US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck a conciliatory tone at a White House state dinner, highlighting dialogue, cooperation and stability in US-China relations. Xi said their talks had produced a “common understanding on many issues”, while Trump stressed the importance of a relationship that promotes prosperity and security. Neither leader disclosed specific agreements, but both called for stronger ties and continued engagement between the two countries.
Washington, Sept 2026 : US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck a conciliatory tone at a White House state dinner, highlighting the need for cooperation and a stable relationship between the world’s two largest economies after their latest high-level talks.
Xi said his discussions with Trump had resulted in a “common understanding on many issues”, while Trump called for a relationship between Washington and Beijing that could promote prosperity and security for future generations.
However, neither leader specified the issues covered by the understanding or announced a detailed agreement during their respective toasts.
Xi said his exchanges with Trump had provided “new substance” and “new strategic guidance” for bilateral ties. Speaking through a translator, he said the two countries should act as responsible major powers and seek a new approach to managing their relationship.
“China and the United States must act as responsible major countries, meet the expectations of our peoples, keep pace with the trend of our times, and explore a new approach for major countries to get along with each other,” Xi said.
The state dinner brought together senior figures from business, government and culture. According to the White House press pool, 134 guests attended the event.
At the main table with Trump and first lady Melania Trump, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his wife Lori, Elon Musk and AMD CEO Lisa Su.
Trump also presented Xi with a statue of a bald eagle, drawing applause from the gathering. Describing the eagle as a national symbol of the United States, Trump said he hoped the gift would find “a nice place, a wonderful place in Beijing.”
In his toast, Trump acknowledged the differences between the political systems of the two countries while emphasising the longstanding connections between their peoples.
“As the leaders of our two nations, President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure, and we've never gotten along better,” Trump said.
He pointed to decades of exchanges involving goods, knowledge, customs and ideas, describing them as the foundation for commerce and mutual respect between the United States and China.
Trump said both countries could work towards a relationship that promotes prosperity and security for future generations.
Xi, meanwhile, referred to the recent reciprocal visits between the two leaders. He noted that Trump had visited China in May and that his own visit to Washington came within less than six months, describing the exchanges as significant for bilateral relations.
Xi thanked Trump and Melania for their hospitality, saying the arrangements had made him and Peng feel at home.
The Chinese president also presented the national ambitions of the two countries as potentially complementary. Referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda and China’s pursuit of what he called “great national rejuvenation”, Xi said the two objectives could be mutually reinforcing.
The dinner also featured references to the history of US-China relations. Xi highlighted cooperation between the two countries against Japan during World War II and cited the people-to-people exchanges associated with “ping-pong diplomacy” that preceded the normalisation of diplomatic relations.
Xi said such exchanges had helped build friendship and cooperation between the two countries and urged Washington and Beijing to preserve those links.
The evening ended on a lighter note when Trump invited guests to look behind a curtain at the new White House ballroom, which he said was about a year away from completion.
Xi concluded his remarks by calling on both countries to “write a new chapter in our friendly relations”. Trump raised his glass to the guests and to what he described as a future of “harmony, peace, and success” for the American and Chinese peoples.
Despite the positive tone, the leaders did not provide details on how the understandings cited by Xi would translate into specific policies or agreements. The dinner nevertheless underscored an emphasis on dialogue and continued engagement at the highest level of US-China relations.
