Trump-Xi summit can’t happen this year, says U.S. ambassador in Beijing

The long-rumored meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping is officially not happening this year, according to U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue.

Speaking during a press briefing Tuesday in Beijing with a small group of visiting U.S. lawmakers, Perdue said talks between the two leaders are more likely to happen in 2026.

“We’re looking forward to getting together, as President Trump said … but certainly next year,” Perdue said, shutting down earlier expectations for a fall meeting.

The update followed Trump’s phone call with Xi on Friday, which Trump had said ended with both leaders agreeing to meet soon, possibly during a multilateral summit in South Korea next month. Xi’s camp didn’t mention any such arrangement in their own readout.

The press conference happened during a rare American congressional visit to China, the first since 2019. The delegation was led by Democratic Representative Adam Smith and included one Republican. It came at a time when the Biden-era frost has only just started to thaw under the second Trump administration.

The lawmakers had talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday, followed by Vice Premier He Lifeng on Monday, where they discussed everything from trade and fentanyl to TikTok and rare earths.

Smith presses China on TikTok, fentanyl and trade barriers

Smith, who currently serves as the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, made it clear that the trip was focused on reopening serious lines of communication between Beijing and Washington, especially on military and economic issues.

“We’re still sort of talking past each other,” he admitted. “We need to not necessarily get on the same page, but at least get in the same book.”

During the meeting with He, the group raised concerns about the massive U.S. trade deficit with China. They also demanded stronger Chinese efforts to stop the export of fentanyl precursors into the U.S. and pushed for the elimination of non-tariff barriers that are hurting U.S. companies trying to enter Chinese markets.

The delegation also warned Beijing about the future of TikTok. If the app’s Chinese parent company doesn’t sell its U.S. assets to an American firm, the video platform faces a full ban in the United States. Talks over a possible sale have stalled for months. No progress was reported during the China visit.

Another point of contention was critical minerals. The U.S. side challenged China’s use of export controls on rare earths, saying the country is weaponizing its near-total dominance in that supply chain. While Beijing has imposed strict limitations, Trump’s administration wants more transparency and fairer access for American companies.

Delegation demands military dialogue after Taiwan tensions

Military relations between the two countries were also discussed. Communication channels were frozen after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, an act that enraged Beijing.

China sees Taiwan as its own territory. The lines only reopened in November 2023 when Xi met President Joe Biden in California. Smith and his group told the Chinese officials that they want these dialogues to continue uninterrupted.

The delegation met with Defense Minister Dong Jun, who welcomed the visit, saying it “shows a good phase in strengthening China-U.S. communications, and I believe it is the right thing to do.”

Smith made it clear that the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region should not be seen as hostile. He stressed that Trump wants a peaceful solution to Taiwan’s status and doesn’t see war with China as unavoidable.