US president says the under-construction ballroom will outdo its Beijing counterpart, despite being a fraction of the size
3-MIN READ3-MINMeredith ChenPublished: 9:00pm, 14 Sep 2026President Donald Trump’s claim that the new White House ballroom will top China’s Great Hall of the People has thrust the Beijing landmark back into the spotlight just as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for his US visit later this month.Speaking at a Republican midterm convention in Dallas last week, Trump described the Great Hall of the People – China’s most prestigious venue for legislative and ceremonial events – as “a serious hall”.
“This is a very large hall, but we’re going to top it. You know, we’re going to top it,” Trump said.
Trump stood inside the central Beijing landmark just months earlier.
