Chinese President Xi Jinping urged cooperation with the United States, saying the two countries should be “partners rather than rivals,” Chinese state media reported. The remarks were published hours after Trump greeted Xi in Washington on Wednesday evening local time, September 23, 2026. The two leaders shook hands on a red carpet after Xi arrived in the U.S. capital. Xi said in written remarks that the Chinese and U.S. peoples have enjoyed long-standing friendly exchanges and that their interests are deeply intertwined, according to the state media report. The comments came ahead of closely watched talks between Trump and Xi. Expected discussion topics include trade and technological competition, particularly in artificial intelligence, according to the report.