President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday to begin what many have said is an extremely high-stakes summit between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump and his entourage of Cabinet members and business executives arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday evening U.S. time and were greeted by China’s vice president, Han Zheng.
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During a face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader, Trump admitted to Xi that he often calls him “a great leader,” though he is sometimes criticized for doing so.
“You are a great leader. I say it to everybody, you are a great leader. Sometimes people don’t like me saying it, but I say it because it’s true. I always say the truth,” Trump said.
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During a state dinner earlier, Trump invited Xi Jinping and his wife, Madam Peng, to visit the White House on September 24.
Xi’s last visit to the White House was in September 2015, when he was hosted by President Barack Obama.
Xi last visited the United States in November 2023, when he traveled to San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
During that visit, he met with then-President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the summit.
Before his latest trip to Beijing, Trump last met with Xi in person at the APEC summit in South Korea in October 2025.
During his first term in office, Trump hosted Xi at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in April 2017 and met with him several other times outside the U.S., including in Beijing, Argentina, and Japan.
During the dinner, Trump toasted the strong relationship between the U.S. and China, calling it “one of the most consequential relationships in world history.”
“From the beginning, our citizens have shared a deep sense of mutual respect. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin published The Sayings of Confucius in his colonial newspaper and today a sculpture recognizing that ancient Chinese sage is carved into the face of the United States Supreme Court very proudly,” Trump said.
He continued to emphasize the ties between the two countries, highlighting the contributions of Chinese immigrants to U.S. railroads and the modern Chinese population’s appreciation for American exports like basketball and blue jeans.
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“Chinese restaurants in America today outnumber the five largest fast food chains in the United States all combined. And that’s a pretty big statement,” Trump added.
“This bond of commerce and respect that stretches back 250 years is the foundation for a future that benefits both of our nations. The American and Chinese people share much in common. We value hard work,” Trump noted.
“We value courage and achievement. We love our families, and we love our countries. Together, we have the chance to draw on these values, to create a future of greater prosperity, cooperation and happiness and peace for our children,” he continued.
“We love our children. This region and the world is a special world with the two of us united and together,” Trump said.
“And I’d now like to raise a glass and propose a toast to the rich and enduring ties between the American and Chinese people. It’s a very special relationship, and I want to thank you again. This has been an amazing period of time. Thank you, President Xi,” Trump concluded.
Meanwhile, Xi hailed the U.S.-China relationship as “the most important bilateral relationship in the world” during the dinner.
“Today, President Trump and I had in-depth exchanges on China-U.S. relations and the international and regional dynamics. We both believe that the China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never mess it up,” Xi said through a translator.
“Both China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Our two countries should be partners rather than rivals,” he said.