good, he stressed, and must “ensure the development of AI is always under human control and serve the wellbeing of the people”.
The two men are meeting now in the Oval Office, where they will discuss the fragile trade-war truce, Taiwan, AI and China’s support for Iran and for Russia’s war in Ukraine. A breakthrough is unlikely today for the world’s two most powerful nations, but stick with us as we bring you all the latest out of the meeting.
Key events
Trump swoons over strongman soulmate Xi – are you feeling jealous, Vladimir?
David Smith
One is an authoritarian who represses the media with a strong allergy to democratic elections. The other is head of the Chinese Communist party.
Donald Trump welcomed the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to the White House on Thursday, setting the stage for a scene quite unlike anything the august old building has seen over more than two centuries.
And while Chinese state media had been welcomed onto the White House grounds, many US journalists had not, thanks to Trump’s ban on CNN, MS Now and Politico. Michael McFaul, a former US diplomat, described the vivid contrast as “wrong and embarrassing”.
That was hard to deny, given that China ranks 178th in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index, ahead of only North Korea and Eritrea (the US, for the record, is down to 64th). But it also made perfect sense because, whereas past presidents sought to make China more like the US, Trump evidently aspires to make the US more like China.
The deference was deafening. On Wednesday night he and his wife, Melania, travelled to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to greet Xi off his plane – a schlep that US presidents rarely make for foreign leaders – and rolled out a literal red carpet for his strongman soulmate.
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, observed on X: “If you’re a foreign authoritarian, Trump won’t just invite you to visit America, he’ll roll out the red carpet for you…”
Vladimir, are you feeling jealous yet?
Xi is such a star that he got two welcomes. On Thursday morning, there were more flags, more trumpet blasts, and another red carpet as the Trumps emerged from the White House south portico to greet Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
Then it was on to the grand foyer for statements – with no reporter questions allowed, of course – before the two delegations, sitting in neat rows. Trump went first. You can tell when he’s on his best behaviour because he (mostly) sticks to the teleprompter.
But it was Xi, speaking more substantially, who looked like he owned the place. Trump, sitting behind with hands clasped together, had the appearance of junior partner. Xi said he was ready to work with the president to “steer the giant ship of the China-US relationship on a steady course toward the future”.
Then he got to the meat in the sandwich, insisting that the countries can “co-exist in peace” and their competition “should be a healthy one”. “The Thucydides trap can be overcome,” Xi declared, in a tacit acknowledgement that China is threatening to displace the US as the world’s superpower.
But with more flattery, he added:
Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand.
None of this was covered by the usual cable news networks because they were boycotting shared coverage, in solidarity with the banned outlets.
Trump then sat down with the world’s biggest jailer of journalists for bilateral talks. Perhaps he was seeking tips.
When they met face to face, was this a Reagan-Gorbachev style summit of great historical import, discussing guardrails on AI and other ways not to destroy the world? Maybe not.
By the afternoon, some of the banned reporters had been allowed back on to the White House campus after a judge found Trump’s action to be unconstitutional. It must have been a tricky one to explain to Xi. He remains the master of repression; Trump is merely The Apprentice.
This is an edited extract. You can read the full US politics sketch here:
Amid the chaos of his attempts to ban journalists from CNN, Politico and MSNOW from the White House (they’ve since been allowed back in), Donald Trump quipped in the Oval Office that China has the friendliest press corps.
According to a White House print pool report:
US and Chinese photographers were separated from the pool and brought in for two sprays with the president, according to two of the photographers who were present. During the second spray, Trump made a joke about how the Chinese had the friendliest press corps.
A reminder that China’s media is one of the most heavily controlled and censored in the world. Chinese state media has been covering the summit.
US television networks boycotted Thursday’s state visit in solidarity with colleagues from the three targeted media outlets, resulting in a blackout of sorts for what would otherwise be a high-stakes news story.
The stark irony of Trump’s comments amid his attempts to restrict media access – not to mention his frequent attacks on the press – and the resulting blackout, also hasn’t been lost on anyone.
Earlier, a group of demonstrators gathered outside the White House to protest against China’s treatment of its minority Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang province.
China has arbitrarily detained more than one million people in so-called “re-education camps” that the government claims are benign vocational centres teaching useful career skills. Former detainees have described them as de facto prisons implementing mass brainwashing and obedience to the Communist party.
