Trump, Xi May Hold 4 Meetings in 2026
Bessent Says Frequent Talks Could Support Trade Stability
Key Takeaways:
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said up to four meetings between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected next year as both sides aim to maintain a trade truce.
- He said the planned engagements signal stability in the relationship and noted China is on schedule to buy at least 87.5 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans over three-and-a-half years.
- Bessent said the leaders also agreed to cooperate on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine and affirmed that the U.S. position on Taiwan remains unchanged.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there may be as many as four meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next year as both sides look to keep in place a fragile trade truce.
“What I feel very good about is the relationship between the leaders,” Bessent said Nov. 25 on CNBC. “We’re always going to be rivals. That’s natural. But are there things we can do together? Yes.”
Bessent said Trump may attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen, China, in November 2026 in addition to an anticipated state visit to Beijing in April.
Trump is also expected to host Xi in the U.S. two times next year, including in Washington for an official state visit and at his Doral resort for a meeting of the Group of 20 nations, presenting four potential opportunities for the leaders to interact face-to-face.
“If there are four meetings during the year, I think that that gives the relationship great stability, and stability is good for the American people and good for the world economy,” Bessent said.
Bessent has taken a leading role in maintaining a trade detente with Beijing over the course of multiple rounds of talks in various cities around the world, including Geneva, London, Stockholm, Madrid and Kuala Lumpur.
Bessent’s comments come after Trump and Xi spoke on Nov. 24, their first conversation since the two leaders met in Busan, South Korea, in October. The Treasury secretary said the call was initiated by the Chinese, while China has said the talk was initiated by the U.S.
Bessent said that the Chinese are “right on schedule” when it comes to pledges to increase purchases of American soybeans and said the country would buy a minimum of 87.5 million metric tons over the next three-and-a-half years. China had stopped buying U.S. soybeans as trade tensions ramped up earlier this year and their purchases of the commodity were a key sticking point ahead of the last round of talks.
Bessent also said that the US position on Taiwan “is unchanged” and that Trump and Xi agreed to work together to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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