Trump To Personally Welcome Xi Jinping, Breaking Convention
Mian Nadeem
Published September 19, 2026 | 06:33 PM
President Xi will hold formal talks with Trump at the White House on September 24, with the two presidents set to meet privately, according to a report.
WASHINGTON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Sep, 2026) U.S. President Donald Trump will personally welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews airport next week, in what is being described as an unusual development in high-level diplomatic contacts between the United States and China.
According to senior U.S. officials, Xi Jinping will arrive at Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Wednesday, September 23, where President Trump will be present to receive him. U.S. presidents generally do not welcome foreign heads of state at airports, with official meetings usually held at the White House, making Trump’s decision diplomatically significant.
Xi’s visit will be the first state visit to the United States by a Chinese president in more than a decade. His last U.S. state visit took place in September 2015, when Barack Obama was president.
Per a U.S. broadcaster, Xi Jinping will hold a formal meeting with President Trump at the White House on Thursday, September 24. The occasion will include a formal welcome ceremony and military honors, followed by private talks between the two presidents.
The meeting comes as trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies have not been fully resolved. Reuters reported that discussions may cover U.S. and Chinese tariffs, maintaining the current trade truce, Chinese purchases of U.S. products and global supplies of key industrial goods.
China is expected to seek easing of U.S. technology restrictions, while Washington is expected to raise issues concerning critical-mineral exports and the trade balance. The artificial intelligence race between the United States and China could also be a major part of the talks. Both countries view AI as important not only for economic growth but also for national security and military capabilities.
The two sides may also explore limited cooperation on the potential risks and misuse of AI. However, given intense competition in the technology sector, the scope for any major agreement remains unclear.
Rare minerals are also expected to be an important topic in the U.S.-China talks. China plays a major role in the global supply of several critical minerals, while the United States considers their availability important for its technology, defense and industrial needs. Any potential progress on the issue could affect global technology and industrial supply chains.
The ongoing middle East crisis may also be included on the agenda of the Trump-Xi meeting. Reuters said Washington also wants to discuss China’s economic and energy ties with Iran. China is a major buyer of Iranian oil and maintains close relations with Tehran. The United States expects China to use its influence over Iran, although Beijing has so far not indicated.