US and Chinese Presidents Meet for Tea, Marking Third Consecutive Day of Talks; Visit National Archives

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sat down together once again on September 25 (local time) for a tea meeting at the White House.

President Xi, who is on a state visit to the United States, arrived at the White House in Washington, D.C., that morning for a private teatime with President Trump.

The two leaders were joined by their spouses, First Lady Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan.

With this meeting, President Trump has met face-to-face with President Xi for three consecutive days.

On September 23, President Trump personally greeted President Xi at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland near Washington, D.C., upon his arrival. The previous day, the two leaders held a U.S.-China summit at the White House and hosted a state dinner for President Xi.

Continuing from the day before, President Trump went out personally to greet President Xi and his wife upon their arrival at the White House by car, welcoming them with a handshake.

When shaking hands with Peng, President Trump briefly bent his knees to match heights.

The two couples briefly posed for photographs.

During this time, a flurry of questions was shouted out, asking whether China had been asked not to import crude oil from Iran and why U.S. media outlets had been barred from the White House. However, President Trump only said, "Thank you all very much," before heading inside the White House.

The tea meeting took place in the Red Room, one of the White House's signature reception rooms.

The room gets its name from its red wallpaper and furnishings.

Given the Chinese tradition that the color red brings good fortune, the choice of venue is interpreted as a considerate gesture toward President Xi and his wife.

President Trump and the First Lady again went out personally to welcome President Xi and his wife as they arrived at the South Portico of the White House.

After finishing their tea, the two couples moved to the National Archives and Records Administration near the White House, where President Xi will spend his final moments before leaving the United States.

The institution is a federal agency that preserves and opens to the public the core official documents and archival heritage of the U.S. government.

In particular, it is considered a "shrine of democracy" as it preserves and exhibits the original copies of the three core founding documents that represent America's foundation, history, and identity: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

In his state dinner speech the previous day, President Trump emphasized the strong ties between the U.S. and China, stating, "President Xi and I fully understand that we represent different systems, but the bonds between our peoples endure."

When President Trump made a state visit to China last May, President Xi invited him to Zhongnanhai, known as the heart of Chinese power, for tea and lunch as the final itinerary.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.