Overview
- Xi arrived in the Washington area for a state visit that runs Sept. 23–25 and was unusually greeted on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews by President Trump.
- The three‑day program features elaborate ceremony, including a White House military arrival, a State dinner attended by major tech executives, and a Friday visit to the National Archives.
- Leaders will discuss trade—including an 11‑month commercial truce that expires in November—access to semiconductors and rare earths, Taiwan, the war in Iran, and competition over artificial intelligence.
- Expectations are low for sweeping deals, and U.S. leverage in talks includes a completed $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan and a paused roughly $14 billion follow‑on package that the administration has treated as a bargaining chip.
- The visit follows multiple high‑level meetings since 2025 and aims to keep channels open despite strong domestic criticism from some U.S. lawmakers and public debate over how to balance cooperation with containment.