Xi Jinping to 'Lightning' Visit US in September! Will Meet Only with Trump, Not Attend UN General Assembly

Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to travel to New York to deliver a speech at the United Nations General Assembly during his visit to meet U.S. President Trump in September.

According to a report by POLITICO, four individuals familiar with Xi's itinerary revealed that he will meet with Trump in Washington on September 24 but has no plans to attend the UN General Assembly's general debate, which begins on September 22. During this week-long event, world leaders gather to deliver speeches and hold sideline meetings with U.S. government officials.

In other words, Xi's visit to the U.S. may be limited solely to the September 24 meeting with Trump.

One insider said, 'Xi is expected to arrive in the U.S. on the evening of September 23. He will not attend the UN General Assembly and is scheduled to depart on the 25th. He will effectively have only one day—September 24—for talks at the White House.'

The White House has confirmed in a statement that Xi will visit the White House on September 24 but declined to disclose any other potential schedule during his visit.

U.S. diplomatic circles previously widely speculated that Xi might use the visit to attend the UN General Assembly in New York, promoting China's stance on peace and international development, contrasting it with the U.S. military engagement in Iran.

A European Union diplomat based in Washington said, 'When the September 24 summit date was first announced, some pointed out that China may have deliberately suggested this date so that Xi could also attend the UN General Assembly in New York.'

The diplomat added that diplomats in New York have also noticed that Beijing has not dispatched a pre-visit team. It is customary for Beijing to send a pre-visit team in advance if Xi is expected to travel to New York.

Xi's last visit to New York to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly was in 2015, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United Nations' founding.

In 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly via video link. At the time, he subtly referenced the U.S. failure in Afghanistan just one month prior and advocated for a new world order based on China's economic development model—one no longer dominated by the United States—to developing nations.

Richard Stengel, who served as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs during the Obama administration, said Xi's absence from the UNGA is a 'missed opportunity.'

He noted that China has consistently positioned itself as a key supporter of the UN Charter and a pillar of global governance, while the United States is currently embroiled in military conflict in Iran and its global influence is waning.

Stengel added that for the Trump administration, Xi's absence from the UNGA is actually beneficial, as it avoids a direct contrast between a major power supportive of the UN and an 'America First' policy that appears indifferent to the organization.