By Wang Jun
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in the Oval Office, September 24, 2026. File photo from the state visit, not the September 25 tea gathering. Margo Martin / Wikimedia Commons; U.S. government work, public domain. Unmodified.
Chinese President Xi Jinping again invited U.S. President Donald Trump to visit China as the two leaders met for tea at the White House on September 25. Trump said he would make the trip, adding that the two leaders would have more communication in the future.
Xi and Trump also indicated that they expect to meet twice more this year: in November on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Shenzhen, and in December during the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Miami.
Speaking during the tea gathering with their wives, Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan, Trump said the two countries had made progress in their relationship. He described the visit as positive for both countries and said U.S. farmers would be pleased with the developments.
Xi said the two sides had agreed to add new substance to the China-U.S. relationship and were seeking to build a constructive relationship of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.
Before the tea gathering, reporters asked Trump whether he had urged Xi to stop purchasing Iranian crude oil and why media access to the White House had been restricted. Trump responded with a smile and thanks rather than answering the questions, according to Wang Jun’s original report.
Another reporter asked whether the two countries were working to establish safeguards for artificial intelligence. The report said Trump did not answer that question either.
Republished from Wang Jun’s article in Asia Horizon Review on Medium. Lightly edited for clarity and formatting; the author’s attribution is retained.
Editorial cross-check: Chinese Foreign Ministry, September 26; Public remarks transcript.