https://www.scmp.com/rss/318199/feed The latest news on diplomacy and diplomatic events in and relating to China. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter China and the United States have agreed to establish a bilateral communication channel for “super intelligence” incidents, according to the White House. In a statement about the deliverables of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, the US said the next meeting of the newly formed US-China Super Intelligence (SI) Dialogue would take place by November. China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Thursday that its senior trade negotiators had held their first talks with the US on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368884/xi-trump-summit-china-and-us-open-super-intelligence-communications-channel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368884/xi-trump-summit-china-and-us-open-super-intelligence-communications-channel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:49:50 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage of Peng Liyuan during the Xi-Trump summit. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s first lady Peng Liyuan projects glamour and soft power on world stage China’s first lady Peng Liyuan is again stepping into the international limelight as she travels to Washington with President Xi Jinping this week. 2. Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump renew acquaintance as Xi arrives in US Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368880/chinas-first-lady-peng-liyuan-shines-during-xi-trump-summit-everything-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368880/chinas-first-lady-peng-liyuan-shines-during-xi-trump-summit-everything-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly trying to arrange a phone call with Donald Trump following the US president’s nostalgic invocation of the alliance with China during World War II, references that sent shock waves through Tokyo. Trump made the references as he welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for his first state visit to Washington in over a decade. Both Trump and Xi repeatedly invoked their nations’ wartime alliance against Japan in their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368878/will-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-japanese-rethink-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368878/will-trump-xi-wartime-ally-nostalgia-prompt-japanese-rethink-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier During their three-day summit that ended on Friday, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping worked overtime to underscore their increasingly close relationship even as the meeting produced few concrete deliverables. But the fact that the two economic and military giants are talking – and pledging to talk some more – suggests some period of relative stability ahead, certainly relative to last year’s all-out trade war, chest-thumping and market turmoil, said analysts, companies... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368875/xi-trump-atmospherics-welcomed-mask-structural-rifts-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368875/xi-trump-atmospherics-welcomed-mask-structural-rifts-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:02:27 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin As Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump wrapped up their three-day state visit on Friday, a stark contrast in the two presidential couples’ hand-holding dynamics was on display, body language experts said. The exchanges between Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, and Trump and first lady Melania Trump, were closely followed on the trip, with the couples’ activities together on Friday culminating in an outing at the National Archives Museum in Washington. The couples’ divergent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368874/what-donald-trump-and-xi-jinping-revealed-body-language-their-wives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368874/what-donald-trump-and-xi-jinping-revealed-body-language-their-wives?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 23:29:47 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Chinese President Xi Jinping has completed a whirlwind 43-hour trip to the United States, his first state visit to the country in more than a decade, with US President Donald Trump pulling out all the stops to make it a grand affair. The two leaders met several times during the visit, including at a ceremonial airport welcome, the White House reception and bilateral talks on a wide range of topics including trade, tariffs and Taiwan. They also attended a state dinner in Xi’s honour with top... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368870/trade-deliverables-taiwan-push-and-strategic-stability-key-xi-trump-takeaways-overall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368870/trade-deliverables-taiwan-push-and-strategic-stability-key-xi-trump-takeaways-overall?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 19:47:09 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China is poised to decide which of two Latin American women becomes the first to lead the United Nations, after three rounds of informal voting in the Security Council failed to produce a favourite. Several UN delegations that spoke to the South China Morning Post over the past three days said Beijing was weighing Rebeca Grynspan, the Costa Rican economist who heads UN Trade and Development, and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s ambassador to the UN. The same delegations said China had ruled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3368869/china-set-decide-if-costa-rican-or-guyanese-diplomat-becomes-first-woman-un-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3368869/china-set-decide-if-costa-rican-or-guyanese-diplomat-becomes-first-woman-un-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:09:32 +0000 Orange Wang,Caroline Lin Orange Wang,Caroline Lin Domestic US political turmoil and Donald Trump’s feud with the media overshadowed a summit that Beijing hoped would project an image of China on equal footing and help stabilise ties with the United States. Trump rolled out the full red-carpet treatment for Chinese President Xi Jinping as he paid his first state visit to the US in over a decade. In addition to Trump and his wife Melania greeting Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan on the tarmac on arrival, the “many special arrangements” included a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368860/what-summit-us-tv-blackout-and-midterms-turmoil-overshadow-red-carpet-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368860/what-summit-us-tv-blackout-and-midterms-turmoil-overshadow-red-carpet-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:54:34 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our US and China bureaus all year round. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. After three days in Washington, President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan returned to China with a promise of more face-to-face diplomacy with US President Donald Trump later this year, but not a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368858/last-day-xis-us-visit-begins-trump-white-house-tea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368858/last-day-xis-us-visit-begins-trump-white-house-tea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:49:31 +0000 Simon Tay Simon Tay The good news is, when US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Washington this week, neither chose confrontation. Amid the high pomp and ceremony, what China has called “constructive strategic stability” continues. Even an uneasy truce in great power relations can be useful. Both recognise the considerable incentive to prevent their economic rivalry from spiralling out of control. Even limited understandings can reduce risks in artificial intelligence (AI) and other... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3368638/us-china-world-asean-must-do-more-avoid-choosing-sides?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3368638/us-china-world-asean-must-do-more-avoid-choosing-sides?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Throughout President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, Chinese aesthetics were not confined to first lady Peng Liyuan, long an ambassador of Chinese fashion, but also appeared in the outfits of other senior Chinese officials and even members of the US delegation. At the state dinner in the White House on Thursday, Xi and other senior Chinese officials – including his chief of staff Cai Qi and foreign minister Wang Yi – wore black Mao suits. Notably, while Xi has regularly worn the attire... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368846/chinese-aesthetics-abound-washington-summit-mao-suits-peony-trousers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368846/chinese-aesthetics-abound-washington-summit-mao-suits-peony-trousers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:27:16 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage of the White House state dinner. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Xi-Trump dinner puts US tech titans in spotlight – what does it mean for ties? If the American guests seated at the head table with President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at Thursday’s White House state dinner were any indication, Washington now views its relationship with Beijing largely through the prism of technology. 2.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368845/xi-trump-banquet-flasks-us-tech-titans-attendance-heres-everything-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368845/xi-trump-banquet-flasks-us-tech-titans-attendance-heres-everything-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:09:32 +0000 Nayan Seth,Lucy Quaggin,Josephine Ma Nayan Seth,Lucy Quaggin,Josephine Ma In a surprise nod to shared history, US President Donald Trump called China a World War II ally as he welcomed Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday ahead of summit talks. But the historical reference was far from one-sided, with both leaders repeatedly referring to the joint fight against Japanese aggression as they sought to emphasise the long history of US-China friendship and the need to seek common ground. “If we focus on our common interests, I’m confident there is much we can... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368844/trump-hails-wwii-ally-china-xi-tells-bonds-forged-blood-and-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368844/trump-hails-wwii-ally-china-xi-tells-bonds-forged-blood-and-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:06:23 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin Chinese President Xi Jinping has not only made history as the first Chinese leader to undertake two formal state visits to the United States, he is also the only Chinese leader to be spending two Mid-Autumn Festivals on American soil. Xi offered festive greetings during his toast at Thursday’s state banquet. “As I speak, my compatriots in China are celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival – a cherished occasion for family reunions according to Chinese tradition. I wish you all a very happy Mid-Autumn... