Landmark summit concludes
• While having tea at the White House on the final day of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit, US President Donald Trump said American farmers will be “very happy” with the outcome of their conversations, while offering scant other details. They also visited the National Archives in Washington, DC.
• This was Xi and Trump’s second summit this year, and the Chinese leader’s first visit to Washington in more than a decade, as they try to manage the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship.
• On Thursday, Trump hosted a state dinner at the White House. Top US tech executives, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, were seen at the event.
• The two leaders underlined the importance of discussions on AI. Other issues on trade, Taiwan and the war with Iran also loomed large.
Updates
(53)Our live coverage of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit with US President Donald Trump has ended. Read analysis on the Xi-Trump meeting here.
Xi is on his way back to Beijing following a 3-day visit to the US. Catch up on the day
Chinese leader Xi Jinping returned to the White House this morning, where he and his wife, Peng Liyuan, met US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for tea.
After a visit to the National Archives, Xi wrapped his three-day summit with Trump. He’s now on a plane bound for Beijing.
Here’s what happened today:
- More on the morning’s remarks: The two leaders and their respective spouses had tea and briefly spoke to reporters about Xi’s state visit this morning. Xi looked ahead to upcoming visits with Trump — at APEC in China and the G20 in Miami — and said he would “welcome” the president and first lady back to China. Trump appeared to confirm he would be in attendance.
- On American farmers: Ahead of the tea, Trump told reporters that American farmers “are going to be very happy” with the outcome of his conversations with Xi, while offering no details on what issues the two have discussed so far. “We’ve made great strides, very positive for both countries,” Trump said.
- National Archives visit: After traveling via motorcade from the White House, Trump, Xi and their respective spouses arrived at the National Archives — a site that is home to some of the nation’s most consequential founding documents, offering the autocratic leader a symbolic display of democracy. When asked there by CNN if he and Xi discussed the war in Iran at their meeting at the White House, Trump responded: “We did.” When asked if he and Xi made progress on the Strait of Hormuz, where slowed traffic due to the war has drastically increased global energy costs, Trump responded: “I think we’re going to do great.”
CNN’s Issy Ronald, Adam Cancryn and Betsy Klein contributed reporting.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping leaves US after 3-day summit
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is onboard a plane bound for Beijing, wrapping up a whirlwind three-day summit with President Donald Trump.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, arrived to Joint Base Andrews for their red carpet departure after a visit to the National Archives with the president and first lady Melania Trump.
Trump and Xi visit National Archives, a symbolic site of democracy
President Donald Trump hosted China’s leader Xi Jinping Friday at a site that is home to some of the nation’s most consequential founding documents, offering the autocratic leader a symbolic display of democracy.
Inside the grand rotunda of the National Archives, Trump and Xi, joined by their spouses and translators, viewed the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Honoring the United States’ 250th anniversary, the documents underscored the nation’s founding ideals, providing some contrast with China — which is under an authoritarian, one-party system — even as the leaders showcased warm, friendly relations throughout the visit.
Trump stopped to speak with reporters assembled inside the rotunda multiple times, including fielding a question from a CNN reporter who was serving as the network TV pool representative, one day after reporters from three outlets had their White House credentials restored.
And Trump, a real estate developer who has embroiled himself in a series of construction projects at the White House and across Washington, DC, also admired the building.
“This is when they built it properly,” he said as he inspected the 75-foot ceiling of the building, completed in 1935.
Trump says he and Xi discussed war in Iran
President Donald Trump said Friday that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed the war in Iran at their meeting at the White House.
“We did,” Trump said in response to a question from CNN, during his tour with Xi at the National Archives.
When asked if he and Xi made progress on the Strait of Hormuz, where slowed traffic due to the war has drastically increased global energy costs, Trump responded: “I think we’re going to do great.”
Xi rounds off Trump visit with plans for future meetings this year
China’s leader Xi Jinping looked ahead to upcoming visits with US President Donald Trump, underscoring the warm — and consequential — relationship between the two leaders on display throughout the three-day state visit.
“The prospects for this relationship” will get “brighter,” Xi said during a tea with the Trumps at the White House, according to a translation.
He continued, “Looking ahead to the remainder of this year, there will be two more opportunities for us to meet each other. Firstly, the APEC meeting in China and then the G20 summit in the United States.”
