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The toast, the tastes and the tech selfie that crowned the US-China summit

The chandeliers glittered at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday night when Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump raised…

By Samantha Johnson / May 14, 2026
The 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 banquet capped a day that yielded a pledge from both sides to work towards “constructive strategic stability” and included a visit to the Temple of Heaven Unesco World Heritage site.

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The two leaders will meet again on Friday for a tea and working lunch.

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“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.

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