Xi will believe he has leverage in talkspublished at 13:46 BST

13:46 BST

Laura Bicker
China correspondent

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

President Xi is in a far stronger position than when he first met Donald Trump in 2017.

Back then, China was heavily dependent on American trade and technology. But Beijing has spent the last nine years reducing both vulnerabilities.

China is now the lead trade partner for more than 120 countries. It no longer relies on the US to buy its goods and it has weathered Trump’s trade tariffs.

Chinese firms have also managed to close the technology gap, and China now produces the vast majority of the world’s humanoid robots.

The country has used its status as the world’s biggest market to gain influence, even among traditional US allies, as Xi tries to project an image of a strong, stable leader in contrast to an unpredictable Donald Trump.

The grand spectacle of this summit itself is a victory for Xi, reinforcing his status as Trump’s peer on the world stage.

As the talks begin, Xi will believe the leverage is his.

Image source, EPA

Today, we're expecting President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to host President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan.

The day will combine pomp and pageantry with serious business.

• An arrival ceremony will take place, followed by a military inspection in the White House's Rose Garden
• A bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and Xi is expected to follow
• Later, a state dinner will be held, attended by US and Chinese officials as well as tech leaders. Trump and Xi will both speak

We'll bring you the key updates as they happen.

Can Trump and Xi bridge major disagreements in pomp-filled visit?published at 13:15 BST

13:15 BST

Daniel Bush
Washington correspondent

President Trump and President Xi will have a packed agenda at the summit starting later today in Washington, with major areas of disagreement that likely can’t be bridged in a pomp-filled in-person meeting at the White House.

Trade is a top priority for both countries. US and Chinese officials held trade talks on the sidelines of the UN general assembly gathering in New York earlier this week, but sources told the BBC the sides failed to make progress. Neither country wants to back down in a trade war sparked by Trump’s tariff policies, even with a deadline looming to extend an expiring trade truce the leaders reached last year.

AI regulation is also on the agenda. China has regulated its tech sector, including AI, but the US has not. Trump in recent weeks has called for less regulation, arguing it would hamper US efforts to maintain an AI edge over China.

US support for Taiwan is also expected to come up in talks between Trump and Xi. Trump has delayed a major arms package for Taiwan, and it’s an open question if Xi can convince him to leave the pause in place.

We're now on day two of Chinese President Xi Jinping's high-stakes visit to the US. Here's a recap of what happened yesterday:

• Xi received a warm welcome upon arriving at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, with a military flyover taking place and a 100ft (30m) red carpet being rolled out
• Trump personally welcomed Xi at the base - the first time since 1962 that a US president has done so
• The two leaders and their wives were seen smiling and shaking hands as they exchanged a few words of conversation on the tarmac, before departing separately for Washington DC
• In a written statement, Xi said China and the US "should be partners rather than rivals", according to Chinese state media. It also reported that Trump called Xi a "great leader" and the occasion a "great moment"
• US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the US and China would be extending a truce in their trade war through January
• Bessent said there was also discussion over whether there could be a more substantive trade deal in the future

Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter

Image source, epa

Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet President Trump today at the White House as part of a historic three-day visit to the US – his first trip to Washington since 2015.

Xi arrived on Wednesday evening with his wife Peng Liyuan at the Joint Base Andrews military base in Maryland. Trump greeted the Chinese president, the first time since 1962 that a US president has personally welcomed a foreign leader at the military base.

The leaders are expected to talk about some of the key issues between the two countries, including trade tariffs, AI regulation and Iran.

Later in the day, they will attend a lavish state dinner along with the bosses of top American AI and tech companies.

Stick with us as we bring you the key details and developments.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in the US for a high-stakes summit with US President Donald Trump.

Here's what you need to know about Xi's arrival in the US, and the talks taking place this week:

• The US and China have struck a deal to extend their trade war truce, initially due to expire in November, until at least 10 January
• As President Xi and his wife emerged from their plane, they were welcomed with a red carpet. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were also there to personally greet the couple
• Delivering a written statement, Xi said China and the US should be "partners rather than rivals", Chinese state media reported

• As Trump and Xi find ways to manage a tricky relationship, one is certainly more effusive than the other, writes our China correspondent Laura Bicker
• Trump also risks backlash from his Maga base with the Xi visit though, writes White House reporter Bernd Debusmann Jr
• Joining Xi on this trip are some of the most senior figures in his government, including his right-hand man Cai Qi and foreign minister Wang Yi
• Major US tech and AI executives will be attending a state dinner with both leaders on Thursday
• It remains unclear if Chinese business executives are part of Xi's delegation, given that he may see their attendance as a risk for Beijing

We're pausing our live coverage now, but you can read this story for more about the Trump-Xi summit. Thank you for joining us.

