Xi Jinping Hosts State Banquet for Trump; Both Sides Agree to Build Constructive Strategic Stability in China-US Relations

On the evening of May 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a welcome banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for U.S. President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China.

In his remarks at the banquet, Xi Jinping stated that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can advance in parallel. He noted that he and President Trump share the view that China-U.S. relations are the most important bilateral relationship in the world today. These relations must be handled well and cannot be allowed to deteriorate; China and the United States should be partners, not adversaries.

The two sides agreed to build a constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States, promote steady, healthy, and sustainable development of bilateral ties, and bring greater peace, prosperity, and progress to the world.

Xi reviewed events from 55 years ago, when former U.S. President Richard Nixon sent then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to visit China, and “ping-pong diplomacy” opened the door to bilateral relations — an event he described as a major milestone in contemporary international relations. He added that through multiple meetings and phone calls with Trump, the two leaders have worked to maintain overall stability in China-U.S. relations.

In his speech, Trump said: “We have had a very wonderful day today. I want to thank President Xi Jinping for this magnificent welcome.” He noted that the U.S. delegation had held productive and constructive dialogues with the Chinese side, and that the evening provided another opportunity for discussion.

Trump also reviewed the history of U.S.-China exchanges, noting that since the first U.S. Consul to China arrived aboard an American merchant ship in 1784, the bilateral relationship has grown into one of the most influential in the world today.

He added that the peoples of the United States and China have long admired each other. One of America’s Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, published excerpts from Confucius’ *Analects* in newspapers, while the Chinese people have long held deep respect for George Washington, America’s Founding Father. These examples illustrate the deep cultural and historical connections between the two nations.

Trump also invited President Xi and his wife to visit the White House on September 24.

Trump arrived in Beijing on May 13 for a three-day state visit. His delegation includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and other senior officials, as well as CEOs from 16 major U.S. companies, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.