Trump Invites Xi Jinping to Washington Amid Repeated Strains
US Ambassador to China David Perdue confirmed that President Donald Trump extended the invitation to his Chinese counterpart. Perdue added that Xi has also invited Trump to visit China in April.
China | PUREWILAYAH.COM — The United States has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Washington, according to US and international media reports, as contacts between the two sides continue despite a year marked by economic pressure and political tensions.
US Ambassador to China David Perdue confirmed that President Donald Trump extended the invitation to his Chinese counterpart. Perdue added that Xi has also invited Trump to visit China in April.
Perdue claimed that the two countries have largely implemented agreements reached during their previous meeting last year, referring to cooperation in areas such as the purchase of fentanyl-related substances and soybeans—issues Washington has repeatedly leveraged in trade and security negotiations.
He further asserted that Chinese authorities have cooperated with US law enforcement agencies, stating that for the first time, institutions from both countries have worked together on the issue of fentanyl. US officials have presented this limited coordination as evidence of what they describe as “practical progress.”
Perdue went on to claim that communications between Trump and Xi indicate a willingness to expand engagement in multiple fields, asserting that a level of “respect and trust” currently exists between the two sides—despite Washington’s continued use of tariffs, threats, and unilateral measures against Beijing.
Meetings Expected Amid Persistent Strategic Rivalry
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump and Xi could meet up to four times this year in different international settings.
Since Trump began his current term in January last year, the two leaders have held multiple contacts, including a face-to-face meeting in October in Busan, South Korea, which US officials described as successful. They also spoke several times by phone over the course of the year.
Despite the recent diplomatic signaling, relations between the United States and China have remained volatile.
Over the past year, bilateral ties experienced periodic escalation following Washington’s imposition of heavy tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting reciprocal measures from Beijing and leading to a temporary deterioration in relations.
China is set to host leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in November in the southern city of Shenzhen, in Guangdong Province. Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled to host leaders of the G20 in December, with the annual summit to be held in South Florida.
While Washington now speaks of engagement, the broader relationship remains defined by strategic rivalry, with US outreach unfolding against the backdrop of sustained economic pressure and geopolitical competition. (PW)