On the afternoon of September 23, 2026 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington by special plane for a state visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

Upon the arrival of Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at Joint Base Andrews in Washington, Donald J. Trump and his wife Melania Trump warmly welcomed them. Donald J. Trump said that he was delighted to receive President Xi Jinping and Ms. Peng Liyuan in Washington, and that this was a visit of worldwide attention. President Xi Jinping is a great leader, and this is a great moment. He looks forward to having an in-depth exchange of views with President Xi Jinping to advance the development of bilateral relations.

American children presented flowers to Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan. Honor guards stood in formation along both sides of the red carpet in salute. A military band played the national anthems of China and the United States. A 21-gun salute was fired, and fighter jets flew overhead in salute.

Xi Jinping delivered a written statement, extending sincere greetings and best wishes to the American people on behalf of the Chinese people.

Xi Jinping pointed out that both China and the United States are great countries, and both the Chinese people and the American people are great peoples. The two peoples have long enjoyed friendly exchanges, and the interests of the two countries are deeply intertwined. The two countries should be partners rather than rivals. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand, and the two countries can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the whole world. Noting that he and President Donald J. Trump agreed on a vision of a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability in May, which has provided strategic guidance for the future development of bilateral ties, President Xi Jinping stressed that China and the US should work in the same direction, promote a stable relationship featuring cooperation as the mainstay, moderate competition, manageable differences and promises of peace, so as to chart the right path for the two major countries to get along in the new era.

Xi Jinping emphasized that the world is developing and the times are changing, but the historical logic of peaceful coexistence between China and the United States has not changed, the goodwill of friendly exchanges between the two peoples has not changed, and the general expectation of the international community for China and the United States has not changed. He looks forward to having in-depth exchanges with President Donald J. Trump on major issues concerning bilateral relations and the world situation, continuously enriching the connotation of the constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability, and expanding the space for exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields. He also looks forward to having extensive contacts with people from all sectors of American society and deepening friendship with them. He believes that with the joint efforts of both sides, this visit will surely yield fruitful results, enhance the well-being of the two peoples and add hope to world peace.

Cai Qi, Wang Yi and other accompanying officials arrived on the same plane.

Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council He Lifeng, who had arrived earlier, and Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng also went to the airport to welcome them.

On the way of President Xi Jinping from the airport to his hotel by car, representatives of overseas Chinese and Chinese students studying in the United States gathered along the roadsides, waving the national flags of China and the United States to warmly welcome him.