'US doing very well with China': Trump ahead of Xi Jinping's first White House visit

President Donald Trump stated on Friday that the United States is “doing very well with China” as he prepared to host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit. The upcoming meeting marks the first time a Chinese leader has visited the White House in more than a decade. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump expressed confidence that the two leaders maintain a good personal relationship and that their discussions will yield significant agreements. He noted that while other nations might not fare as well in their dealings with Washington, the US-China dynamic remains positive. Trump emphasized that China is currently paying substantial tariffs to the US, a situation he attributed to previous policy decisions aimed at correcting trade imbalances. The schedule for the visit begins on Wednesday when Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, land at Joint Base Andrews, the military airfield located just outside Washington, D.C. In an unusual move for a sitting US president, Trump is expected to personally greet the Chinese delegation upon their arrival. Senior administration officials confirmed this plan during a briefing, noting that Trump typically receives foreign dignitaries at the White House rather than at the airport. Following the airport reception, the core diplomatic activities occur on Thursday. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will welcome Xi and Peng Liyuan for a formal arrival ceremony held indoors on the State Floor of the White House. The two presidents will subsequently join for a military review in the Rose Garden before retiring to private rooms for bilateral talks. During these sessions, the First Lady and Peng Liyuan are scheduled to hold a separate engagement, though specific details regarding that meeting were not disclosed to reporters. The visit culminates on Thursday evening with a state dinner hosted by the Trumps in the East Room. Both heads of state are expected to deliver remarks during the event. Trump described the dinner as highly sought-after, telling reporters that thousands of individuals would like to attend. He remarked that he had informed many close friends that they could not secure invitations, calling it a difficult ticket to obtain. However, the guest list includes prominent figures from the American technology sector. According to the White House, attendees will include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell. Also present will be Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, and Tim Cook, who recently departed his role as Apple CEO. Their attendance underscores the central role of technology and trade in the current diplomatic agenda. On the following Friday, Xi and Peng Liyuan are slated to return to the White House for a private tea with the Trumps. The couple will then accompany the Chinese delegation on a tour of the National Archives, which houses key founding documents of the United States. This cultural excursion coincides with national celebrations marking the country’s 250th anniversary. After the tour, Xi is expected to depart for Joint Base Andrews to fly back to China. Substantive negotiations form the backdrop of the ceremonial events. Officials indicated that trade, the global flow of rare earth minerals, and artificial intelligence are primary topics for discussion. The US-China tariff truce established at the Busan summit in October is set to expire in November, making its renewal a critical issue. While no final decision has been pre-announced, discussions are ongoing regarding the extension of existing licenses for chip exports. Washington has explicitly ruled out exchanging its export controls on rare earth materials for economic concessions. Conversely, talks are proceeding on lowering tariffs for a limited category of non-strategic goods that could benefit both economies. Artificial intelligence is expected to dominate the dialogue, given that the US and China represent the two leading powers in the field. Officials revealed that the two sides have exchanged ideas concerning the previewing of new AI models and expanding regulatory oversight to include Chinese open-source systems, although a definitive agreement has yet to be reached. Beyond technology, the US intends to address security concerns, specifically the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals to cartels in Mexico. Trump may also revisit the status of American citizens detained in Chinese prisons, a topic raised during his previous meeting with Xi in Beijing in May. During his Friday press conference, Trump reflected on the trajectory of US-China economic relations. He recalled raising tariffs on Chinese goods to 145 percent at one point, stating that the measure was intended to correct imbalances but was eventually scaled back because it was causing severe harm to China. “It was really hurting them badly, and I didn’t want to do that,” Trump said. He also addressed allegations of espionage, dismissing concerns by suggesting mutual surveillance practices. “Somebody said, 'Oh, they spy on us,'” Trump recounted. “And I said, 'Maybe they do, but we spy on them too.’” Prior to the announcement of the state visit details, Trump signed legislation imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia and Iran. The law grants the administration broader authority to penalize countries that continue purchasing Russian oil and gas, a provision that impacts major buyers such as India. The timing of this legislative action highlights the complex interplay between domestic enforcement actions and international diplomatic engagements. As the delegations prepare for the high-stakes meeting, attention remains fixed on whether the personal rapport between the two leaders can translate into durable structural changes in US-China relations, particularly regarding the expiring tariff framework and emerging technological standards.