Key facts
- Chinese President Xi Jinping will skip the UN General Assembly during his upcoming U.S. visit.
- Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on September 24.
- The decision is seen as a move by Beijing to signal China's status as an equal to the U.S.
- Xi Jinping last addressed the UN General Assembly in person in 2015.
- Xi Jinping addressed the UN General Assembly via video link in 2021.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will skip the United Nations General Assembly during his upcoming visit to the U.S. to prioritize a meeting with President Donald Trump, signaling Beijing's intent to present China as an equal to Washington. Xi is expected to arrive in the U.S. likely late on September 23 and depart on the 25th, with his sole day of meetings at the White House scheduled for September 24.
Speculation among diplomats suggested Xi might have chosen the September 24 date to also attend the UNGA, particularly as the U.S. is engaged in a war in Iran. However, New York-based diplomats noted that Beijing had not sent an advance team to the city, which would typically precede such a visit.
Xi last addressed the UN General Assembly in person in 2015 and via video link in 2021. Richard Stengel, former Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, commented that skipping the UNGA is a missed opportunity for Xi, given China's positioning as a supporter of the UN Charter, especially while the U.S. is involved in a conflict and perceived as receding internationally. He added that for the Trump administration, this avoids a contrast between a U.S. 'America First' approach and a China that appears to back the UN.