Xi to End Washington Visit With Trump-Led Tour of Constitution and Bill of Rights/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump is taking Chinese President Xi Jinping to the National Archives to conclude his three-day state visit. Xi will view the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights after talks produced no major breakthroughs on trade or AI safety. The visit emphasized ceremony and cooperation while leaving key economic and security disputes unresolved.
Quick Look
- Trump and Xi are visiting the National Archives Friday.
- Xi will view the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.
- The trip coincides with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
- Trump and Melania Trump are hosting Xi and Peng Liyuan for tea.
- The visit also coincides with China’s Mid-Autumn Festival.
- Trump and Xi held 90 minutes of private talks Thursday.
- They discussed the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula.
- No major agreements emerged on trade or artificial intelligence.
Deep Look
Xi concludes state visit at National Archives
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is taking Chinese President Xi Jinping to the National Archives on Friday, concluding a three-day state visit by showing the Chinese leader the foundational documents of American democracy.
Xi is expected to leave Washington after touring the institution that houses the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The visit creates a striking contrast: The president of the United States is presenting the country’s most important democratic texts to the leader of the world’s most powerful communist nation.
Trump and Xi have publicly emphasized cooperation and stability between the world’s two largest economies, but the visit produced no major breakthroughs on trade, artificial intelligence safety or other contentious issues.
Critics say visit emphasized ceremony over policy
Xi received an unusually elaborate welcome involving military ceremonies, White House tours, formal dinners and cultural events.
Critics characterized the visit as heavy on spectacle but limited in substantive accomplishments.
Trump personally met Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, when they arrived at Joint Base Andrews. The president later hosted a White House arrival ceremony, displayed renovations and entertained the Chinese leader at a black-tie state dinner.
Although both presidents spoke positively about bilateral relations, their governments remain divided over Taiwan, advanced technology, trade policy and global security.
Trump’s communist attacks complicated by Xi welcome
Trump has spent the run-up to the November midterm elections portraying Democratic candidates as communists.
That political message has been complicated by the lavish reception he provided to Xi, the leader of China’s ruling Communist Party.
Trump has repeatedly praised Xi’s leadership and emphasized their personal friendship throughout the state visit, even while attacking his domestic political opponents for policies he associates with communism and socialism.
Archives visit marks America’s 250th anniversary
Xi’s tour comes as the United States celebrates the semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding.
Trump said Thursday that he wanted to show Xi “some of the greatest treasures of that proud history.”
The National Archives is presenting a special anniversary exhibition titled “The American Story.”
The exhibit highlights major American achievements and advancements while also displaying images representing darker periods in the nation’s history.
Trump showed Xi another copy of the Declaration of Independence on Thursday. That version is mounted on a wall inside the Oval Office.
Trump highlights history of US-China ties
The president said the National Archives visit would also feature historical artifacts documenting relations between the United States and China.
“Just as our ancestors reached across the ocean centuries ago to trade, to learn, and to build a better world, our two countries do really the same thing, and we’re very proud of it,” Trump said.
The planned presentation reinforces the administration’s public message that the two countries can cooperate despite their competing political systems and strategic interests.
Trumps host Xi and Peng for tea
Xi’s final day in Washington begins at the White Housewhere Trump and first lady Melania Trump are hosting Xi and Peng for tea.
The gathering coincides with China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, a national holiday traditionally devoted to family reunions and celebrating the end of the harvest season.
Families commonly observe the holiday by sharing tea and mooncakes, round pastries usually filled with sweet paste.
The White House meeting offers a symbolic acknowledgment of Chinese culture as Xi concludes his visit.
State dinner draws technology leaders
Trump hosted Xi at a black-tie state dinner Thursday night attended by prominent leaders from the technology industry.
The guest list included executives whose companies play leading roles in artificial intelligence, advanced computing and other technologies at the center of strategic competition between Washington and Beijing.
The dinner featured red-and-gold decorations and a menu that included sesame-crusted sea bass.
Trump and Xi delivered toasts emphasizing the importance of maintaining cooperation between their countries despite significant disagreements.
Trump shows Xi White House additions
Earlier Thursday, Trump personally showed Xi several additions and changes he has made to the White House.
Those included a presidential portrait gallery and a new 100-foot-long granite landing pad for Marine One.
Trump also pointed out the construction site for his planned White House ballroom, which he has named the “Great Hall of the United States.”
Melania Trump and Peng separately visited the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.
Leaders hold private 90-minute meeting
Trump and Xi met privately for approximately 90 minutes Thursday.
According to an official Chinese government summary, they discussed the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula.
The White House had not released information about the private negotiations or provided its own detailed account of the meeting.
The absence of a U.S. readout left unanswered questions about whether the two leaders reached informal understandings on security, trade or technology.
Xi’s departure brings an end to a highly ceremonial visit that showcased efforts to stabilize relations but did not resolve the most consequential disagreements between Washington and Beijing.
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