Kali Hays
US technology reporter

Image source, Reuters

As the US and China race to develop more capable AI, discussion of the technology is set to be on the menu on Thursday.

Some of the most notable names in tech, including Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Tim Cook of Apple, Sam Altman of OpenAI and Jensen Huang of Nvidia, are expected to be dining with President Trump and Xi Jinping.

Also set to attend are Jeff Bezos, chairman of Amazon, Elon Musk, boss of Tesla and SpaceX, Sundar Pichai, boss of Google, Michael Dell, of Dell computers, and Jane Fraser, boss of Citi bank, representatives of the White House said.

When Trump travelled to China in May for a meeting with Xi, he also brought along Musk, Huang and Cook, along with a dozen other tech and business executives. At the time, public fears around AI tools getting outside of human control were not as widespread as they are now.

Altman and Huang, both huge beneficiaries of the recent AI boom, have recently been vocal in their ideas of how the US should deal with the prospect of future AI tools going outside human control.

Huang, like Trump, favours a more hands-off approach by the government. Altman has also supported the idea of AI companies being left responsible for safety of their tools, but on Monday urged the US to take a leadership position on global discussions of AI policy.

Laura Bicker
China correspondent

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

The two leaders seem to get along and are finding ways to manage a tricky relationship.

But one is certainly more effusive than the other.

"You’re a great leader," exclaimed Trump to his host Xi in Beijing in May. He has repeatedly praised Xi’s strength and leadership.

Xi remains far more guarded - and far more difficult to read. He does not reciprocate Trump’s praise, in fact his face barely registers it, nor does he comment on their personal relationship. Instead, he sticks to the script and focuses on what these meetings mean for the two countries.

Nor is Trump’s love of off-the-cuff press exchanges shared by his guest.

Xi will remain cordial and polite, but he will want every aspect of this visit to be carefully choreographed, particularly in front of the press.

The Chinese leader has cultivated enough warmth to keep the relationship working, but he never loses sight of the strategic stakes.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in the US for a high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Here are some photos of Xi's red-carpet welcome:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

From AI to farm products, rare earths and the sale of US arms to Taiwan, here are the things at stake when Xi and Trump meet:

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

Xi is accompanied on this trip by some of the most senior figures in his government, according to Chinese state-run news outlet Xinhua.

Arriving on the same plane as the Chinese leader were Cai Qi, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee who's widely known as Xi's right-hand man, as well as foreign minister Wang Yi.

There are also officials who had arrived in the US earlier, including Vice Premier He Lifeng, who met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in New York ahead of the summit, and Xie Feng, China's Ambassador to the US.

In a written statement, Xi expressed confidence that this visit would "yield fruitful results, enhancing the well-being of both peoples and adding hope for world peace", Xinhua reported.

Laura Bicker
China correspondent

As we reported earlier, it's unclear which business executives, if any, are coming on this trip with Xi.

It would be a stark contrast if several American AI CEOs attended a state dinner at which no Chinese AI CEOs appeared to be present - especially since Trump took CEOs with him to Beijing in May.

But Xi's decision is not surprising. He may see it as a risk for Beijing.

He will have seen how events like this can become a media scrum - and the last thing the Chinese leader wants is a CEO contradicting his message at any point.

Bringing Chinese firms to the US may also raise questions about Chinese business practices, subsidies and overcapacity - all of which may draw more fire and questions than Xi or the Party would like.

Image source, Getty Images

Upon arriving at Joint Base Andrews, President Xi and his wife were greeted by a 21-gun salute and a military band, and received flowers from American children, according to Chinese state-run news outlet Xinhua.

President Trump called Xi a "great leader" and the occasion a "great moment", Xinhua reported.

Xi, delivering a written statement, said both China and the US are "great nations, and their people are great people".

"The two countries should be partners rather than rivals," the state news outlet reported Xi as saying.

"Realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can fully coexist, reinforce each other and benefit the world."

Peter Hoskins
Business reporter

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has delivered some early good news for his boss even before the Trump-Xi summit gets properly underway.

As the US president was meeting his Chinese counterpart on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews we heard that a deal had been struck to extend their trade war truce.

The agreement, which took effect last year and was due to expire in November, will now run until at least 10 January.

It came after lengthy talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York at the weekend, and then in Washington on Wednesday.

The fact that it took so long to effectively kick the can down the road indicates just how tricky negotiations between the world's two biggest economies are proving to be.

Trump escalated the trade war with Beijing in 2025, seemingly believing that he had a winning hand as he launched a barrage of tariffs.

But a slew of counter measures from China, including restrictions on crucial rare earths exports, dealt a stunning blow that left the two countries in a stalemate.

