Trump Welcomes Xi To White House As Leaders Tackle AI, Trade And Security

US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, marking the second day of a high-stakes visit between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies. The trip — Xi's first US visit since 2023 — focused on trade tensions, competition over artificial intelligence and broader security concerns.

Key Developments

Late on Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a two-month extension to an existing trade truce between Washington and Beijing, moving the expiry from November 10 to January 10. At the White House reception, Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi struck a conciliatory tone and emphasized the need for stronger communication and cooperation.

Xi used the occasion to invite 100,000 Americans to study in China and Beijing signaled goodwill by agreeing to send two pandas to a US zoo as part of its longstanding cultural diplomacy. Mr. Trump said that "decisions" would be taken on major issues including "security, technology, and super intelligence" — his preferred term for artificial intelligence — calling those choices crucial to promoting "peace and prosperity for decades."

"The decisions we make in these areas today can promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come," President Trump said.

Bilateral Agenda And Ceremonial Welcome

The leaders planned bilateral talks after the White House reception, followed by a state dinner expected to include prominent US technology executives. Attendees reported by US officials include Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening and were greeted with a formal US welcome: children presenting bouquets, two B-1 bombers flying overhead, a 21-person guard of honour, a battery salute and the US Air Force band performing both national anthems.

Context And Wider Issues

Beyond trade and AI, the leaders were expected to discuss major international security concerns, including the wars in Iran and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Xi reaffirmed in a written address carried by China’s state news agency Xinhua that the United States and China should be partners, not rivals, and called for stable ties based on cooperation, measured competition and manageable differences.

Background: In April of the previous year the US raised import tariffs on some Chinese goods in stages — reported as high as 145% on select items — and China responded with counter-tariffs and export restrictions. Both sides have periodically suspended new tariffs, and the two presidents agreed a broader trade truce in Busan last October. Observers noted that letting the truce lapse could have prompted an expansion of China’s export controls on rare earths, measures first introduced in April 2025 that have already affected some European companies.

Diplomatic Timeline

This White House visit is Xi’s first since 2015; he last traveled to the United States in 2023 for the APEC summit in California, where he met then-president Joe Biden. Xi previously visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2017. President Trump invited Xi to the White House during his own visit to Beijing in mid-May.

What Comes Next: The visit concludes on Friday, after which officials and business leaders will assess whether the extension of the trade truce and the leaders' discussions produced tangible steps on trade, technology cooperation, and rules around AI and national security.