China's Xi heads to US for talks with Trump: state media

China's leader Xi Jinping departed Beijing on Wednesday, bound for Washington, where he will meet US President Donald Trump, state media said.

The talks come as both countries confront rising fears over increasingly capable artificial intelligence systems and look to ease trade tensions.

Is Xi coming to America?

Yes. Xi left Beijing by special plane on Wednesday, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, senior aide Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Reuters has confirmed the state visit runs from September 23 to 25, at Trump's invitation.

What is the itinerary for Xi's visit?

Trump is due to personally meet Xi on arrival at Joint Base Andrews, ahead of formal talks on Thursday, the White House said. Xi and Peng will attend a White House ceremony that morning, which includes a military flyover, followed by talks and a state dinner that evening. The visit concludes Friday morning with tea between the two presidential couples, then a visit to the National Archives.

The White House said the visit marks "a significant milestone in the relationship between the two countries." Trump told reporters he would be "discussing almost everything" with Xi, signaling the talks could touch on several points of tension at once.

What issues will Trump and Xi discuss?

Trump's Iran war casts a long shadow over the talks, as China seeks to avoid US sanctions against countries dealing with Tehran. This is despite reports that Beijing supplied Tehran with intelligence for a strike on US troops. A trade war remains an even greater concern, as the world's two largest economies work to mitigate the fallout from Trump's global tariffs. The threat of war over Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, also looms large.

Analysts have tempered expectations, cautioning that few concrete deals are likely to be announced. Preliminary talks between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese counterpart He Lifeng discussed creating a communication channel for AI concerns, though few details were released. Bessent said the two sides discussed setting up what he called a "US-China AI dialogue," adding that "the US has proposed that we have a notification mechanism between the two countries."

Will human rights cases feature in the talks?

The son of jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai has appealed to Xi from Washington for his 78-year-old father's release.

Trump said in May that he had discussed Lai's fate with Xi, and that his release was unlikely. Beijing did, however, release Ezra Jin, founder of an underground church, after Trump raised his case with Xi.

What leverage does China hold in the negotiations?

China's negotiating arsenal includes its dominance in the supply of rare earths, critical materials used in high-tech products that are vital to US manufacturers. Beijing successfully pressured Washington to back down from steep tariffs last year after imposing strict controls on rare earth exports. That leverage is expected to remain a central factor as both sides head into this week's talks.