The question now is can any real progress be made when the two leaders sit down to talks on Thursday.

Image source, Reuters

Trump risks Republican backlash with Xi visitpublished at 00:48 BST 24 September

00:48 BST 24 September

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

The White House has spent months touting Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, and President Trump himself regularly remarks on his "excellent" relationship with his Chinese counterpart.

Officials and staff at the White House clearly see this visit – and Trump’s to China in May – as perhaps the two most consequential bits of diplomacy of his second term.

But Trump's Maga base is one that has, for years, been largely suspicious of China – and Trump's red-carpet welcome for the man who stands as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party is already raising eyebrows among some Republicans from across the party.

Trump, after all, repeatedly brings up the spectre of creeping Communism as a threat to America.

In a speech on Tuesday, Senator Mark Wicker, the Republican who chairs the Armed Services Committee, criticised the "lavish welcome" that Xi was receiving. He argued that Trump would have been well advised to not invite Xi given "all the troubling issues we have with President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party".

Barret Marson, a Republican strategist, was quoted by Politico as saying that Xi's visit was "another in a string of examples where Trump’s message and Republicans don't jibe".

"The in-your-face arguments from Republicans this election cycle is that Democrats want to bring socialism or communism to America," Marson said. "Trump warmly embracing two of the most outspoken leaders of those ideologies makes it that much harder for the message to resonate with voters."

Image source, Reuters

The two leaders last met in May in China, where Trump received a grand ceremonial welcome from Xi at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, complete with a gun salute and a band playing the US national anthem.

But theatrics aside, the summit produced few tangible results aside from China's purchase of 200 Boeing planes and several pledges on trade, including increased access for American farmers to the Chinese market.

Analyst Pattie Kim described the trip as "thin on concrete commitments".

Speaking to the Brookings Institute, Kim said that ahead of the summit, there had been "a lot of concern going in that Trump might take a step to shift the US' policy on Taiwan… something that the Chinese have long wanted".

And though that didn't happen, Trump did caution Taiwan in an interview with Fox News after the summit and warned against formally declaring independence from China.

The US president was also full of praise for Xi, and told reporters on board Air Force One following the visit: "President Xi is an incredible guy, we got along, we made a lot of great trade deals."

Image source, Getty Images

US President Donald Trump greeted Xi Jinping with a rare airfield welcome at Joint Base Andrews to kick off a three-day visit of the Chinese leader to the US.

Here's how it unfolded:

• A red carpet was rolled out, as President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walked over to greet Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews
• It is the first time since 1962 that a US president has personally welcomed a foreign leader at the base. The grand welcome is a sign of the importance that Trump is giving this visit, writes our White House reporter
• After Xi stepped off the plane, the two leaders shook hands, with each of their wives by their sides
• Two B-1 bombers flew overhead to celebrate the Chinese leader's arrival and the US Air Force band played both countries' national anthems with US and Chinese flags waving
• Trump and Xi were then seen departing separately for Washington DC
• Later, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US and China have agreed to extend a trade truce that was set to expire in November through 10 January

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just announced that the US and China will be extending a truce in their trade war with China through January.

Speaking on Fox News after his meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He ​Lifeng, Bessent said an agreement has been reached to extend the so-called "Busan Agreement" to each ease tariffs on the other, which was scheduled to expire on 10 November.

He said the two also discussed if there can eventually be a more substantive trade deal between the two countries.

"I don't know if a bigger deal can be done. I don't know if we'll just roll the current deal," he said.

Sarah Smith
North America editor

Image source, Reuters

Trump is rolling out the red carpet for Xi Jinping – both literally and metaphorically. The White House has been spruced up for his visit, which will include a lavish state dinner.

It is possible the spectacle will outshine the substance at this summit.

President Xi will ask Donald Trump to further delay the sale of billions of dollars of weapons to Taiwan.

It is in both sides interest to extend a truce in their trade war, to avoid a return to sky high trade tariffs. But China appears have reneged on promises to buy more American agricultural products and to sell more rare earth minerals to the US.

The topic likely to dominate is of course AI. Despite recent warnings about the potential dangers of AI, from within the industry, they are unlikely to agree to new rules of safeguards to slow the development of the technology.

President Trump has dismissed those concerns as a “hoax” and both countries are racing to try to achieve dominance in the sector.

But they may agree a mechanism which they can use to warn each other about the technology getting out of control.

Trump and Xi have now departed Joint Base Andrews en route for Washington DC.

The US president walked the Chinese leader to his car and the two exchanged conversation briefly. Xi appeared to nod and smile alongside one of his delegates.

Trump and Melania then walked to their own vehicle and departed as well - they are heading to Marine One for the short flight back to the White House.

Image source, Reuters