Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the United States in late September 2026. He is scheduled to arrive on the evening of September 23 and leave on September 25, spending only one full day in the US for a White House meeting with President Donald Trump on September 24 [1] [2] [3].
Xi will not attend or speak at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which opens in New York on September 22 [1] [2] [4]. This marks a departure from earlier speculation that he might use the trip to promote China’s peace development initiatives during the UNGA general debate. Some diplomats noted Beijing has not sent an advance team to New York, signaling that Xi will skip the UN headquarters altogether [2] [3] [4].
An anonymous informed source said, "習近平可能於9月23日晚間抵達美國，他不會參加聯合國大會，並於25日離境。他實際上只有24日在白宮進行一天的會談" — confirming the briefness of the visit focused on the White House meeting [2]. A European Union diplomat in Washington said when the September 24 summit date was first announced, some assumed China chose it so Xi could also attend the UNGA, but this will not happen [4].
This is the first time since 2015 that Xi will personally skip the UN General Assembly. He attended the UN 70th anniversary that year and gave a virtual speech in 2021 [2] [5].
Richard Stengel, former US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, said Xi’s absence is "a missed opportunity for China, given it positions itself as a staunch supporter of the UN Charter and global governance" especially as the US faces challenges in the Middle East. Stengel noted the visit benefits the Trump administration by avoiding a direct contrast between "great powers supporting the UN" and the "America First" policy, which traditionally discounts the UN’s role [6].
The White House confirmed Xi Jinping’s visit and the September 24 meeting but declined to comment on other itinerary details [1]. Xi’s arrival on September 23 and departure on September 25 will make the White House summit the sole focus of his US trip.
The UN General Assembly will open its general debate in New York on September 22. Xi’s absence means China will not have a top-level leader present during the talk of global issues this year [1] [2] [6].
