Xi at Trump’s state dinner: ‘You make us feel truly at home’
At the White House arrival ceremony on 24 September, Xi announced that two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, would come to Zoo Atlanta “in a few days”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has thanked Donald and Melania Trump at a White House state dinner, telling the couple: “You make us feel truly at home.”
The toast, given in Washington on 24 September and published in full by China’s foreign ministry, said China and the United States “must act as responsible major countries”.
Xi urged both countries to “explore a new approach for major countries to get along with each other”, and closed by raising a glass “to the friendship between our two peoples”.
The ministry’s account of the evening paraphrases Trump’s toast rather than quoting it.
In that version, Trump said the two countries represented different systems but their friendship had grown ever stronger over time. The US president also offered to work with Xi to uphold mutual respect.
At the arrival ceremony that morning, Xi said the two sides “must hold the line of no conflict and no confrontation”. Xi also invited 100,000 young Americans to visit China over the next five years.
Trade and Taiwan
The same morning, the two leaders held talks at the White House. In China’s account of the talks, Xi said the economic and trade teams of both sides had “reached a new joint arrangement”. The account does not say what it contains.
On Taiwan, Xi said China’s position on “national reunification and territorial integrity” was “clear-cut”, and that China hoped the US would oppose “Taiwan independence” and “handle the Taiwan question with caution”.
The Chinese account records no reply from Trump on Taiwan.
In the same account, Trump called Xi’s trip a great visit, said the trade talks had produced new outcomes and urged an even better deal. On AI, Trump said the two countries should strengthen cooperation.
History and ceremony
Much of Xi’s toast looked back. George Washington, Xi told the guests, had “personally acquired a large collection of Chinese porcelain”, and redwoods given by Richard Nixon had taken root in Zhejiang, where Xi worked for several years.
The menu, released by the Office of the First Lady, began with a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir”. It is the same American sparkling wine served at the “Toast to Peace” shared by President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972.
The White House schedule for the arrival ceremony listed 479 military personnel. It also included a flyover by a B-2 Spirit and four F-22 Raptors.
The trip, Xi’s first to the White House in more than a decade, follows Trump’s visit to China in May.
The visit ends on 25 September. The schedule had the Trumps taking tea in the Red Room with Xi and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, before a farewell at the National Archives.