Trump and Xi declare US-China ties 'never been better' at White House state dinner

Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday, with the two leaders striking a markedly warm tone as they declared relations between their countries had never been stronger. The summit, which included a formal state dinner in the East Room, brought together a guest list heavy with American technology and finance executives alongside government officials from both sides.

During the day, the two presidents held their second face-to-face meeting of the year, delivering speeches that hailed close ties and urged deeper cooperation. Their discussions ranged across some of the most contentious issues in the bilateral relationship, including trade, tensions over Taiwan and the future governance of artificial intelligence. Xi called on the United States to cooperate on AI.

The evening's dinner featured a menu described by Melania Trump's office as showcasing American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence, bringing the culinary traditions of both nations together. Xi arrived dressed in a black Zhongshan suit. Earlier, Xi announced that two giant pandas would be gifted to Zoo Atlanta, reviving a long-standing tradition of Chinese panda diplomacy. Before travelling to Washington, Xi had also written to dozens of American university students who had visited China, urging them to advance cooperation between the two countries.