The Chinese leader went on to say he would “welcome” the president and first lady back to China.
The president appeared to confirm he would be in attendance.
“Thank you very much. We will, and we’ll be speaking a lot,” Trump said.
Trump confirmed in a subsequent post to social media that he planned to attend the APEC summit, which will be hosted in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19. Trump is hosting the G20 Summit in Miami in December.
Xi’s trip to Washington marks the second time the leaders have convened this year and the third in Trump’s second term in office.
Xi and Trump arrive at National Archives
President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, alongside their respective spouses, have arrived at the National Archives.
They will view documents, including the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution.
The two couples traveled via motorcade from the White House, where they had tea and briefly spoke to reporters about Xi’s state visit.
Trump says Xi visit will leave US farmers "very happy," without offering details
President Donald Trump said Friday that American farmers “are going to be very happy” with the outcome of his conversations with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while offering no details on what issues the two have discussed so far.
“I think our farmers are going to be very happy,” Trump said ahead of a tea meeting with Xi at the White House. “A lot of very positive things happened, but America is very happy about this visit and I’m sure China is very happy also.”
The president’s remarks came at the outset of the second day of Xi’s visit, with the two slated later on Friday to visit the National Archives. Neither Trump nor Xi have publicly discussed any potential new agreements between the two nations, even as both framed the visit as a success.
“We’ve made great strides, very positive for both countries,” Trump said.
During the tea service in the White House’s Red Room, the president and first lady Melania Trump gifted Xi and Madam Peng Liyuan a photo album with pictures from the state visit.
Xi back at the White House for final day of state visit
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has returned to the White House where he and his wife, Peng Liyuan, are meeting US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for tea.
The two couples will then view documents, including the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution, at the National Archives to mark the final day of Xi’s state visit.
Trump said he and Xi had a “good meeting” on Thursday. Catch up on what happened here
President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had what Trump called a “good meeting” on Thursday and wrapped the day with a state dinner at the White House.
This is Xi’s first trip to Washington in over a decade, and the leader said it is aimed at promoting friendship and expanding cooperation between the two nations. It comes at a critical time for relations between the countries on several issues.
Here’s what you missed yesterday:
Shortly after Xi’s arrival, the two leaders delivered remarks from the Grand Foyer of the White House, where they each stressed the importance of discussions on artificial intelligence.
Trump and Xi also discussed the US-Iran war, and Trump touted new trade progress between the US and China. Xi said he hopes the US will oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese media. Two giant pandas will arrive at Atlanta’s zoo in the coming days, according to Xi, who called the animal a historic “envoy of friendship” between China and the US. Trump also gave Xi a tour of the new helipad on the South Lawn and a look inside Marine One.
Then came the state dinner, where Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by Trump and first lady Melania Trump as fanfare played at the Chinese leader’s arrival.
The dinner guest list included tech executives as well as the heads of top artificial intelligence and technology companies. At one point in the night, Trump invited guests to view the construction of the new ballroom at the White House.
In speeches, the two leaders spoke favorably about their relationship. Xi invoked George Washington’s interest in collecting Chinese porcelain, and recalled former US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972. Trump celebrated the “foundation of commerce and mutual respect” between the US and China and presented Xi with a bald eagle statue.
A bald eagle sculpture and US tech execs: Key moments from the Trump-Xi state dinner
US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping lavished each other with praise at a White House state dinner after their landmark meeting on Thursday.
It was Xi’s first trip to Washington in over a decade, and the Chinese leader will wrap up the trip on Friday with tea at the White House and a visit to the National Archives.
Here are some of the key moments from the dinner:
- US-China relationship: In their speeches, the two leaders spoke favorably about their relationship. Xi invoked George Washington’s interest in collecting Chinese porcelain, and recalled former US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972. “Together let us nurture the beautiful flowers of Sino-US friendship. Together let us write a new chapter in our friendly relations,” he said.
- Celebrating differences: During his remarks, Trump celebrated the “foundation of commerce and mutual respect” between the US and China, adding that “President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure.” Xi, meanwhile, said Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda could stand alongside his aim for China’s “great national rejuvenation.”
