On an evening steeped in symbolism at the White House, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping exchanged messages of cooperation and stability following their talks on the future of U.S. – China. The U.S. president stated that the two countries “have never been on better terms,” while the Chinese leader called on both sides to seek “a new way for major countries to coexist”.
More than 100 guests attended the official dinner at the White House, including leading figures from the global technology and business sectors.
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Red-carpet welcome and dinner at the White House
Donald Trump welcomed Xi Jinping to the White House for the official dinner, which marked the final and most symbolic moment of a day of meetings between the two leaders.
The Chinese president was greeted with a red carpet, just as the U.S. president had been during his visit to China earlier this year.
The two leaders, along with their spouses, shook hands in front of the cameras and posed for photos before entering the White House.
President Donald J. Trump and the First Lady Greet President Xi and Madame Peng for a State Dinner. pic.twitter.com/I0AGChHx4c
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 24, 2026
Xi: “Let’s find a new way for major countries to coexist”
Xi Jinping, speaking to the dinner guests, stressed that the United States and China can find common ground and underscored the need for both sides to act responsibly.
“The goals of the U.S. and China can be mutually reinforcing, and both sides must act responsibly,” the Chinese president said.
He called on the two countries to explore “a new approach to how major countries coexist,” while speaking of the need to build a relationship of “strategic stability.”
Xi Jinping to Trump:
The friendship between the two peoples is a worthy cause that holds great promise. Let us join hands and move forward side by side.
Together, let us nurture the beautiful flowers of Sino-U.S. friendship. Together, let us write a new chapter in our friendly… pic.twitter.com/i9gRimaiBp
Advertisement— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 25, 2026
Referring to his earlier talks with Donald Trump, Xi stated that the two sides had “candid and in-depth exchanges of views,” which strengthened mutual understanding between the two countries.
At the same time, he chose to highlight the shared history of the U.S. and China, speaking of the two countries’ cooperation during World War II against Japan, as well as the “ping-pong diplomacy” that paved the way for a rapprochement during Richard Nixon’s presidency.
Xi concluded his speech with a toast to the health of Donald and Melania Trump, as well as to continued progress in bilateral relations.
Trump: “Things have never gone so well for us”
Donald Trump, for his part, struck a particularly positive tone, thanking Xi Jinping for his visit to the United States.
“Things have never been better,” the U.S. president said, referring to relations between the two countries.
His speech was more in the spirit of a dinner gathering than a formal political statement, with Trump highlighting the historical significance of the Washington–Beijing relationship.
"President Xi and I have forged a friendship—a truly great friendship, in fact—built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people."
AdvertisementPresident Trump welcomes President Xi Jinping, Madame Peng Liyuan, and the Chinese delegation to the White House to begin their… pic.twitter.com/48bcpMGRGC
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 24, 2026
In an impromptu deviation from his script, the U.S. president also mentioned the new event space currently under construction at the White House, inviting the guests to visit it.
“Anyone who wants to walk through a construction site that’s clean and shiny, it would be our honor to have them do so,” he said characteristically.
At the end of the evening, Trump presented Xi with a sculpture of a bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, saying that it symbolizes “the free and rising spirit of America.”
.@POTUS presents President Xi with a custom-made statue of a bald eagle
pic.twitter.com/CweqKmOI4U
Advertisement— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 25, 2026
The Guests: From Zuckerberg and Musk to Altman
More than 100 people attended the official dinner, with the guest list including leading figures from the worlds of technology, investment, and industry.
Among others, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and X owner Elon Musk.
Also in attendance at the dinner were Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, and Blackstone founder Stephen Schwarzman.
The presence of the most influential figures in global business also highlighted the economic dimension of U.S.-China relations, beyond the diplomatic level.
New Tension Over Media Access to the White House
Despite the atmosphere of cordiality, the day was also marked by a new confrontation regarding media access to White House events.
CNN reported that two of its journalists were initially barred from covering Xi Jinping’s arrival at the dinner, as only a photographer and a sound technician were allowed, without a reporter or producer.
The incident occurred after the Trump administration announced that access would be restored to certain media outlets that had previously been barred.
The controversy began when the U.S. president accused specific media outlets of “fake news” and restricted their access to the White House.
Source: Proto Thema
