The Chinese and US presidents attend a glittering state banquet that combined Chinese and Western dishes
5-MIN READ5-MIN ListenVanessa Caiin ShanghaiPublished: 10:17pm, 14 May 2026The chandeliers glittered at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday night when Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump raised a toast to a “fantastic” summit.“It was a fantastic day, and in particular, I want to thank President Xi, my friend, for this magnificent welcome ... and for so graciously hosting us on this very historic state visit,” Trump said, nearly nine years after his first presidential trip to the Chinese capital.
The two leaders will meet again on Friday for a tea and working lunch.
“We both believe that the China-US relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and never mess it up.”
Trump highlighted the countries’ shared history, and described his talks with Xi as “extremely positive and productive”. He then invited the Chinese leader to visit the White House at the end of September.