- Technology a key focus: Four top American tech executives could be seen sitting with Trump and Xi at the head table during the state dinner, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Tesla’s Elon Musk and former Apple CEO Tim Cook. Other heads of top artificial intelligence and tech companies were also on the guest list, as both leaders underscored the importance of managing AI responsibly during their meeting.
- A very American gift: Trump presented Xi with a bald eagle statue during the state dinner. “The bald eagle is a national symbol of the United States and an embodiment of the free and soaring spirit of America,” Trump said.
- Reporters denied access: The White House barred two CNN journalists from covering Xi’s arrival for the state dinner, after trying to tell the network which type of journalists could cover the event. MS NOW journalists were also denied access to cover the arrival.
In May, Trump took a bevy of US CEOs to Beijing. Xi didn’t do the same in Washington
When US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held their landmark Beijing meeting in May, Trump brought with him a delegation of top American tech executives, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and then-Apple CEO Tim Cook.
But when Xi visited the United States this week, no Chinese CEOs showed up with him.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Xi was planning to have a large business delegation accompany him. The South China Morning Post also reported that executives from Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD, smartphone maker Xiaomi and battery powerhouse CATL were among those expected to accompany him.
But Chinese CEOs were conspicuously absent at Thursday night’s White House banquet.
Cui Hongjian, an international relations scholar with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told CNN that Beijing may have felt it wasn’t the right time for a prominent display of Chinese CEOs.
“Right now, both sides are still in a phase where they want to stabilize the political situation a bit more,” said Cui.
“Once both sides actually achieve some substantive breakthroughs in their economic and trade negotiations, I think it would be more appropriate to see prominent displays of cooperation at the CEO level or in the economic and trade sphere at that time.”
Wu Xinbo, a Chinese Foreign Ministry adviser, told CNN that logistical challenges also hampered plans to send a delegation. He also pointed to concerns in Beijing that some of Trump’s team were less positive about US-China relations than the US president.
“That is a major reason that the Chinese side didn’t send that economic and trade delegation over,” he said.
CNN’s John Liu contributed reporting.
“Thucydides trap” and “win-win”: Xi’s rhetoric mirrors the May summit
During his state visit to the US, Chinese leader Xi Jinping echoed some of the buzzwords and phrases he used at the previous summit with President Donald Trump in May, signaling continuity in his messaging and Beijing’s ongoing concerns.
Under Chinese diplomatic and political norms, public speeches by officials are crafted with predictability and they rarely surprise. Here are some key phrases Xi repeated during his time in Washington:
- An era of “constructive strategic stability”: Announced during the May summit, Xi sees this concept as the new guiding principle for the bilateral relationship, one marked by more cooperation, less volatility and managed competition.
- Transcend the “Thucydides trap”: Xi again refers to the political science concept based on Greek history, which argues that when a rising power challenges an incumbent one, it often ends in military conflict. He sought to convince Trump that China and the US need not be caught in a war.
- “Win-win” and “cooperation benefits both sides; conflict hurts both sides”: Xi has long argued that China and the US could both benefit through cooperation, while Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of harboring a “Cold War mentality” of a “zero-sum game,” which prevents such kinds of mutually beneficial arrangements.
- “Lengthen the list of cooperation, shorten the list of issues”: On US-China economic and trade relations, Xi reiterated this phrase to show that cooperation could achieve stability in important areas of concern.
- Handle the Taiwan issue with caution: The sovereignty of democratic, self-governed Taiwan remains a major sticking point between the two superpowers, and it has long been a red line for Beijing.
Invoking Washington and Nixon, Xi recalls times of warmer US-China ties
During his speech at the White House state dinner, Chinese leader Xi Jinping invoked moments of US-China exchange and cooperation from the 250-year span of American history.
After beginning by noting George Washington’s interest in collecting Chinese porcelain, he turned to cooperation between Chinese and American forces against Japan during World War II, observing a “friendship forged in blood and fire.”
Xi then recalled former US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972. The handshake between Nixon and China’s first leader Mao Zedong marked the start of the normalization of US-China relations.
“Like a river that never stops flowing, history never stands still,” said Xi, before calling for cooperation in the future.
At the end of the speech, Xi said US President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda could stand alongside Xi’s aim for China’s “great national rejuvenation.”
He said “China and the United States must act as responsible major countries, meet the expectations of our peoples, keep pace with the trend of our times, and explore a new approach for major countries to get along with each other.”
