Three-day state visit featured White House talks, military honors and a state dinner, while Washington and Beijing offered limited details on any new trade, AI or broader diplomatic agreements
Chinese leader Xi Jinping departed the United States on Sept. 25 following a three-day state visit that included White House talks with President Donald Trump, an elaborate military welcome and a state dinner. Despite the high-profile events, the summit produced few publicly announced new agreements.
Trump personally welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Joint Base Andrews on Sept. 23. The following day, the White House held a formal state arrival ceremony and military review before Trump and Xi held bilateral talks. Trump and first lady Melania Trump later hosted Xi and Peng at a state dinner.
On Friday, the two couples met for tea at the White House and visited the National Archives.
The two governments had already agreed to extend their existing trade truce for two months before Trump and Xi met.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sept. 23 that the arrangement would remain in place through Jan. 10, providing the two sides with additional time to pursue a possible broader economic agreement.
China’s Foreign Ministry said after the summit that the economic and trade teams of the two countries had reached a new joint arrangement.
According to Beijing’s account of Trump’s remarks, the latest consultations had produced “new outcomes” and negotiations should continue toward a broader agreement. The readout, however, did not provide details of the terms of any such agreement.
Broader Deals Remain Unsettled
Bessent said on Sept. 23 that Beijing had fulfilled its soybean-purchase commitment for the year but remained behind on other U.S. agricultural purchases. U.S. officials also said shipments of rare earths and critical minerals had fallen short of expectations.
Bessent said potential outcomes from the Trump–Xi meeting could include announcements on financial services and additional agricultural purchases.
Discussions on artificial intelligence were also already underway before Xi arrived in the United States.
Bessent said the two sides had formalized a bilateral dialogue and were discussing a mechanism for addressing serious AI-related incidents.
Beijing’s post-summit account said Trump and Xi supported continued cooperation on AI but did not describe a separate new agreement reached by the two sides.
Shen Ming-shih, a researcher at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times on Sept. 25 that Trump’s objectives were likely to focus on tangible economic gains.
Shen said those could include Chinese commitments to purchase more U.S. agricultural products, oil or commercial aircraft, along with mechanisms to oversee continued trade commitments.
He said cooperation from Beijing on fentanyl could also become part of the negotiations, with tariff reductions potentially offered in exchange for steps to reduce the flow of the drug into the United States.
Before Xi arrived, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, told The Epoch Times that he had “limited expectations on what would come out of this.”
He said he wanted Beijing to honor its agricultural purchase commitments and take steps to prevent fentanyl from entering the United States.
Different Public Accounts
Chen Po-kung, a veteran U.S.-based commentator, told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times on Sept. 25 that Beijing’s account placed heavy emphasis on Xi’s statements while providing Chinese audiences with comparatively little information about Trump’s positions during the talks.
“The Chinese people basically don’t know what Trump said,” Chen said, describing the two sides as largely presenting their own accounts of the meeting.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s readout detailed Xi’s positions on bilateral relations, trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and international affairs.
Its description of Trump’s remarks was shorter, saying that he called Xi a friend, expressed confidence in the relationship, supported continued economic negotiations and backed dialogue on AI.
Beijing said the two leaders also exchanged views on the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula. They agreed to support each other as hosts of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting and the Group of 20 summit.
Shen said he did not expect either side to make significant concessions on Taiwan, Iran or the Korean Peninsula.
He also said Trump faced pressure from Congress and members of his administration that, in his assessment, would constrain any major undisclosed concessions to Xi.
Beijing’s account said Xi urged Trump to oppose Taiwan independence and “handle the Taiwan question with caution.”
It did not say how Trump responded.
Human rights had also emerged as an issue ahead of the summit.
A senior U.S. official said on Sept. 18 that Trump was expected to raise cases involving wrongfully detained Americans and other human rights concerns.
Beijing’s account of the talks did not mention human rights.
At the state dinner, Xi said the visit had produced “new and important common understandings.” He did not specify any additional agreements.
The two sides said their economic teams would continue negotiations on a broader deal.
