President Donald Trump used a formal dinner in Beijing on Thursday to invite Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Washington later this year, underscoring ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two nations.

“Thank you again, President Xi, for this beautiful welcome, and tonight, it is my honor to extend an invitation to you, Madam Peng, to visit us at the White House this Sept. 24, and we look forward to it,” Trump said, speaking at a state banquet.

Xi, in his remarks at the event, highlighted the central role of relations between the United States and China, stressing the need to preserve stability between the two global powers.

“We both believe that the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. We must make it work and not mess it up,” the Chinese leader said.

The trip marked Trump’s first time in China in nearly a decade. His most recent meeting with Xi took place in October 2025 during a visit to South Korea.

The invitation followed an extended bilateral session in Beijing, where the two leaders met for over two hours earlier in the day.

According to a White House summary, the discussions covered economic cooperation and trade, as well as geopolitical issues including the Iran conflict and developments in the Strait of Hormuz.

Chinese officials, for their part, indicated that Xi raised concerns with Trump regarding U.S. policy toward Taiwan, the self-governing island that remains a point of tension between the two countries.