Over the last decade, more evidence has emerged of forced labour, torture, forced sterilisation of women and other methods of population reduction, and cultural erasure. Several governments (including the United States) and human rights bodies have condemned the situation as a genocide. In 2022, a damning UN report found that China had committed “serious human rights violations”, which may amount to crimes against humanity.
One protestor, Aziz Sulayman from Virginia, told Reuters that his brother, a dentist called Alim Sulayman, was arrested 10 years ago.
I don’t know his whereabouts. And he was sentenced, that’s what I heard, for 17 years, without any, court, any, due process. He is innocent. He is a young Uyghur man. We want him to be free.
Another protestor, Haider Jan, said that “President Trump must confront Xi Jinping” over human rights abuses against the Uyghurs and other minorities in China.
‘Toast to Peace’: what’s on the menu for tonight’s state dinner?
Donald and Melania Trump will host Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan in the East Room of the White House for a state dinner later tonight.
According to a release from the White House: “The menu showcases American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence, bringing the culinary traditions of both nations together. The meal begins with a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir,” honoring the historic “Toast to Peace” shared by President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972. The same American sparkling wine served at that historic gathering continues to be enjoyed at White House functions today.”
Here’s what’s on the menu:
First Course
Yellow Squash Velouté
Wild Mushroom Fricassée
Crispy Pancetta
Scallion Oil
Second Course
Sesame Crusted Sea Bass
Braised Baby Bok Choy
Roasted Garden Eggplant
Sauce Verte
Dessert
Vanilla Crémeux & White House Honey Ice Cream
Walnut Frangipane
Sour Cherry Confit
For entertainment, there will be a performance from tenor Christopher Macchio, who performed at Trump’s inauguration last year, along with performances by military musicians from the United States Marines Corps and the United States Army.
The décor will be “an expression of warmth and celebration and draws on the color red’s longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history. Urns showcase overflowing red blossoms. Tables are dressed in rich red linens and adorned with dahlias and ranunculus. Among the seasonal blooms, the tables feature vermeil from the White House collection. The Reagan State Service is featured on the tables. These details blend Chinese artistry and American tradition together.”
After leaving their husbands at the White House earlier, Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan toured one of the largest Asian art museums in the US, celebrating cultural ties between the US and China during a high-profile diplomatic visit to Washington.
The Associated Press reports that the first ladies visited the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in a display of soft power that united two figures known for fusing style and diplomacy. It was the first public meeting in nearly a decade between the spouses, one a former fashion model and the other a famed soprano.
They arrived to crowds gathered on sidewalks across from the museum, many waving Chinese and American flags.
Inside the museum, the first ladies toured the Peacock Room, a gilded green, blue and gold dining room that was once housed in a London mansion before opening to the public in Washington in 1923. The room was created by American artist James McNeill Whistler.
They also paused to look at a stone disk from ancient China, along with “Princess from the Land of Porcelain,” an oil painting by Whistler hanging in the Peacock Room and featuring a kimono-clad woman standing and holding a fan. Later, youngsters from Hope Chinese School serenaded the women with renditions of famous Chinese folk songs, “Song and Smile” and “Jasmine Flower.”
Xi urges US to oppose ‘Taiwan independence,’ according to Chinese readout of meeting
The subject of Taiwan came up during a bilateral meeting in which Xi Jinping urged the US to oppose “Taiwan independence,” according to a readout from the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
The White House did not immediately provide its own readout of the discussion.
Xi had been expected to press Trump this week to halt arms sales to Taiwan, the Associated Press reported. After visiting China in May, the US president said he was suspending an arms package to Taiwan worth about $14 billion and called it a “very good negotiating chip.”
The move left some US allies in Asia and even some Republicans concerned that Trump may be tempted to soften Washington’s support for Taipei in exchange for economic wins with China.
China has long asserted territorial ownership of Taiwan, a democratically governed island that relies on US power to counter Beijing’s threats. Despite backing Taiwan, the US has traditionally avoided taking an official stance on its independence.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has left the White House after meeting with Trump, Reuters reported.
But he should be returning this evening at 6.45pm ET for a state dinner that expects to feature a number of tech CEOs, including: Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Tim Cook of Apple, Elon Musk of Tesla, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Jensen Huang of Nvidia.
Trump: ‘great meeting’ with Xi
Donald Trump said that he and Xi Jinping had a “great meeting” after the two leaders met at the White House, Reuters reported.