Trump invites state dinner guests to view White House ballroom construction
President Donald Trump invited guests at tonight’s state dinner with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to view the construction of the new ballroom at the White House, adding that if it was ready, more people would have been able to attend.
“As a special treat in honor of President Xi and Madam Peng, I’d like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back, the door, it’s all lit up and looks beautiful,” Trump said in the East Room. “I can tell you that tonight, if we had it, we would have had way more than 1,000 people with standing room only, and this room has about 145.”
“They’ve been looking for this for over 150 years, all presidents, and they will shortly have it,” Trump said, adding that the ballroom is “one year away from completion.”
Trump suggested that guests view the construction after the entertainment concludes.
“Anybody wants to walk into a construction site that’s nice and clean and sparkling, it’s our honor to have you do so,” Trump said.
CNN has previously reported that a highly sophisticated secure bunker is being installed beneath the ballroom, and it’s unclear if that would be visible in the current construction.
Yesterday, Trump told reporters that he wished the ballroom was completed in time for Xi’s state dinner.
During his remarks at the dinner, Trump also celebrated the “foundation of commerce and mutual respect” between the US and China, adding that “President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure.”
“Americans and Chinese have always exchanged goods, knowledge, customs, and ideas. This has been the foundation of commerce and mutual respect between our countries, and together we can continue to build a relationship that promotes prosperity and security for future generations,” Trump said.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Nvidia chief among tech leaders at the table with Trump and Xi
Four top American tech executives could be seen sitting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the head table opposite the podium during the state dinner.
They were:
- Jensen Huang, CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, with his wife, Lori Huang
- Lisa Su, CEO of AI chip giant AMD, with her husband, Daniel Lin
- Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla
- Tim Cook, former CEO of Apple, who stepped down from his post last month
Trump gifts Xi bald eagle sculpture during state visit
President Donald Trump on Thursday presented Chinese leader Xi Jinping with a bald eagle statue during a state dinner.
The bald eagle, appearing to stand roughly three feet in height atop a podium, was designed by an American artist in collaboration with the president and first lady Melania Trump, he said in a speech at the dinner.
“The bald eagle is a national symbol of the United States and an embodiment of the free and soaring spirit of America,” Trump said. He added: “We hope it’ll find a nice place, a wonderful place in Beijing.”
Top AI and technology leaders on guest list for state dinner, White House says
The heads of top artificial intelligence and technology companies are on the guest list for the state dinner tonight being held for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to the White House.
That’s in addition to members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, top administration officials and diplomats, according to a list provided by the White House. Additionally, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh were invited, along with their spouses.
People like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and OpenAI President and Co-Founder Greg Brockman are expected to attend, per the White House’s list. Leaders in the tech space also were invited, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Both leaders underscored the importance of managing AI responsibly during their meeting today, with the technology being a key focus of the visit, Xi said earlier.
Jeff Yass, billionaire and major Republican donor who owns a stake in TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and a host of financial leaders were also invited, according to the list.
MS NOW journalists also denied access to cover Xi's arrival, CNN observes
MS NOW journalists were also denied access to cover Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s arrival at tonight’s state dinner, a CNN reporter observed outside of the White House.
Ahead of the event, the White House blocked two CNN reporters from covering Xi’s arrival, after trying to tell the network which types of journalists could have access.
Other television networks were permitted to cover the greeting with reporters and producers.
Follow live updates on the White House media crackdown here.
The White House denied two CNN journalists from covering Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s arrival at the White House for a state dinner, after trying to tell the network which type of journalists could cover the event. MS NOW journalists were also denied access. CNN's Kristen Holmes, one of the journalists denied entry, reports.
Trump greets Xi as he arrives for state dinner
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived at the White House for a state dinner.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump as fanfare played. The two couples stood at the entrance and took a photo before turning to walk into the dinner.
Shouts from apparent protesters could be heard on a video feed during the greeting, with some shouting “Free Hong Kong,” and “Free Tibet,” as well as a call to “free all political prisoners.”
Trump and Xi met earlier today behind closed doors. Their meeting comes at a critical time for relations between the countries on several issues, including artificial intelligence, trade and the war with Iran.
This post has been updated with additional details on the greeting.
