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

Advertisement2026 Xi-Trump summitChinaDiplomacyThe toast, the tastes and the tech selfie that crowned the US-China summit

The Chinese and US presidents attend a glittering state banquet that combined Chinese and Western dishes

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Vanessa Caiin ShanghaiPublished: 10:17pm, 14 May 2026The 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.Advertisement

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

Calling Trump’s visit a “historic” trip, Xi said at the banquet that the two countries “should be partners rather than rivals”.Advertisement

“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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