Trump made the comments to reporters in response to shouted questions before the two boarded the Marine One helicopter on the White House grounds for a brief tour.
Xi: China supports US-Iran deal from June to end war and open strait of Hormuz
We’re getting some lines through on the news wires via Chinese state news agency Xinhua about what Xi and Trump have discussed.
Xi Jinping said that China supports the US and Iran returning to a June memorandum of understanding that was meant to end the war and reopen the strait of Hormuz.
He also said Beijing hopes the United States adheres to the “correct” position of opposing “Taiwan independence” and handles the Taiwan question with prudence.
We’ll bring you more on this as we get it.
Here are some more images from Xi’s high-stakes state visit so far:
Reporters from three news outlets banned from the White House by Donald Trump were back on the grounds on Thursday afternoon, hours after a federal judge ordered the administration to reinstate their access.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists were allowed back in, the latest development in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.
The saga comes during a heavy news cycle with Xi Jinping’s visit and world leaders gathered for the United Nations general assembly.
The Chinese president is not staying at Blair House during his state visit, CNN is reporting citing a White House official. Instead, the Financial Times (paywall) reports that he will stay at the Waldorf Astoria, previously the Trump hotel, in Washington, citing someone familiar with his plans.
On his last visit in 2015, Xi stayed at Blair House, the official US guest house across from the White House.
Xi once again invokes ‘Thucydides trap’ as he lays out terms to avoid US-China military conflict
Robert Tait
in Washington
Xi Jingping has called for extensive cooperation with Washington to avoid the “Thucydides trap” that could put the US and China on a military collision course.
At the start of his summit with Donald Trump at the White House, the Chinese president laid out terms for a mutual understanding that he said could avoid military conflict between the two competing superpowers.
“We should strengthen communication. China and the United States are different in national conditions, but through candid, in-depth and continued dialog, our two countries can understand each other better, seek common ground while shelving differences, and build up mutual trust,” said Xi, with Trump looking on.
“We should coexist in peace,” he said. “China and the United States, as two major countries, stand to gain from cooperation and will both lose in confrontation. Our two militaries should maintain regular dialogue and improve mechanisms for crisis communication and prevention.”
With such conditions in place, Xi said, “the Thucydides trap can be overcome”, refering to the phenomenon, defined by the Greek historian, of tensions that arise when an emerging power challenges the dominance of an established power.
Xi invoked the phrase in his meeting with Trump in Beijing in May, asking the US president how he planned to avoid it.
His proposals for lessening tensions – which also included the invitation of 100,000 young Americans to visit China on student exchanges – come amid a period of intense competition between the two powers over artificial intelligence and trade, with each side imposing tariffs on the other.
Summary: Trump and Xi’s remarks before bilateral talks
Here is brief recap of the remarks made by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping just now on the Chinese president’s landmark state visit to Washington.
Trump touted their “truly great friendship” and that they had made “tremendous strides on the issues facing our countries” as he welcomed Xi to the White House. He kept his remarks vague and focused on their personal relationship, of which he said he is “very proud”. Trump said the two leaders would focus on security, technology and artificial intelligence at their summit today, and are working towards “a more balanced trade relationship”.
Xi, meanwhile, struck a very different tone, acknowledging that he and Trump have built a “personal rapport” but concentrating his remarks on geopolitical concerns. Xi called for continued dialogue and the building of mutual trust, understanding and peaceful co-existence between the two countries and to avoid conflict. He stressed that Chinese and US interests are “deeply intertwined” and that they “stand to gain from co-operation and will both lose in conflict”. He also stated clearly his hope that Chinese companies would be “treated fairly” in the United States.
The Chinese leader also emphasised their joint, historic responsibility as leading nations in artificial intelligence. Both the US and China have the capability and responsibility to manage AI for good, he stressed, and must “ensure the development of AI is always under human control and serve the wellbeing of the people”.
The two men are meeting now in the Oval Office, where they will discuss the fragile trade-war truce, Taiwan, AI and China’s support for Iran and for Russia’s war in Ukraine. A breakthrough is unlikely today for the world’s two most powerful nations, but stick with us as we bring you all the latest out of the meeting.
Trump and Xi are now both standing at the front of the Rose Garden (which Trump has turned into a patio) with their wives and flanked by members of Trump’s cabinet for the official military review and a military flyover.
Next, Trump and Xi observed a silent drill platoon from the Truman balcony. They will then go to the Rose Garden.
