US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday (September 24) for a lavish summit that was heavy on symbolism but light on substance, with no sign of breakthroughs on thorny issues such as AI, trade, Taiwan and the war with Iran. - REUTERS

What happened when Trump met Xi: big fanfare, but no breakthrough

US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday (September 24) for a lavish summit that was heavy on symbolism but light on substance, with no sign of breakthroughs on thorny issues such as AI, trade, Taiwan and the war with Iran. - REUTERS

Published: 26 Sep 2026