Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Washington from September 23 to 25 for talks with US President Donald Trump….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit the United States from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump, with trade, artificial intelligence and export controls among the issues expected to feature in talks between the two leaders.
The state visit will also bring some of the biggest names in American technology and business to the White House, with Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos among those invited to a state dinner for Xi.
The dinner, hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, will take place in the White House East Room on Thursday, September 24. Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, and members of the Chinese delegation will also attend.
Other prominent figures on the guest list include Michael Dell, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Citigroup chief executive Jane Fraser and Apple executive chairman Tim Cook.
The presence of senior technology executives comes as artificial intelligence is expected to form part of discussions between Trump and Xi, alongside trade and issues surrounding Chinese rare earth supplies and US export controls.
A senior US official described the dinner as a highly sought after event in Washington, while officials did not indicate that the invited business leaders would have a separate formal role in negotiations between the two governments.
Trump and Xi are expected to discuss artificial intelligence and the existing trade arrangement between the United States and China, which officials have referred to as the “Busan truce”.
Trade discussions could include possible tariff reductions on a limited range of goods considered neither sensitive nor strategic. US officials have not specified which products could be covered.
Rare earth supplies and export controls are also expected to feature in the discussions. A senior US official said Washington would not exchange its export controls for mineral supplies that it believes China had already agreed to provide.
The official said Chinese deliveries of rare earth materials had fallen short of US expectations and that the issue would be raised during the talks.
Chinese investment in the US automobile market could also be discussed, with US officials indicating that companies would still have to comply with applicable security rules and regulations.
Xi’s visit will begin on Wednesday, September 23, when Trump is scheduled to greet him and Peng at Joint Base Andrews during an arrival ceremony. Trump’s decision to personally receive Xi at the airport has been described as an unusual gesture for a visiting foreign leader.
On Thursday, Trump and Melania Trump will formally welcome Xi and Peng at the White House. The programme includes an arrival ceremony, a military review and bilateral talks between the two presidents.
Melania Trump and Peng are also scheduled to have a separate programme during the visit, although further details have not been announced.
Both presidents are expected to deliver remarks at the beginning of the state dinner.
The visit will conclude on Friday, September 25. Trump and Melania are scheduled to meet Xi and Peng for private tea at the White House before accompanying them on a visit to the National Archives.
The two couples are expected to view important American founding documents as the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary. Xi will then travel to Joint Base Andrews for his departure.
Ahead of Xi’s arrival, senior US and Chinese officials are also holding discussions in New York. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are expected to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, with trade, tariffs, rare earth supplies and artificial intelligence among the issues under discussion.
Trump is due to return from the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday evening, ahead of Xi’s arrival in Washington.
The visit will be the first state visit to the United States by a Chinese leader in more than a decade and comes as Washington and Beijing seek to manage differences over trade, technology and strategic supply chains.
