US President Donald Trump has described his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House as “great” as the two leaders continue high-level talks aimed at managing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Trump made the comment while showing Xi around the White House grounds following their bilateral meeting on Thursday, according to Reuters. Xi later left the White House after the talks but is expected to return for a state dinner hosted by Trump. The dinner is expected to bring together senior business and technology figures, including executives from major US companies.
The meeting is part of Xi’s three-day state visit to Washington, his first visit to the US capital in more than a decade. Trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and the war involving Iran are among the issues surrounding the summit.
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington and Beijing had agreed to extend their existing tariff truce until January. The arrangement is intended to prevent a renewed escalation in the trade dispute between the two countries.
While Trump has publicly emphasised his relationship with Xi, the summit comes against a backdrop of continuing disagreements over trade, technology restrictions and Taiwan. Both governments have also been involved in discussions over artificial intelligence and wider geopolitical issues.
During the leaders’ meeting, US and Chinese officials were expected to work through areas of cooperation as well as longstanding disputes. Meanwhile, the two presidents’ spouses held separate engagements. US First Lady Melania Trump and China’s First Lady Peng Liyuan visited the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington during the bilateral talks.
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