US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping would visit Washington later this month, describing the planned summit as “exciting” and claiming the United States held a wide lead over China in artificial intelligence.
Trump also pointed to what he called unprecedented levels of inbound US investment. “AI is going up,” he said, framing the sector as a core measure of American strength ahead of the meeting.
The summit is expected to take place less than six weeks before the US midterm elections in November. Recent polls show Democrats favored to make gains in Congress, and several China watchers have set low expectations for concrete outcomes.
The visit follows months of tension between the two governments over trade. Earlier this year, Beijing opened trade probes targeting US goods in the run-up to the planned leaders’ meeting, and negotiators from both sides held talks in Paris.
The president’s remarks come as domestic pressures mount. Inflation and oil prices have risen, and his approval ratings have reached new lows. His confrontation with Iran continues, complicating the timing of the diplomatic calendar.
Trump earlier weighed delaying the summit before settling on a date this month. The two leaders have not met in person during his current term, and the Washington visit would be their first face-to-face session.
Analysts have cautioned that the compressed timeline and the shadow of the elections could limit the scope of any agreement. Trade, technology controls and investment flows are expected to dominate the agenda.
The White House has not released a detailed schedule for the visit. Both governments are expected to confirm the meeting date and format closer to the event.