President Xi Jinping’s recent state visit to Washington last month was marked by notable ceremonial honors, including two 21-gun salutes, a flyover by a B-2 stealth bomber, and a joint visit with US President Donald Trump to the National Archives. Both leaders described the summit positively, with Trump calling it a “great meeting” and Xi praising the visit for its meticulous organization. Despite the outward success, sources familiar with the visit process say Beijing had anticipated a more expansive agenda.

According to individuals who spoke on condition of anonymity, China had sought a broader program for Xi’s first state visit to the United States in over ten years, aiming to include engagement with the American business community, discussions on numerous diplomatic and security topics, and talks on artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation. These proposals, however, were ultimately not included in the official itinerary, which remained tightly structured and closely aligned with the format of Trump’s earlier visit to Beijing in May.

In preparation for the visit, Chinese officials reportedly reached out to other diplomatic missions in Washington to gauge the level of reception Xi might receive and to explore options for an extensive program. One source described the planning as an attempt to create a “grand visit,” while another noted Beijing’s interest in drawing from the best elements of prior state visits hosted by the United States for foreign dignitaries.

Among the suggested but declined engagements were a dialogue between Xi and US business executives and an address to students at prestigious universities in Washington or New York. US officials reportedly rejected these proposals, emphasizing the principle of reciprocity based on Trump’s visit to China and expressing concern about providing Xi with platforms to broadcast his views more broadly.

By contrast, during Xi’s last state visit to the US in 2015, he participated in more extensive activities, including stops at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Boeing’s factory in Everett, and a high school in Tacoma, where he interacted with teachers and students and spoke on fostering positive bilateral relations.

The final itinerary for Xi’s 2026 visit largely mirrored elements of Trump’s visit to Beijing, such as formal state dinners—held in the East Room of the White House for Xi and at the Great Hall of the People for Trump—and private teahouse meetings. However, a key difference was the absence of Chinese business leaders accompanying Xi to Washington. In contrast, numerous American executives, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Tesla’s Elon Musk, traveled with Trump to Beijing and attended state functions.

Discussions during Xi’s visit had initially explored the possibility of convening top technology executives from both countries to discuss AI collaboration, reflecting a shared interest in the field. Ultimately, these plans did not come to fruition due to US national security concerns. Nonetheless, the two sides agreed to establish an AI dialogue to exchange perspectives on the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence and to create a communication channel aimed at managing AI-related incidents.

While both governments hailed the visit as historic and productive, the contrast between Beijing’s initial expectations and the final agenda underscores the complexities remaining in US-China relations, particularly concerning cooperation in sensitive areas such as technology and public diplomacy.