Xi Jinping’s Return to Washington: A State Visit to Build Stability
Xi Jinping will make a state visit to Washington on September 24, his first since 2015, with both leaders seeking to stabilize the bilateral relationship. The visit is expected to be heavy on optics and light on substantive progress, building on the trade truce agreed at Busan in October 2025. The United States seeks continued rare earth shipments, agricultural purchases, and support on Iran, while China aims to highlight its equal status and the necessity of the Xi-Trump relationship.
Why it matters: This matters because the visit is an attempt to build strategic stability through personal diplomacy, with the trade truce as its main concrete foundation.