U.S. President Donald Trump is set to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington this week for a three-day state visit expected to focus on trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan, as the world’s two largest economies navigate a series of economic and geopolitical disputes.
Trump is expected to personally greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews ahead of an elaborate White House welcome that will include a state dinner and military flyover. The trip marks Xi’s first U.S. state visit since 2015 and his third meeting with Trump over the past year. Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan will accompany Xi and is expected to visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art with U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.
Trade is expected to dominate the discussions, particularly with a U.S.-China agreement reached in October 2025 set to expire in November. Under that arrangement, Washington suspended steep tariff increases on Chinese products while Beijing eased restrictions on exports of rare earth materials critical to manufacturing. Attention is now turning to whether Trump and Xi will announce an extension or modification of the agreement. U.S. and Chinese officials also held talks alongside the United Nations General Assembly this week, focusing on issues including agricultural exports and non-tariff trade barriers.
Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature prominently. The United States and China are competing for leadership in advanced AI technologies, while policymakers in both countries face questions about security, regulation and the pace of development. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng ahead of Xi’s arrival for discussions that included trade and AI. Technology executives, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, are also expected to attend the White House state dinner.
Taiwan remains another major source of tension. The U.S. Congress has approved a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan that is awaiting Trump’s signature. Beijing considers the self-governing island part of China and has not ruled out using force to achieve what it calls reunification. Analysts expect Xi to raise the pending arms package during his discussions with Trump.
Both leaders also face domestic economic pressures as they approach the meetings. Trump has repeatedly criticized the U.S. trade deficit with China, while some members of his administration and political coalition have pushed for reducing American economic dependence on Beijing. Xi, meanwhile, is seeking stronger trade ties as China deals with its own economic challenges.
Despite significant disagreements between Washington and Beijing, Trump has emphasized direct engagement with Xi as an important part of managing the relationship. The state visit is expected to conclude Friday, with attention focused on whether the meetings produce concrete agreements on trade or other areas of cooperation.
