The key facts

  • The 2026 US-China political dialogue was held in Beijing on the theme of relations between the two countries in a changing Asia-Pacific region
  • The meeting took place days before the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19, where Xi Jinping and Donald Trump plan to hold talks
  • Trump's visit to China will be his second in 2026

Dialogue in Beijing ahead of the APEC summit

The US and China held an 'in-depth' political dialogue in Beijing several days before Chinese President Xi Jinping receives US President Donald Trump at the APEC summit, which will take place on November 18–19 in Shenzhen in southern China. The dialogue was held under the theme 'US-China relations in a new era: finding the right approach in a changing Asia-Pacific region and world.' According to the state news agency Xinhua, the sides exchanged 'candid, in-depth and constructive' views.

Positions of the parties

Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, stated that 'stable, healthy and sustainable' US-China relations serve the interests of the peoples of both countries and act as an important guarantee of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. He emphasized the need to adhere to the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as to strengthen the foundation of 'constructive relations of strategic stability.' The American representatives, for their part, called for strengthening dialogue and exchanges, expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and working toward the long-term, stable and healthy development of bilateral relations.

Who took part and what comes next

The talks involved representatives of American political parties, the strategic and business communities, as well as Chinese government bodies, local authorities, think tanks, universities and public organizations. The meeting served as preparatory background for the expected talks between Xi and Trump on the sidelines of the APEC summit. The American leader's visit to China will be his second in 2026. According to Xinhua, during the two summits held this year — in Beijing and Washington — Xi and Trump agreed to build 'constructive relations of strategic stability based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.'