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368838/xi-jinping-marks-second-mid-autumn-festival-us-during-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368838/xi-jinping-marks-second-mid-autumn-festival-us-during-state-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 11:20:13 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Chinese viewers watching Donald Trump welcome Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday may have been puzzled by the US president’s reference to the “Chinese phrase” gung-ho. Turning to Baidu – or increasingly, Doubao, the country’s most popular AI chatbot – they may well have asked: what Chinese expression is he referring to? It sounds Chinese, but gung-ho is neither part of everyday usage nor an idiom drawn from classical texts – making this moment almost as baffling as when US Secretary of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368832/chinese-roots-gung-ho-trump-and-xi-look-shared-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368832/chinese-roots-gung-ho-trump-and-xi-look-shared-history?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:38:11 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump discussed artificial intelligence (AI) and Taiwan at the White House on Thursday as part of a state visit dominated by pageantry. On AI, Xi said that “the right thing to do is to draw on each other’s strengths, not guard against each other”, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry. He also backed continued dialogue about risks, joint efforts to prevent misuse and keeping AI under human control. Trump earlier said on... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368799/xi-white-house-trade-war-truce-extension-golden-week-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368799/xi-white-house-trade-war-truce-extension-golden-week-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to the US will conclude not at the diplomatic negotiating table, but in front of America’s founding documents. After morning tea in the White House Red Room, US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will take Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan on a tour of the National Archives, the home of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and other texts that established the basis of the US government. According to the Office of the First Lady, the two couples... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368793/xi-and-trump-cap-summit-tour-through-shared-us-and-chinese-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368793/xi-and-trump-cap-summit-tour-through-shared-us-and-chinese-history?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Property developer-turned-president Donald Trump appeared to relish showing off the White House’s latest building works to Xi Jinping on Thursday, eager to give his Chinese counterpart a glimpse of his construction ambitions since they last met in China. In May, Trump was hosted at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, a sprawling complex that the US president compares with his planned White House ballroom. After their talks in the Oval Office, Trump led Xi out to the South Lawn, where his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368792/trump-gives-xi-tour-his-pet-white-house-building-projects-including-ballroom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368792/trump-gives-xi-tour-his-pet-white-house-building-projects-including-ballroom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:05:54 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Zhou Hongxu, the official who oversees President Xi Jinping’s security, made an appearance at the White House state banquet on Thursday night, alongside a cohort of other rising Chinese officials. The banquet’s guest list described the 55-year-old People’s Liberation Army (PLA) major general as both director of the Central Guard Bureau and deputy director of the Communist Party’s General Office – the ruling party’s powerful administrative nerve centre. Earlier this month, Zhou joined Xi for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368782/xis-security-chief-among-cohort-rising-officials-white-house-banquet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368782/xis-security-chief-among-cohort-rising-officials-white-house-banquet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:19:14 +0000 SCMP SCMP This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Xi’s US summit: Access real-time updates, geopolitical risk analysis, and exclusive reporting from an Asian perspective. Subscribe now with our limited-time offer to stay ahead. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have met in Washington for an eagerly anticipated summit, during which the leaders discussed AI cooperation, their countries’ ties and more. To help South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368493/live-qa-scmp-answers-your-questions-about-washington-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368493/live-qa-scmp-answers-your-questions-about-washington-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 05:55:06 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang When US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in the East Room, every detail of the state dinner was steeped in symbolism, with sparkling wine served as a nod to a pivotal moment in Sino-US relations and references to “ping-pong diplomacy”. The meal opened with a toast of Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, a vineyard selected to honour the historic 1972 “Toast to Peace” shared by then US president Richard Nixon and Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, according to the first lady’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368762/wine-ping-pong-trump-and-xis-state-dinner-heavy-historic-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368762/wine-ping-pong-trump-and-xis-state-dinner-heavy-historic-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 05:48:05 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin While their husbands held talks at the White House, Melania Trump hosted Peng Liyuan at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art on Thursday, where the famed Chinese soprano softly hummed along to a youth choir’s performance of a familiar classic. Footage shows the Hope Chinese School youth choir waving Chinese and American national flags during their rendition of the song “Jasmine Flower”, while Peng watches with a smile, her lips moving along to the lyrics. As the performance ends, she... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368757/pitch-perfect-cultural-diplomacy-wins-heart-chinas-first-lady-peng-liyuan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368757/pitch-perfect-cultural-diplomacy-wins-heart-chinas-first-lady-peng-liyuan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:43:09 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Chinese President Xi Jinping broke into rare laughter as his US counterpart Donald Trump showed him a framed “autopen” displayed in place of the former American leader Joe Biden’s portrait during a White House tour. The viral moment stood out against the Chinese leader’s otherwise restrained demeanour during his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. A video released by the White House on social media showed Trump taking Xi along the White House colonnade on Thursday... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368744/chinas-xi-shares-rare-laugh-white-house-tour-trumps-biden-autopen-joke?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368744/chinas-xi-shares-rare-laugh-white-house-tour-trumps-biden-autopen-joke?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 03:13:32 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen The US president’s eldest daughter Ivanka Trump had a front-row seat at a White House welcome ceremony for President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on Thursday, wearing a dress by Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei. Trump, in a robin’s egg blue dress and matching jacket, and her 15-year-old daughter Arabella Kushner occupied a prominent position at the ceremony, alongside Vice-President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance. The arrangement drew attention since members of Donald Trump’s cabinet... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3368740/ivanka-trump-takes-front-row-seat-welcome-xi-dress-chinese-designer-guo-pei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3368740/ivanka-trump-takes-front-row-seat-welcome-xi-dress-chinese-designer-guo-pei?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 02:44:14 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Before setting off for Washington on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping had some correspondence to attend to. Dozens of students from 10 US universities, including Harvard, had written to Xi about their experiences on an exchange trip to China this year. According to the State Council, Xi responded with a call to the students to advance cooperation between the two countries. The gesture extended a pattern. For decades, Beijing has often turned to unofficial channels, from prominent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368733/ping-pong-pickleball-chinas-unofficial-approach-diplomatic-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368733/ping-pong-pickleball-chinas-unofficial-approach-diplomatic-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 01:30:39 +0000 Dewey Sim,Ji Siqi,Holly Chik Dewey Sim,Ji Siqi,Holly Chik Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump addressed top American business executives and officials in the White House’s East Room on Thursday evening, ahead of a state dinner. The dinner capped a tightly scheduled day for the two leaders, who delivered speeches in the morning hailing close ties and urging deeper cooperation. During the day, Xi and Trump held their second face-to-face meeting this year – which Trump called a “great meeting” – touching on issues including Taiwan, the Middle East... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368731/how-was-dinner-takeaways-xi-and-trumps-evening-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368731/how-was-dinner-takeaways-xi-and-trumps-evening-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 01:13:56 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik As Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met at the White House for a state dinner on Thursday, culinary diplomacy was on the menu for the guests who included business leaders and government officials. “The menu showcases American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence, bringing the culinary traditions of both nations together,” the office of American first lady Melania Trump said. Xi was dressed in a black Zhongshan suit – colloquially known as a “Mao suit” – while Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan wore... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368729/culinary-diplomacy-menu-xi-and-trump-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368729/culinary-diplomacy-menu-xi-and-trump-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:17:37 +0000 SCMP SCMP 1. B-2 Spirit, AI cooperation, no US-China conflict: key Xi-Trump takeaways so far Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump delivered remarks at the White House on Thursday morning at the start of the second day of Xi’s closely watched state visit. 2. Beyond the Rose Garden and the military review, Trump and Xi get down to business After weeks of frustration, delays and posturing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met Thursday, holding... