Chinese President Xi Jinping departed Beijing on Tuesday afternoon for a state visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. The trip marks the first meeting between the two leaders in four months and Xi’s first visit to the United States in three years.
Accompanying President Xi are his wife, Peng Liyuan; Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and China’s Foreign Minister.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Xi will hold in-depth discussions with Trump on major issues concerning China-U.S. relations as well as world peace and development. Chinese officials described the mutual visits by the two leaders within six months as historically significant and expressed readiness to work with the United States to enrich the constructive strategic stability relationship between the two countries, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote peace, stability and prosperity.
In May this year, Trump paid a state visit to China. During that meeting, the two leaders agreed to establish a “constructive strategic stability relationship” as the new positioning for China-U.S. ties. Xi defined this relationship as one of positive stability driven by cooperation, benign stability with moderated competition, manageable differences, and lasting peace.
Chinese media and officials have highlighted the importance of head-of-state diplomacy in guiding the bilateral relationship. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng wrote that China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, stressing the need to uphold the bottom line of no conflict and no confrontation. He reiterated that China’s sovereignty, security and development interests must not be infringed upon, and that the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, the country’s chosen path and system, and its right to development constitute red lines that should not be challenged.
International observers have expressed interest in the visit. Some have said that face-to-face meetings between the Chinese and U.S. leaders send an important signal amid global uncertainties and could help enhance mutual trust and contribute to a more stable international environment.
A recent survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 57% of American respondents believe the United States should engage in friendly cooperation and contact with China, continuing a trend of growing public support for engagement since 2024.
The visit is widely seen as an opportunity for the two sides to further develop their relationship under the framework of constructive strategic stability.