Trump hosts Xi for state banquet at White House

US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan for a state banquet at the White House on Thursday evening, with both leaders emphasizing strong bilateral ties and shared interests. Journalists were excluded from the event. The guest list included top US tech executives such as Tesla's Elon Musk, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and OpenAI's Sam Altman, highlighting contentious issues like artificial intelligence and trade. Protests occurred outside, with demonstrators chanting "Xi Jinping is not welcome," while the US called the visit a milestone in relations. Trump stated the two nations have "never understood each other better," while Xi noted both countries face a "historic starting point" and must act as responsible powers. Xi also stressed China's stance on Taiwan, urging the US to uphold its position against Taiwan independence.