An unexpected scandal has erupted in the diplomatic world regarding the schedule for the upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States. Although the visit, planned for September 2026, will be the first official trip to the US by a Chinese leader in 11 years, its itinerary has undergone significant changes. According to sources close to the administration, Xi Jinping will skip one of the most significant international events of the year — the UN General Assembly in New York — focusing exclusively on a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Tight Deadlines and Rejection of New York

According to information obtained from four sources familiar with the Chinese leader's schedule, the visit will be extremely brief. Xi Jinping is likely to arrive in Washington late on the evening of September 23 and leave the country on September 25. Thus, his stay in the US will last less than two days. This entire short period will be dedicated to a single goal — a meeting with Donald Trump, scheduled for September 24 at the White House. The decision not to visit New York, where the UN General Debate begins on September 22, came as a surprise to the diplomatic community, which expected Beijing to use the UN platform to present its plans for peaceful development.

Diplomatic Context and Lack of Preparation

Previously, Washington diplomatic circles discussed the version that the summit date of September 24 was chosen specifically to give Xi Jinping the opportunity to attend the General Assembly as well. This would have allowed China to contrast its initiatives with ongoing conflicts, including the US war against Iran. However, the absence of Beijing's advance team in New York, which usually prepares for a visit of this level, confirms that the Chinese leader does not plan to appear at the UN headquarters. Neither the Chinese Embassy nor the US Mission to the UN has commented on these schedule changes yet.

Focus on Bilateral Relations and Ukraine

The shortened itinerary indicates that Beijing and Washington intend to focus on a narrow range of bilateral issues, avoiding public statements on the international stage. The last meeting between the leaders took place in May 2026 in Beijing, where Donald Trump personally discussed the situation in Ukraine with Xi Jinping, urging the Chinese leader to help end the war between Russia and Ukraine. It is expected that the topic of the Ukrainian conflict and current geopolitical disagreements will be central to the agenda on September 24. The White House confirmed the date of the visit but refused to comment on any other details of the head of the PRC's stay in America.

Contradictory Data

There are discrepancies in the interpretation of the motives for such a tight schedule. On the one hand, EU diplomats believe that the rejection of New York may be a tactical move aimed at avoiding direct rhetorical clashes with the US against the backdrop of the war with Iran. On the other hand, the lack of official comments from the Chinese side and the absence of an advance team in New York may indicate that the visit was originally planned as a strictly closed summit without a public component. It is currently unclear whether this is a temporary measure or a signal of a shift in priorities in Chinese foreign policy.