A planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is more likely to take place in 2026 rather than this fall, according to U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue. Speaking in Beijing alongside a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers, Perdue said the leaders have a strong and “encouraging” relationship, but logistics point toward a gathering next year.

Trump previously suggested the two would meet at a multilateral summit in South Korea in the coming weeks, and also indicated reciprocal state visits were planned for early 2026. China’s official readout of the recent Trump–Xi call, however, omitted these details.

The congressional delegation, led by Democratic Representative Adam Smith, met with senior Chinese officials including Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier He Lifeng. Discussions included military communications and disputes over TikTok’s ownership. Smith noted that while dialogue is improving, the two countries still struggle to align, remarking they need to “at least get in the same book.”