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368723/china-us-new-joint-arrangement-ceo-arrivals-what-you-missed-overnight-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368723/china-us-new-joint-arrangement-ceo-arrivals-what-you-missed-overnight-xi-trump-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:49:18 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Arm touches, laughs, and firm handshakes were on display as Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump began their high-stakes summit in Washington, which has so far featured a rare airport welcome, military pageantry and closed-door bilateral talks. While the outcomes of the pair’s discussions are being closely watched, so are the exchanges between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies. A body language expert who reviewed the interactions said Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3368725/pat-back-xi-and-trumps-body-language-speaks-volumes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3368725/pat-back-xi-and-trumps-body-language-speaks-volumes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:47:50 +0000 Han Li Han Li Melania Trump and China’s first lady Peng Liyuan toured Chinese artworks and a room shaped by Asian design at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington on Thursday, as their husbands held talks at the White House. The museum’s director, Chase Robinson, said the two women spent about 45 minutes there and were “full of questions”. Much of the visit centred on the Peacock Room, whose displays of Chinese porcelain made it a fitting setting for the occasion, he said. “What better... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368724/inside-melania-trump-and-peng-liyuans-visit-smithsonians-peacock-room?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368724/inside-melania-trump-and-peng-liyuans-visit-smithsonians-peacock-room?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:46:33 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the sixth part of a series, Khushboo Razdan looks at how a presidential appeal to America’s heartland is playing out. Of the countless preparations being made for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s highly anticipated American trip, arguably the first came in the form of a personal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368643/what-xi-jinpings-letter-old-friends-iowa-means-struggling-altered-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368643/what-xi-jinpings-letter-old-friends-iowa-means-struggling-altered-america?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:00:20 +0000 Dewey Sim,Ji Siqi,Vincent Chow Dewey Sim,Ji Siqi,Vincent Chow Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump delivered remarks at the White House on Thursday morning at the start of the second day of Xi’s closely watched state visit. Both leaders spoke warmly of their countries’ ties and pledged deeper cooperation in comments that sought to project an image of stability between the two sides. Trump said he and Xi would work together to build a “better future for both our countries” while Xi called for the two powers to “coexist in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368716/b-2-spirit-ai-cooperation-no-us-china-conflict-key-xi-trump-takeaways-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368716/b-2-spirit-ai-cooperation-no-us-china-conflict-key-xi-trump-takeaways-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:44:16 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Friday that he would meet his American counterpart Donald Trump again at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November and at the G20 summit in Miami in December. This set a record, as no Chinese president before had travelled to the US twice in a year. Trump also said he invited to the G20 Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to show up in Shenzhen as well. The announcement capped the final day of Xi’s whirlwind state... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368709/beyond-rose-garden-and-military-review-trump-and-xi-get-down-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368709/beyond-rose-garden-and-military-review-trump-and-xi-get-down-business?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 14:32:56 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Xi’s US summit: Access real-time updates, geopolitical risk analysis, and exclusive reporting from an Asian perspective. Subscribe now with our limited-time offer to stay ahead. President Xi Jinping and China’s first lady Peng Liyuan arrived at the White House on Thursday, on Xi’s first trip to the US in nearly a decade, following US President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing in May. Trump greeted Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368706/xi-begins-first-full-day-us-visit-meet-trump-white-house-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368706/xi-begins-first-full-day-us-visit-meet-trump-white-house-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:53:20 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Nayan Seth Khushboo Razdan,William Zheng,Nayan Seth A small group of Chinese CEOs holding US visas has arrived in Washington after travelling separately from President Xi Jinping’s official entourage, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. But with the clock ticking and the business optics of the Chinese leader’s White House visit hanging on the final twists of diplomatic negotiations, the executives are still waiting to find out whether they will secure a seat at Thursday’s state dinner for Xi. “Beijing’s security protocol is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368683/chinese-ceos-fly-us-own-await-invites-trumps-state-dinner-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368683/chinese-ceos-fly-us-own-await-invites-trumps-state-dinner-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:41:59 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Starkly contrasting receptions for the Japanese leader and the Chinese president in the United States have sparked debate over Washington’s treatment of Tokyo as an ally. Sanae Takaichi arrived in New York at the start of the working week, beginning a trip where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time as the country’s prime minister. A photo taken on her arrival shows her waving across a relatively empty tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Footage... