ChinaUnited StatesDonald TrumpXi Jinpinginternational relations
Trump to Make First U.S. Presidential Visit to China in Nine Years for Bilateral Talks
Published: May 11, 2026
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U.S. President Donald Trump will make a state visit to China from May 13 to 15, 2026, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on May 11. The visit marks the first by a sitting U.S. president to China in nearly nine years and comes amid deepening strategic and economic tensions between the two powers.
Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on May 13, with a bilateral meeting and welcome ceremony set for May 14, followed by a state banquet. He will also visit the Temple of Heaven and hold a working lunch with Xi on May 15, according to U.S. principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly. The U.S. and China confirmed that the talks will focus on economic and trade issues, guided by prior discussions held in Busan and through direct communication between the leaders.
The visit follows a final round of trade negotiations in Seoul between Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on May 12 and 13. A Chinese Commerce Ministry statement said discussions would address tariffs and other mutual economic concerns, with expectations of a potential trade agreement. The talks occur as the U.S. remains engaged in military actions linked to Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, while tensions persist over Taiwan.
The U.S. plans to host President Xi Jinping for a reciprocal state visit later in 2026, Kelly added. The upcoming talks are seen as a critical opportunity to stabilize bilateral relations amid global security and economic volatility.