Trump to Host Xi in Washington With Pomp but Low Hopes for Breakthrough

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day visit that will mix elaborate ceremony with difficult talks on trade, technology, Iran and Taiwan.

It is Xi's first trip to the United States in nearly three years. President Donald Trump is set to greet Xi and his wife on the tarmac at the Maryland military base that hosts Air Force One — a gesture that has rarely been extended to a visiting head of state in recent memory.

The pageantry includes a state dinner expected to draw technology leaders such as Apple's Tim Cook, Nvidia's Jensen Huang and OpenAI's Sam Altman, a White House military ceremony with jet flyovers, and a visit to the National Archives, home to the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Expectations for a breakthrough remain slim. The two countries' 11-month trade truce expires on November 10, and they remain at odds over issues from Taiwan to narcotics and rare-earth minerals. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is open to extending the truce or pursuing a broader trade deal, after his second meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to prepare for the summit.

People familiar with the plans said Xi is likely to press Beijing's claim to Taiwan forcefully, a subject Washington would prefer to avoid, while Trump is expected to keep firm export controls despite Chinese objections. Talks on Thursday could still produce deals to lower tariffs in specific sectors, cooperate on drug trafficking and expand military-to-military dialogue. Trump is also expected to seek the release of Americans and others detained in China, and the two sides could agree to further discussions on artificial intelligence.

The meeting comes at a difficult moment for Trump, whose approval numbers have fallen amid public discontent with the war with Iran. Xi arrives in a seemingly stronger position, with China's trade engine roaring, though he faces weak household spending and a property market downturn at home. Analysts said neither leader may feel pressure to compromise.

"The president very much believes that over time the US economy is going to grow, the US will get stronger," said Edgard Kagan, a former White House official now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "I think when Xi Jinping sits down with Donald Trump, he very much believes the US is in hurtling decline, and that time is on China's side."

As in their two previous meetings since 2025, the leaders are planning a highly scripted public spectacle. Instead of a joint press conference or statement, the countries are expected to issue separate announcements aimed at their domestic audiences.

Iran is likely to feature in the discussions. Beijing has maintained close ties with Tehran, and Washington believes China could use its influence there, though Trump has said he sees no need to seek China's help. Beijing, the world's biggest oil importer, helped stabilize crude prices after the war began by cutting demand and releasing strategic stockpiles. The Trump administration has so far withheld secondary sanctions on major Chinese banks, despite earlier threats.

Xi is also expected to push Trump to reduce arms sales to Taiwan, as he did at their last meeting in Beijing. In December, the Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest ever, while a second package worth about $14 billion has been on hold for months. Trump has described the arms sales as a "very good negotiating chip."

Another Trump-Xi meeting is seen as likely this year, possibly at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China in November or the Group of 20 meetings in the US in December.