President Xi completes state visit to US

President Xi Jinping wrapped up his state visit to Washington on Friday by announcing that he expects to meet US President Donald Trump two more times before the end of the year, doubling the number of face-to-face discussions between the leaders of the world's two largest economies in 2026.

The promise of more meetings to come capped off a three-day state visit that has been criticized by some in the US for being heavy on pomp and light on substance, though Trump said they discussed the war in Iran. The two leaders have made a show of working to preserve harmony, but there were no major breakthroughs this week on issues such as trade or the safety of artificial intelligence.

Xi extended an invitation for Trump and first lady Melania Trump to go to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November and noted that they could meet again a month later at the G20 summit at the Trump National Doral Miami golf club in Florida.

"We do welcome Mr. President and the first lady to visit China," Xi said.

Trump responded, "We will, and we'll be speaking a lot."

Trump on Friday took Xi to visit the National Archives, showing off the sacred texts of U.S. democracy to the leader of the world's most powerful communist country.

The visit comes as the U.S. celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding.

The Archives has a special exhibit marking the semiquincentennial, titled "The American Story," which highlights the country's accomplishments and advances, along with images depicting its darker moments.

Trump showed Xi one copy of the Declaration of Independence on Thursday - a wall-mounted copy he keeps in the Oval Office.

Inside the nation's vault of records, where the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights are held, Xi peered at the documents that are kept under protective glass as a guide spoke about them.

After viewing the Constitution, Trump told reporters waiting nearby that the two leaders discussed how old their nations are.

"We're just comparing," Trump said. "Ours goes 250 years, which is great, and we're proud of it. But theirs goes 6,000 years."

He added: "There's a little difference between 6,000 and 250, but we're very proud of our 250."

Xi's day began at the White House, where Trump and the first lady hosted the Chinese leader and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for tea in the White House's Red Room.

Xi thanked the Trumps for the visit. "The highest courtesies, the most meticulous arrangements," Xi said in Chinese. "This visit is very successful, and we also feel very satisfied."

Trump grinned when an interpreter relayed what Xi had said.

"We've had a tremendous visit from two spectacular people, and we really enjoyed it, and I think we've made tremendous strides," Trump said. "We've made great strides, very positive for both countries."