WASHINGTON -- Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his state visit to Washington on Friday by announcing that he expects to meet U.S. President Donald Trump two more times before the end of the year, doubling the number of face-to-face discussions between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies in 2026. The promise of more meetings to come capped off a three-day state visit that has been criticized by some in the U.S. for being heavy on pomp and light on substance, though Trump said they discussed the war in Iran. The two leaders have made a show of working to preserve harmony, but there were no major breakthroughs this week on issues such as trade or the safety of artificial intelligence. Some trade analysts were struck by how few tangible accomplishments seemed to come from the meeting. Little was announced outside of the promise of more meetings and Washington and Beijing agreeing as Xi landed in the U.S. to extend their trade truce only a few months until January. “A lot of pomp and circumstance or sound and fury but signifying nothing. There’s just not a lot there,” said Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute. “Another summit without tangible results merely allows China to run out the clock on Trump’s second term without significant concessions,” said Jeff Moon, a former U.S. trade official and diplomat in former U.S. president Barack Obama’s administration who runs the China Moon Strategies consultancy. Xi extended an invitation for Trump and first lady Melania Trump to go to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November and noted that they could meet again a month later at the G20 summit at the Trump National Doral Miami golf club in Florida. “We do welcome Mr. President and the first lady to visit China,” Xi said. Trump responded, “We will, and we’ll be speaking a lot.” Trump takes Xi to the National Archives Trump on Friday took Xi to visit the National Archives, showing off the sacred texts of U.S. democracy to the leader of the world’s most powerful communist country. Trump, a Republican, has been seeking to demonize Democrats as communists during the run-up to the November midterm elections, a message that has been muddied by the red-carpet treatment he has given Xi this week. The visit comes as the U.S. celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding. The Archives has a special exhibit marking the semiquincentennial, titled “The American Story,” which highlights the country’s accomplishments and advances, along with images depicting its darker moments. Trump showed Xi one copy of the Declaration of Independence on Thursday -- a wall-mounted copy he keeps in the Oval Office. Inside the nation’s vault of records, where the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights are held, Xi peered at the documents that are kept under protective glass as a guide spoke about them. After viewing the Constitution, Trump told reporters waiting nearby that the two leaders discussed how old their nations are. “We’re just comparing,” Trump said. “Ours goes 250 years, which is great, and we’re proud of it. But theirs goes 6,000 years.” He added: “There’s a little difference between 6,000 and 250, but we’re very proud of our 250.” The leaders and their spouses have tea in the Red Room Xi’s day began at the White House, where Trump and the first lady hosted the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for tea in the White House’s Red Room. Their visit fell during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, a national holiday when families traditionally gather to celebrate the end of harvest, sharing mooncakes, round pastries filled with a sweet paste, over tea. Xi thanked the Trumps for the visit. “The highest courtesies, the most meticulous arrangements,” Xi said in Chinese. “This visit is very successful, and we also feel very satisfied.” Trump grinned when an interpreter relayed what Xi had said. “We’ve had a tremendous visit from two spectacular people, and we really enjoyed it, and I think we’ve made tremendous strides,” Trump said. “We’ve made great strides, very positive for both countries.” Xi enjoys a state dinner and a White House tour The Trumps feted their guests Thursday night with a black-tie state dinner attended by technology industry titans. Earlier in the day, Trump gave Xi a personal tour of his White House flourishes, including a gallery wall of presidents and a new 100-foot-long (30-metre-long) granite helicopter landing pad -- and pointed out his ballroom, still under construction. Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan toured the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. The two leaders also met behind closed doors for 90 minutes on Thursday, when they discussed issues such as the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula, according to the official Chinese government readout of the meeting. The White House has not provided any information about the private talks, but Trump told reporters at the Archives on Friday that he and Xi discussed the Iran war in their meeting. He did not offer additional details. “We had a great meeting. We had a really great meeting. Great for the farmers. Great for everybody,” he said. Outside the building, the two leaders said goodbye and exchanged one last handshake before getting into their respective cars. Xi left Washington, and Trump returned to the White House. Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press AP writers Ken Moritsugu in Beijing and Didi Tang and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.