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368696/red-carpet-vs-empty-tarmac-xis-us-welcome-fuels-debate-over-takaichis-no-show-reception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368696/red-carpet-vs-empty-tarmac-xis-us-welcome-fuels-debate-over-takaichis-no-show-reception?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:20:23 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage of Xi and Trump’s meeting in the US so far. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Big picture or big deals? What the Xi-Trump summit holds for China and the US With the balance of power shifting between the US and China, the success of this week’s summit hinges not on headline-grabbing deals, but on practical, cautious consensus under a new strategic stability framework, according to Chinese researchers. 2.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368686/xi-trump-summit-day-1-highlights-red-carpet-chinas-leader-rubio-defends-visit-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368686/xi-trump-summit-day-1-highlights-red-carpet-chinas-leader-rubio-defends-visit-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:50:07 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin American tenor Christopher Macchio will perform at the White House banquet for Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. “An honour to return to Washington DC to perform for the State Dinner with Donald Trump (originally @realDonaldTrump) and President Xi,” Macchio said on social media, tagging the official accounts of Trump, the White House, and the Trump campaign. Often referred to as “America’s Tenor”, Macchio is a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368682/us-tenor-christopher-macchio-booked-xi-trump-state-dinner-performance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368682/us-tenor-christopher-macchio-booked-xi-trump-state-dinner-performance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:18:20 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China’s first lady Peng Liyuan has sparked online buzz over her English-language exchanges with the US first lady without an interpreter during her visit to Washington with President Xi Jinping this week. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and Peng at Joint Base Andrews in a rare diplomatic move. After Xi and Peng stepped off the plane, the two couples spoke with the help of interpreters. But as they walked along the red carpet, Peng and Melania... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368672/first-lady-peng-liyuans-english-takes-spotlight-exchange-melania-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368672/first-lady-peng-liyuans-english-takes-spotlight-exchange-melania-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:43:41 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the US is his first to the country since 2023 and his eighth face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump. From informal walk-and-talks to a state dinner, Xi’s meetings across four American administrations show how personal rapport and official diplomacy reflect the growing complexity of US-China relations. Xi’s first US visit as president: a shirtsleeves summit In June 2013, just months after assuming the presidency, Xi travelled to the United States following... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368664/summits-all-diplomatic-seasons-how-us-has-set-stage-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368664/summits-all-diplomatic-seasons-how-us-has-set-stage-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:52:15 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China and the United States agreed to extend a trade-war truce by two months to January 10, as President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a summit with US President Donald Trump. The short extension will let the US assess whether China is meeting trade commitments, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Wednesday following “unscheduled” extra talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng. China had sought to stretch the “Busan Agreement” pause until January 2029, when Trump’s term in... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368652/us-china-agree-two-month-trade-truce-extension-ahead-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368652/us-china-agree-two-month-trade-truce-extension-ahead-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:17:46 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China and the United States must prevent their AI competition from escalating into a cold war, a top Chinese policy adviser has warned, while asserting that a complete decoupling would be difficult. The remarks from Zheng Yongnian, a leading political scientist and dean of the school of public policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, come ahead of the Xi-Trump summit in Washington, where artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to be among the top items on the agenda. Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368543/american-ai-development-cannot-separate-itself-china-zheng-yongnian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368543/american-ai-development-cannot-separate-itself-china-zheng-yongnian?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:57:33 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan US President Donald Trump’s choice of attire at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday drew online attention as he made a rare personal appearance to welcome Xi Jinping. Trump was on the tarmac to greet Xi on Wednesday evening as the Chinese president arrived in Washington for his first US state visit in more than a decade. But while temperatures at the airbase were around 19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit), Trump was the only one wearing a dark overcoat and gloves as he and first lady Melania Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368619/why-did-trump-wear-gloves-greet-chinas-xi-jinping-joint-base-andrews?