President Donald Trump announced he will visit China again this year, setting the stage for an unprecedented four face-to-face meetings between the US and Chinese leaders in 2026. Trump made the statement after returning from his May 14–15 state visit to Beijing, where he and President Xi Jinping held their first summit of the year, according to CNN Politics.
The announcement comes as the two superpowers deepen a pattern of high-level engagement that analysts say could define the trajectory of the world’s most important bilateral relationship for years to come. Trump’s May visit was the first by a US president to China in nearly a decade, as reported by the South China Morning Post. The trip was preceded by intensive preparations, including discussions over a potential US manufacturing fund in China, signaling the economic stakes involved.
Under the current schedule, Trump and Xi have already met once in Beijing. Xi is expected to travel to the United States for a state visit in September and again in December for the G20 summit. Trump’s newly announced trip to China would add a fourth meeting, likely before year’s end. The BBC noted that the series of summits could set US-China relations for many years to come, as both leaders seek to manage competition on trade, technology, and regional security.
The next milestone is Xi’s September state visit to Washington, where the two leaders are expected to finalize agreements previewed during Trump’s May trip to Beijing.