Trump and Xi Exchange Toasts at White House State Dinner
President Trump and China's Xi Jinping exchanged warm toasts at a White House state dinner on Thursday, with Trump gifting Xi a bald eagle sculpture and previewing a new ballroom, while Xi cited wartime cooperation and "ping-pong diplomacy" as relationship touchstones. Trump praised Chinese hospitality from his Beijing visit, noting the countries' different systems but strong people-to-people ties, and invited guests to preview the new ballroom, which he said would fit over 1,000 people. Xi, wearing a Zhongshan suit, referenced World War II cooperation against "Japanese militarist aggressors," saying a "friendship forged in blood and fire" would endure, and toasted to mutual prosperity. The guest list featured American tech and business leaders like Tim Cook and Elon Musk, while the Chinese delegation comprised solely government officials, with no mainland Chinese business leaders present. Xi also framed the relationship at "a new historical juncture," linking Trump's agenda with China's rejuvenation goals.