Donald Trump announced on November 24, 2025, that he has accepted an invitation from Xi Jinping to visit Beijing in April, and that he has in turn invited Xi to make a state visit to the U.S. later next year. The announcement followed a phone call between the two leaders, which came about a month after their meeting in South Korea.
During the call, Trump and Xi discussed a range of topics including the war in Ukraine, fentanyl trafficking, and U.S. soybean exports to China. Trump posted afterward that their relationship with China is “extremely strong.” Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s account of the call emphasized issues such as Taiwan and the post-war international order, which were not mentioned in Trump’s public message.
On the trade front, the two countries reported progress: China has resumed purchasing U.S. soybeans after months of boycott, and the U.S. reduced tariffs on Chinese goods. However, China has not publicly confirmed all of the purchasing figures or guarantees that the U.S. side claims. The implementation of commitments remains uncertain, even as both sides highlight favorable developments.
Despite the upbeat announcements, strategic differences remain. China emphasized Taiwan’s “return to mainland China” as part of the international order, a position the U.S. has not accepted. Additionally, although both sides referenced Ukraine and broader geopolitics, there was no breakthrough on those fronts. The upcoming visits — Trump’s to Beijing in April and Xi’s to the U.S. later next year — will serve as key tests of whether this moment can lead to lasting normalization or whether the underlying tensions will resurface.
