Xi's Washington Visit Draws Warm White House Welcome, Sharp Capitol Hill Rebuke

Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington has drawn a warm welcome at the White House, but a markedly cooler reception on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both parties have used the occasion to air grievances over Beijing's conduct abroad.

Tensions have been heightened by the U.S. war with Iran, with American officials accusing China of propping up Iran's economy and supplying its military with components and intelligence that endanger U.S. service members in the Middle East.

Sen. Roger Wicker, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told the Senate floor that he would have advised against inviting Xi for such a lavish welcome, citing a list of concerns he said President Donald Trump should raise. He pointed to the Chinese Navy's harassment of Filipino fishermen and sailors, the question of Taiwan, and the need for progress on trade and artificial intelligence. He also described Xi in harsh terms as an unelected and oppressive leader whose military arsenal is aimed at the United States.

Ahead of the visit, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released a critical video tracing Xi's rise to power and labeling him a leading opponent of freedom. The panel, created in 2023, has held hearings on human rights in China and backs legislation on economic and military issues; its chairman, Rep. John Moolenaar, recently introduced a bill to bar the manufacture or sale of Chinese cars in the U.S.

Sen. Mitch McConnell and three other Republican senators pressed the administration in a letter to proceed with aid and arms sales to Taiwan, reminding Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of their earlier statements on deterring an invasion of Taiwan and protecting allies. China has urged Washington to halt such sales, and after a May summit in Beijing the United States paused a record $14 billion package, with Trump describing arms sales to Taiwan as a negotiating chip.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and three other Democratic senators warned at a press conference against weakening export controls on advanced semiconductor chips and equipment, arguing that such exports could erode the U.S. lead in artificial intelligence. Schumer said the country can both restrict China's access to American technology and put up guardrails to mitigate AI risks.

On the Senate floor, Democratic senators urged Trump to confront Xi directly over support for Iran. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said cutting off outside support that allows Iran to keep fighting must start with China.