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368619/why-did-trump-wear-gloves-greet-chinas-xi-jinping-joint-base-andrews?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:29:02 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen A video clip showing uniformed US military personnel on their hands and knees making last-minute adjustments to a red carpet has gone viral online, with critics pointing to the lavish welcome President Donald Trump rolled out for his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews. The 12-second clip, which circulated widely on US social media, captured several service members hurriedly smoothing and cleaning the 30-metre (98-foot) carpet moments before Xi emerged from his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368596/video-us-military-adjusting-red-carpet-chinas-xi-sparks-online-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368596/video-us-military-adjusting-red-carpet-chinas-xi-sparks-online-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 04:23:19 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang With the balance of power shifting between the US and China, the success of this week’s summit hinges not on headline-grabbing deals, but on practical, cautious consensus under a new strategic stability framework, according to Chinese researchers. Media outlets in China have given heavy coverage to President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States, highlighting its “historic, milestone significance”. It follows US President Donald Trump’s Beijing visit in May. Xi’s arrival in Washington on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368589/big-picture-or-big-deals-what-xi-trump-summit-holds-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368589/big-picture-or-big-deals-what-xi-trump-summit-holds-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 03:37:50 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan shared a light moment with Melania Trump on Wednesday as the two women renewed an acquaintance dating back to the Trumps’ first term in the White House. The first ladies smiled as they greeted each other at the foot of the aircraft stairs at Joint Base Andrews, where Peng arrived with President Xi Jinping for a visit to Washington. Walking behind their husbands along the red carpet, Peng gestured towards the honour guard, apparently remarking on the soldiers’... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368572/peng-liyuan-and-melania-trump-renew-acquaintance-xi-arrives-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368572/peng-liyuan-and-melania-trump-renew-acquaintance-xi-arrives-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:04:26 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the US for a high-stakes summit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to restrict visas for those who “engage in or facilitate” birth tourism, a practice the Trump administration has increasingly accused China of. “By restricting visa issuance of those who both engage in and profit from this fraud, we are sending a clear message: the United States will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3368569/us-restricts-visas-birth-tourism-ahead-xi-jinpings-summit-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3368569/us-restricts-visas-birth-tourism-ahead-xi-jinpings-summit-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:50:26 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Chinese President Xi Jinping landed at Joint Base Andrews late Wednesday afternoon after a 15-hour flight where he was met on the tarmac by US President Donald Trump in an unusual move for a top American leader as the two sides extended a trade truce. The closely watched visit – Xi’s first summit in the United States in 11 years – comes as the two nations grapple with a host of thorny issues beneath the flowery language and statements of friendship, including artificial intelligence, critical... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368568/xi-lands-us-high-stakes-summit-trump-amid-deep-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368568/xi-lands-us-high-stakes-summit-trump-amid-deep-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:46:57 +0000 SCMP SCMP This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Unrivalled Xi-Trump summit analysis: get real-time updates and exclusive boots-on-the-ground reporting from our US and China bureaus. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. President Xi Jinping met US President Donald Trump at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews airbase, in the first face-to-face talks between the Chinese and American leaders since Trump visited Beijing in May. On this first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368567/xi-begin-3-day-us-visit-rare-airport-welcome-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368567/xi-begin-3-day-us-visit-rare-airport-welcome-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:18:58 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin A grand military welcome, a state dinner, tea at the White House and a tour of the National Archives: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington will see his American counterpart, Donald Trump, roll out the pomp and pageantry. The United States’ capital is bracing for high-level bilateral discussions served with a side of symbolic gestures, marking Xi’s first state visit to the country since 2015. But what exactly makes this a state visit, and how does it differ from other official... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368563/all-you-need-know-about-state-visit-white-house-rolls-out-red-carpet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368563/all-you-need-know-about-state-visit-white-house-rolls-out-red-carpet-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 19:37:51 +0000